Whipsnade Park Golf Club

What Whipsnade Park Golf Club does

Whipsnade Park Golf Club is a private, owner-operated members' golf club located on Studham Lane, Dagnall, Hertfordshire (HP4 1RH), in the Chiltern Hills approximately 30 miles from London. Established in 1974 on land acquired by Larry Webb in 1972 and designed by local professional George Hamshaw, the club operates an 18-hole par-73 parkland course set in over 150 acres at roughly 700 feet elevation, with White tees at 6,709 yards, Yellow at 6,469 yards and Red at 5,680 yards. The course is bordered on two sides by ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, giving a distinctive wildlife experience (wallabies, deer, lions, red kites), and the clubhouse occupies restored 1850s farm buildings with original flint walls and oak beams. The club is currently owned by Derek Whalley, who took over in June 1978.

The club monetises through five primary revenue streams: annual membership subscriptions ranging from £18.75 (Junior under 11) to £1,373 (Full 7-Day), plus Under-30, Under-35, 18-23, 5-Day, Lifestyle points-based and Junior tiers; pay-as-you-go visitor green fees (£30-£50); society and corporate packages for groups of 12+ (£43-£98 per person across nine packages); food and beverage from the clubhouse restaurant; and equipment hire plus pro-shop merchandise including proprietary 60-page yardage books and digitally mapped green-reading books. The underlying technology stack is the standard UK golf-industry stack: ClubV1 (Club Systems International) for member management and the member hub, BRS Golf for visitor and member tee-time booking, HowDidiDo.com for website functionality and Google Analytics for traffic analysis.

The club's go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and event-driven, with no formal sales force; bookings are self-serve online via BRS Golf and the ClubV1 hub, with phone and email handling society, corporate and member-guest enquiries. Reciprocal golf arrangements with seven partner clubs (St Neots, Millbrook, Brampton Park, Collingtree Park, Burghley Park, Studley Wood, Bedford & County) and a County Card scheme broaden the addressable market, while Safe Golf accreditation underpins the junior and welfare proposition. The operating footprint is single-site domestic (UK), and the disclosed headcount is 1-10 employees, indicating a lean operation with the course, clubhouse and pro shop as the principal capital assets.

Name

Whipsnade Park Golf Club

Legal name

Whipsnade Park Golf Club

Website

https://whipsnadeparkgolf.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Whipsnade Park Golf Club is a private UK golf club operating an 18-hole par-73 parkland course in the Hertfordshire Chiltern Hills, bordered by ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, serving individual members, pay-as-you-go visitors, societies and corporate groups through memberships, green fees, clubhouse F&B and pro-shop services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Golf Club Services

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910), Golf Courses and Country Clubs (71391)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Turf Management (Sports Fields, Golf Courses) (BPABADAC), Athletic Field & Golf Course Groundskeeping (IMAIAIAH)

Keywords

• Golf club services
• Membership subscriptions
• Visitor green fees
• Society golf events
• Clubhouse hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkhamsted

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees ranging from £536 (Junior 11-17) to £1,373 (Full 7 Day) plus Golf Union fees. Subscription year runs April 1 to March 31. Lifestyle membership at £900 offers points-based play. Direct debit facility available.
2. Visitor Green Fees: Weekday visitor green fees at £40 (Monday/Thursday), weekend/Friday at £50 (after 12 noon). Twilight rates after 3pm at £30 (weekday) and £40 (weekend). County Card rates also available.
3. Food & Beverage: Clubhouse restaurant serves locally sourced homemade food. Restaurant closed Mondays but bar remains open. Society packages include various catering options from coffee and bacon rolls to full English breakfasts and multi-course dinners.
4. Equipment Hire: Buggy hire at £20 (members daily), £15 (members 9 holes), £30 (visitors daily). Trolley hire at £4 (members) and £7 (visitors).
5. Society & Corporate Events: Society packages (groups of 12+) ranging from £43-£98 depending on day and inclusions. Packages include combinations of coffee/breakfast, 9 or 18 or 36 holes, lunch, and 2 or 3 course dinners.
6. Pro Shop Merchandise & Publications: Professional-level yardage and green-reading books sold from Pro Shop. Golf equipment and merchandise available through the Pro Shop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Whipsnade Park Golf Club operates an 18-hole, par 73 parkland golf course set in over 150 acres of the Chiltern Hills at Dagnall, Hertfordshire, established in 1974. Its core offering combines golf course access (via memberships, visitor green fees, society/corporate day packages, and reciprocal partner-club arrangements) with a restored 1850s flint clubhouse serving homemade food and beverages, a Professional Shop offering tuition, equipment, and yardage/green-reading books, and practice facilities including a grass driving range, chipping green, and putting green.

