Lesser Known Heathland Courses

[Ally Mcintosh]

This is almost a travel request more than anything....

I'm taking a group of 16 to Surrey next May... We are looking for 18 holes on Saturday, Sunday and Monday... also a nice central small town / village to stay in...

Monday golf - no problem - I'm taking them to Woking...

Weekend golf - much more difficult.... I've managed to secure Liphook for the Sunday...

Which leaves me with a place to stay and Saturday golf... I was thinking about staying in Godalming which seems to be a lovely historic market town with some nice pubs etc... So I look up Google Earth and track down to the nearest Golf Course which looks good - Doesn't look particularly heather clad but has some great old-style placed bunkers (including some genuine centrelines)... Turns out it is West Surrey Golf Club designed by Herbert Fowler and they take weekend play... Anyone know this course well?... How do you rate it?

Any other advice for weekend play and / or a place to stay...

Thanks in advance,
Ally

[Sean_A]

Ally

I have never played West Surrey.  If I was down that way and looking for a game I would check into BLACKMOOR.  I haven't seen it, but I always fancied a game there. 

I have a few suggestions a bit further out, but not so far and as it isn't likely you will get on a club course until late morning at best the drive isn't so bad. 

You could try STONEHAM.  Most of the pix have been lost in the ether, but these few give a good idea of the quality - this is a vastly under-rated course on a superb piece of land. 
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,30823.0.html   

Stoneham also features one of the great drivable par 4s in the game.  A blind, slight legger left drive to a green slightly angled right to left.  There is a wee bunker protecting the right (bail out side off the tee) of the green and trying to hold an approach after flying this trap is very entertaining. 
http://www.stonehamgolfclub.org.uk/files/stonehamgolfclub.org.uk/35/13th.jpg

While a downland rather than heathland course, HOCKLEY (near Winchester) has a lot of very good holes and I have a load of time for this place.  I don't have pix, but I am very fond of this course.  It climbs a hill, winds around a bit then descends.  The turf is very fine and it is practically devoid of trees. 

Finally and perhaps the odd chance to see a backwater links, you could try HAYLING ISLAND.  Its a solid links with some charm and old world feel. 

Thinking of it, Blackmoor, Stoneham, Hockley and Hayling would suit me fine for a wee trip!

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

Sean, Thank you for your post....

STONEHAM looks absolutely fantastic - Unfortunately it is a little too far away for what I am trying to do (this weekend is my weekend with non golf-nuts so I have to keep it all relatively close by whilst trying to educate them at the same time)...

Ditto HAYLING which I've wanted to see for a while because of the Tom Simpson connection...

Will probably pass on HOCKLEY but might give BLACKMOOR a phone...

As you can imagine, it is one thing getting a twoball tee-time at the weekend... It is another getting four fourballs...

But Stoneham eh?... Need to make the trip down there at some point...

WEST SURREY looks less interesting ground and soil but there does seem to be a large number of Fowler touches in the bunkering from the aerial (plenty of long thin trenches) and some lovely placement so it seems to have some merit...

[Sean_A]

Sean, Thank you for your post....

STONEHAM looks absolutely fantastic - Unfortunately it is a little too far away for what I am trying to do (this weekend is my weekend with non golf-nuts so I have to keep it all relatively close by whilst trying to educate them at the same time)...

Ditto HAYLING which I've wanted to see for a while because of the Tom Simpson connection...

Will probably pass on HOCKLEY but might give BLACKMOOR a phone...

As you can imagine, it is one thing getting a twoball tee-time at the weekend... It is another getting four fourballs...

But Stoneham eh?... Need to make the trip down there at some point...

WEST SURREY looks less interesting ground and soil but there does seem to be a large number of Fowler touches in the bunkering from the aerial (plenty of long thin trenches) and some lovely placement so it seems to have some merit...

Ally

There is also NORTH HANTS out near Fleet.  It isn't as good as Stoneham, but there are many very good holes.  I somewhat liked the course, but am not rushing to go back.  I just rang a friend of mine who is a well traveled member of Stoneham and he doesn't think much of West Surrey!  Predictably, he thinks Liphook and Stoneham are the best bets with Blackmoor and North Hants about equal coming next.  He could make no more recommendations for the narrow area you are searching. 

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

Thank you Sir....

[Ally Mcintosh]

Of course Hankley Common is slap bang in the middle of all of these...

But they couldn't help me unfortunately...

[Sean_A]

Of course Hankley Common is slap bang in the middle of all of these...

But they couldn't help me unfortunately...

Ally, I figured Worp, West Hill and Hankley were all no goes. 

Ciao

[Paul Nash]

Ally
You could also try Hindhead - not sure if you can get on, but it is well worth it and certainly the equal of Liphook, which is only down the road. Camberley Heath might also be another option.
Cheers
Paul

[Sean_A]

Ally
You could also try Hindhead - not sure if you can get on, but it is well worth it and certainly the equal of Liphook, which is only down the road. Camberley Heath might also be another option.
Cheers
Paul

Paul, yes Hindhead is good - especially the front 9 if the rough isn't up cutting through those weird tight valleys, but I think it is over-priced.   

I have never played Camberley Heath, but folks tell me the course is good if not a little too pristine in its appearance. 

Ciao 

[Tony_Muldoon]

Ally it's nice to see the Irish are spending their money over here, now that it's so damn cheap for you guys.


  Here's the Heathland list.  I believe you’ve covered the main options.


EDIT : Here' s the link


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=20383


I hope Mark Rowlinson see's this as I've feeling he's written favourably about West Surrey in the past.  I believe they've gone over to USGA greens?  It is somewhere I want to see.


Another couple of options for Saturday Golf

Head east for the Addington?  Not too hard to access from Surrey.  It's likely to divide your group but what the hell you'll love it.  Also on the way there is Selsdon Park.  Not Heathland  (Downland?) but a Taylor course that I have very favourable memory of from when I first started noticing GCA.  See if you can get favourable rates in the hotel and the golf would be free. It's the Hotel where both Ryder Cup teams stayed at in 1971.
Can’t find a link to golf. The hotel website says 9 holes! This has to be the worst website ever, not even a picture of their rather attractive hotel.
http://www.selsdonparkhotellondon.co.uk/
But these guys seem to like the course.
http://www.uk-golfguide.com/england/26493_reports.html

Or head the other way round the M25, with easy access.  Alternatively fly in early Saturday and play

http://www.stockleyparkgolf.com/   

For a long time this was the only modern course I'd admit to liking.  RTJ designed and your non GCA contingent will love the 9th & 18th which are similar to many holes on the telly Sunday nights.  But there’s a lot more to the course. A good tight routing, with variety and very interesting greens.  It's a former waste dump but the terrain is used beautifully.

Can’t help with Hotels sorry.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Thanks for all your help folks....

I think I've a fair idea now... In the unlikely event that anyone has knowledge of the small town of Godalming, I'd be interested to hear their thoughts...

I will be short for time on this trip but the one place I really want to try and make it to is New Zealand to see the bunkering... (hopefully after Woking on the Monday)

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Godalming's only attribute is that it is close to Hankley Common.

I think you'd like West Surrey - it's in a delightful setting, even if members of Stoneham don't rate it, but, then, Stoneham is a terrific course. Have a look at Farnham, too.