Exeter sits in one of the richest corners of golfing Devon. Within half an hour of the city you can play a true seaside links, a Harry Colt heathland classic, James Braid parkland and a resort championship course. But a great round near Exeter isn’t only about championship pedigree. For most of us it comes down to value, a warm welcome, somewhere you can actually get a tee time, and a course that stays playable when the rain comes.
This 2026 guide weighs up the real options around the city, then explains honestly why we believe Exminster Golf Centre is the best all-round pick for pay & play golfers.
What makes a great round near Exeter
The famous names are wonderful, but they aren’t always the right fit for a casual weekend four-ball, a beginner, or a family wanting nine quick holes after work. We’ve judged the local courses on three things:
- Access and value — can you turn up and play without membership, and is the green fee fair?
- Practice and improvement — is there a range, lessons or somewhere to warm up first?
- All-year playability — does the course drain well and stay open when others flood?
On all three counts, the picture around Exeter is genuinely strong.
The best golf courses near Exeter
Exminster Golf Centre — best for pay & play, practice and all-year golf
Five minutes from the city centre and M5 junction 30, Exminster is a 9-hole course with 18 tee positions set in 55 acres above the Exe Estuary, with a natural spring feeding two lakes. The free-draining soil keeps it open all year when heavier courses flood, and there’s no membership required: it’s pure pay & play at £24 for 9 holes or £48 for 18, with free parking. The signature par-3 4th plays over a pond and the uphill par-5 8th is a proper test, yet the layout stays forgiving enough for newcomers and quick enough for a twilight nine.
What sets it apart locally is everything around the golf. There’s a floodlit driving range with 16 floodlit bays (14 covered), a pro shop open seven days with TaylorMade custom fitting and club hire, and PGA lessons from Head Professional James Taverner. The Charcombes Lounge bar and restaurant looks out over the estuary, so it’s as good for a Sunday roast as it is for a round. For most Exeter golfers wanting flexibility, value and somewhere to improve, it’s the easiest course to recommend.
Exeter Golf & Country Club — best for a polished parkland round
Just outside the city, Exeter Golf & Country Club is a mature parkland course dating to 1929, with James Braid in its design history. Set in trees, water features and well-kept greens, it’s widely regarded as one of the finest parkland tests in the South West. As part of a wider country-club setup with extensive leisure facilities, it suits members and visitors after a more manicured, all-round club experience.
Woodbury Park — best for a resort day out
Between Exeter and the Jurassic Coast near Woodbury, this is a 27-hole parkland resort across hundreds of acres of rolling countryside. The championship Oaks Course is the long, demanding flagship, while the shorter Acorns gives a gentler nine. With a hotel, spa, padel and a Toptracer range on site, Woodbury Park is geared towards golf breaks, society days and a full day out rather than a quick casual round.
Warren Golf Club, Dawlish — best for true links golf
Out on the sand spit at Dawlish Warren, this is the only genuine links course on the south Devon coast, threading along the Exe Estuary on a nature reserve. It’s a quick-draining, largely level links that rarely closes, with sea, estuary and dune views throughout and a railway station almost on the first tee. If you want firm turf, sea breezes and that links bounce, this is the one.
East Devon Golf Club, Budleigh Salterton — best for a heathland classic
High on the cliffs above Budleigh Salterton, East Devon is a Harry Colt-designed championship heathland course and a regular in England’s top-100 lists. The rolling, free-draining terrain and stunning coastal views make it a bucket-list round, and it’s open to visitors — well worth the short drive east for a special occasion.
Tiverton Golf Club — best inland parkland test
About half an hour north, Tiverton is another James Braid parkland design, founded in 1932 and consistently rated among the finest parkland courses in the region. Tree-lined fairways demand precision and the greens reward good putting, with recent improvements adding a pretty short par-3 12th by a lake. A rewarding, well-presented course for golfers who like a thinking round.
Honiton & Downes Crediton — best for relaxed local rounds
To round out the list, two friendly mid-Devon parkland clubs. Honiton, established in 1896, is an easy-walking course with big views over the Blackdown Hills, while Downes Crediton sits in 90 acres of historic estate parkland and challenges low and high handicappers alike. Both make for an enjoyable, unpretentious day’s golf within easy reach of Exeter.
Quick comparison
| Course | Location | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Exminster Golf Centre | Exminster, EX6 8GA (~5 mins) | Pay & play, range, lessons, all-year golf |
| Exeter Golf & Country Club | Edge of Exeter | Polished parkland & country-club facilities |
| Woodbury Park | Woodbury (~20 mins) | Resort breaks & society days |
| Warren Golf Club | Dawlish Warren (~20 mins) | True seaside links |
| East Devon | Budleigh Salterton (~25 mins) | Top-100 heathland & coastal views |
| Tiverton | Tiverton (~30 mins) | Braid parkland test |
| Honiton / Downes Crediton | Honiton / Crediton (~25–30 mins) | Relaxed local parkland rounds |
Why Exminster is our pick for everyday golf
The links, heathland and championship parkland courses near Exeter are special, and we’d happily send you to all of them for the right occasion. But for the round most of us actually play — a casual nine or eighteen, with mates or family, fitted around real life — Exminster wins on the things that matter day to day.
You don’t need to be a member, the soil stays dry when others wash out, and everything to enjoy and improve your game sits in one place: the course, the driving range, PGA coaching and the bar & restaurant. If you’d rather commit, our membership options start with a low-cost Bronze tier and run up to full Gold play.
Ready to play? Book a tee time online or call 01392 833 838 — and if you’re new to the area, get in touch and we’ll help you find the right round.