[BCrosby]

Liphook GC was designed by A.C.M. Croome. The story goes that Tom Simpson  thought the course so interesting that he bought a house nearby and lived there the rest of his life. Reportedly he made many alterations to the course during his years there. He thought it one of the best courses in the world.

Liphook was located next to a number of military depots. The Luftwaffe, as ever incapable of spotting a great golf when they saw one, bombed it to smithereens during WWII. The course was rebuilt in 1946 by Guy Campbell.

Does anyone know if any of the old Croome/Simpson course remains?

Bob

[Tom_Doak]

Bob:

I've played Liphook twice.  Some of the holes illustrated by Simpson in his book remain, relatively intact ... others were strangely different ... I knew I was on the right part of ground but I couldn't quite piece them together.

There is a Tom Simpson Society, and the guy in charge is based at Liphook, so apparently they feel it's well preserved.

[BCrosby]

I keep running across commentary about Liphook pre-WWII. Simpson did not praise other people's courses often (see his comments on Colt's redo of Muirfield), but he thought Croome's Liphook was something very special.

Simpson thought the course was the the ultimate test of someone's eye for good architecture.

The loss of Prince's during WWII is often commented on here. Liphook might have been a bigger loss.

Bob



 

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