It’s no surprise that the scenic settings of many of the UK’s best golf courses are also home to beautiful fishing lakes. Both pursuits help in serving our thirst for fresh air, gentle competition, and moments of calm. Legends like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Phil Mickelson have all spoken about their joy of fishing, while 2025 Open Championship winner Scottie Scheffler even owns his own team of characters, the Texas Lone Stars.
Increasingly, golfers want to combine that love of the fairway with the riverbank. For those looking for more challenging courses – those who host the PGA’s major professional events – there are a few that stand out in the UK.
The Belfry in Warwickshire, which has hosted the Ryder Cup four times, has the nearby Belfry Coarse Fishery. The Forest of Arden, which hosted the English Open several times in the 1990s, has its own lakes, while Formby Hall Golf Resort, a stop on the Challenge Tour, is a 20-minute drive from the fishing ponds at Mersey Valley Golf and Country Club.
But above all this, one course deserves to stand out. Bowood Golf Course in Wiltshire has both a world-class PGA course and excellent opportunities.
Combining Championship Golf and Elite Angling at Bowood
As the Official PGA Golf Course and Academy of the South West, this Wiltshire gem offers a Dave Thomas-designed par-72 course that has become a staple of the professional circuit. It recently hosted the English PGA Championship for the sixth time in 2025 when Ashley Mansell won.
Stretching across 2,000 acres of carefully landscaped parkland, the course is a master of risk-reward design, featuring USGA-standard greens that remain pristine even in the unpredictable British weather.
The beautiful course, whose stunning landscape was sculpted by Lancelot “Capability” Brown, invites golfers to enjoy highlights such as the 3rd hole’s Cascades or the awe-inspiring drop shot of the 17th Queenwood. Everpresent are 26 lakes and ponds, and for those looking to trade in their 7-iron for a rod, Bowood offers two different world-class fishing lakes.
The appeal of an estate donation has never been more prominent. This resurgence of interest is not just a local phenomenon; reflects a large national trend that has driven the value of the UK fishing industry to over £3 billion a year. Clean rivers and healthy fish populations have fueled this growth, while popularity has been fueled by greater visibility in everything from fashion to entertainment.
Anglercore’s rugged outdoor wear has grown in popularity, while the BBC’s Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing has won a dedicated fan base and recently aired its eighth series to continued critical acclaim. Online, fishing-themed slots, including Big Bass Splash and Big Bass Bonanza, have become popular among fast bowlers, and promoters, like urban fishing content creator Snagged Bro, have amassed a large YouTube following.
As today’s golfers seek both water and green, Bowood Lake offers premier coarse fishing from 24 pars, where anglers can target bream, tench and golden rudd in a setting that once hosted the hunting parties of Edward of Woodstock, eldest son of Edward III. For the fly fisherman, secluded Calstone Lake – a crystal clear chalky lake at the headwaters of the Marden River – offers a much sought after experience for brown and rainbow trout.
Fairways and Fishing
Whether you’re teeing off on the 7,300-yard championship course or casting a tench, Bowood offers a rare combination of professional excellence and tranquil escape. At a time when the fairway and the river bank were never connected, it is still the UK’s gold standard.