Product overview

Whipsnade Park Golf Club operates as a traditional golf club offering a single integrated experience built around its 18-hole par 73 parkland course established in 1974. The core product consists of the championship-quality golf course complemented by practice facilities (driving range, chipping green, putting green), an on-site Professional Shop, and a clubhouse featuring a bar and restaurant. Additional services include Professional Course Strategy & Yardage Books and Professional Green-Reading Books sold through the Pro Shop, multiple membership tiers (Full 7 Day, 5 Day, Lifestyle, and Junior programs), Society & Corporate Day packages for groups of 12+, reciprocal golf arrangements with partner clubs, and County Card discount schemes. The club also provides equipment hire including buggies and trolleys, with online booking platforms (ClubV1 and BRS Golf) for member and visitor tee times.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 18-Hole Golf Course
• Clubhouse Bar & Restaurant
• Practice Facilities
• Professional Shop (Pro Shop)
• Professional Course Strategy & Yardage Book
• Professional Green-Reading Book
• Membership Programs
• Visitor Green Fees
• Society & Corporate Day Packages
• Equipment Hire (Buggies and Trolleys)
• Reciprocal Golf Arrangements
• County Card Scheme

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Club Systems International LtdcoreTechnology or IntegrationClub Systems International provides website hosting and website platform services (ClubV1) for the club's online presence, member management, and tee booking infrastructure.
• ZSL Whipsnade ZoocoreOthersThe golf course is bordered on two sides by ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. Wildlife including wallabies, deer, elephants, camels, lions, red kites, and buzzards are visible from the course during play. The zoo provides unique setting and wildlife experience.
• BRS GolfcoreTechnology or IntegrationBRS Golf provides online tee booking platforms for both visitor (brsgolf.com) and member (members.brsgolf.com) bookings. Society bookings also handled through BRS Golf.
• England Golf / Hertfordshire Golf UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with England Golf and Hertfordshire Golf Union. Club follows World Handicap System. Additional £25.50 England/Herts Golf Union fee applies to all memberships. Participates in county championships and inter-club matches.
• St Neots Golf ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal golf arrangement with St Neots Golf Club. Full 7-day members entitled to play at no charge (weekdays, subject to availability). Letter of introduction required.
• The Millbrook Golf ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal golf arrangement with The Millbrook Golf Club. Full 7-day members entitled to play at no charge (weekdays, subject to availability). Letter of introduction required.
• Brampton ParkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal golf arrangement (available from 1st April). Full 7-day members entitled to play at no charge (weekdays, subject to availability). Letter of introduction required.
• Collingtree ParkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal golf arrangement (available from 1st April). Full 7-day members entitled to play at no charge (weekdays, subject to availability). Letter of introduction required.
• Burghley ParkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal golf arrangement (available from 1st April). Full 7-day members entitled to play at no charge (weekdays, subject to availability). Letter of introduction required.
• Studley Wood Golf ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal golf arrangement. Full 7-day members entitled to play with £10 charge per round (weekdays, subject to availability). Letter of introduction required.
• Bedford & CountyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReciprocal golf arrangement. Full 7-day members entitled to play with £15.00 charge per round (weekdays except Wednesday, subject to availability). Letter of introduction required.
• Forestry CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner20,000 trees planted in conjunction with Forestry Commission between 1979 and 1984 to tree line fairways and separate holes, enhancing the parkland course aesthetic.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bedford & County Golf Club: Reciprocal golf partner in Bedfordshire operating a members' club with 18-hole course. Closely comparable in tier pricing, reciprocal network role, and regional catchment.
• Burghley Park Golf Club: Reciprocal golf partner in Lincolnshire operating as a members' club with an 18-hole parkland layout. Comparable in heritage, member services, and regional position.
• Collingtree Park Golf Club: Reciprocal golf partner in Northamptonshire with a parkland course and similar membership structure. Direct comparable in reciprocal-network peer set.
• St Neots Golf Club: Reciprocal golf partner in Cambridgeshire operating as a traditional members' club with 18-hole course. Highly comparable to Whipsnade in size, membership model, and reciprocal network positioning.
• The Millbrook Golf Club: Reciprocal golf partner in Bedfordshire offering an 18-hole parkland course with similar membership tiers and visitor green-fee structure. Directly comparable regional parkland club.
• Studley Wood Golf Club: Reciprocal golf partner in Oxfordshire with an 18-hole course offering a comparable membership and visitor experience to Whipsnade.
• Brampton Park Golf Club: Reciprocal golf partner near Huntingdon with 18-hole course and traditional membership model. Comparable in scale, regional reach, and member services to Whipsnade.

Broad incumbents

• The Belfry: Large UK golf resort and hotel in the West Midlands with multiple courses, leisure facilities, and event hosting. Comparable category (UK golf venue) but vastly larger scale and broader hospitality offering.
• Wentworth Club: Premier UK members' golf club in Surrey with multiple championship courses. Operates in the same UK private-golf-club category but at significantly larger scale and price point, serving as an upper-end incumbent benchmark.

Others

• Foremost Golf: UK golf retail and services platform that powers Whipsnade's Professional Shop (Phil Abbott's storefront). Not a competitor, but an enabling technology/retail partner closely tied to Whipsnade's pro shop operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WhipsnadeParkGC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whipsnade-park-golf-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Whipsnade Park Golf Club