Liphook GC: Hidden Gem is an often overused phrase but in this case...

[Mark Chaplin]

Lynn you are clearly more accurate than me! The furrows on the right are 3 feet deep and 3 feet wide, even if the heather was removed it would be an awful spot to play from.....it is however very funky.

[Keith Durrant]

"For the majority of courses the present ball undoubtedly does go too far and it may be necessary to go back a step..."wrote Tom Simpson in 1929: "...so as to make it impossible to arrive and remain on the green unless the tee shot is placed on one side or other of the fairway. Liphook. to take one example of such restriction, although in itself comparatively a short course, will defeat for all time any improvement in the ball by the difficulty of the approach."

Frank Pennink in 1976 wrote: "An outstanding course...Liphook is not long, but is so designed that the placing of each shot is of paramount importance. Tom Simpson's dictum that a good golf-hole is one which puts the tiger in a quandary and forces him to make a decision is admirably borne out here. e.g at the 2nd a sandy track guards the green and whereas the handicap player can strike two up the middle and a third onto the green, the long hitter must realise that anything short of perfection will finish on the track or dribble away left"

Pennink attributes the new 1st and 18th remodelling to John Morrison after the war.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

It is clear the bench is deep in the UK. It makes one wonder how the Big Break guys missed all these great courses to end up at the K Club. Maybe it was the accomodations. I liked the greens as shown in the pictures as well. The question for me is whether I can ever leave the sea to play these wonderful inland courses when visiting the UK.

[Paul_Turner]

Liphook was much more renowned not all that long ago.  It made Top 50 lists

But some photos from quite a long time ago.  I know the club has done a lot with restoring and clearing but it's still a long way short of its original character.  Old numbering


9th

8th

6th

5th

5th

1st

18th

18th

16th

15th

13th

10th

[Mark Pearce]

Pictures of Heathland courses taken before the trees grew in always make me yearn for someone to get active with a chainsaw.  It is extraordinary how courses like Liphook (from these pictures) and the Berkshire have changed as trees have grown.  One great thing about Hankley is that it gives a clue as to how these heathland courses felt before the trees came.

[Bill_McBride]

Those historic photos are great.  The current #9 would make a terrific match play closer. 

I don't remember seeing anything behind the green that showed the Links Hotel.  Is it possible mounds were built back there, or is it just overgrown trees.

I can't remember ever seeing a routing that wandered around quite as much as Liphook.   It seemed that you left the club and drove about five or six minutes and then voila! More golf course.   Does anyone have an aerial or routing diagram that could be posted?

I will have pleasant thoughts of Liphook for a long time, in spite of that beastly little hollow left of the 4th green.   I took four from there to lose the hole to Chappers while getting a stroke.   

[James Boon]

Paul and Brian,

Thanks for the additional photos both historic and current, which help bring the course to life (especially as Photobucket have thrown a wobbler and I don't think my pics will be visible till the middle of the month?)  

Brian,

Your pictures with the heather in full bloom look amazing! Great that you managed to join us for the meal at Buda on Thursday night, but sorry we didn't get to chat long. Must catch up again some time soon.

Paul,

The annotation of the holes on the old photos is based on the old routing, therefore they now play as follows:
9 = 17
8 = 16
6 = 14 which also shows the "Pulpit" ladies tee which I forgot to mention
5 = 13
1 = 10
18 = 9
16 = 7
15 = 6
13 = 4
10 = approximate area of current 1 and 18

Also, thanks to everyone for the additional information, comments and input!

Cheers,

James

[James Boon]

I don't remember seeing anything behind the green that showed the Links Hotel.  Is it possible mounds were built back there, or is it just overgrown trees.

I can't remember ever seeing a routing that wandered around quite as much as Liphook.   It seemed that you left the club and drove about five or six minutes and then voila! More golf course.   Does anyone have an aerial or routing diagram that could be posted?

Bill,

I'll try and post a routing at some point if I can get Photobucket to play ball! This will also show that the old Wheatsheaf, current Link pub and former clubhouse isn't far away and is just obscured by trees. The temptation for a swift pint halfway round must be tempting for some...

Cheers,

James

[Bill_McBride]

I don't remember seeing anything behind the green that showed the Links Hotel.  Is it possible mounds were built back there, or is it just overgrown trees.

I can't remember ever seeing a routing that wandered around quite as much as Liphook.   It seemed that you left the club and drove about five or six minutes and then voila! More golf course.   Does anyone have an aerial or routing diagram that could be posted?

Bill,

I'll try and post a routing at some point if I can get Photobucket to play ball! This will also show that the old Wheatsheaf, current Link pub and former clubhouse isn't far away and is just obscured by trees. The temptation for a swift pint halfway round must be tempting for some...

Cheers,

James

I just compared the old photo of the original #18 where you can see the Wheatsheaf in the distance, and the modern #9.  The reason you can't see the hotel/pub, in addition to tree growth, is that the modern 10th tee has been built in the line of sight where the early 1st tee (current 10th) is off to the left. 

[Tom_Doak]

Paul T:

Thanks for the old photos, they made my day.

[Paul_Turner]

Tom

You are welcome.  I guess a new Heath course is a thing of the past, but then again we thought the same for links about 10-15 years ago....

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I'm delighted that Liphook has received so much cover on GCA and such a generally warm welcome. It was not a course that got much coverage on GCA before BUDA so I'm really pleased that it is now welcomed into the fold. I think back to the 1970s where you could play Liphook for £5 a round, while Wentworth West and Sunningdale Old were somewhere about £25. Perhaps that price differential is still maintained.

Earlier still, Donald Steel's first Golf Course Guide (1968) lists Liphook at 20/- (£1), Sunningdale at 50/- (£2.50) and Wentworth West at 47/6 (£2.37). What would you give to play at those prices today?

[Bill_McBride]

I'm delighted that Liphook has received so much cover on GCA and such a generally warm welcome. It was not a course that got much coverage on GCA before BUDA so I'm really pleased that it is now welcomed into the fold. I think back to the 1970s where you could play Liphook for £5 a round, while Wentworth West and Sunningdale Old were somewhere about £25. Perhaps that price differential is still maintained.

Earlier still, Donald Steel's first Golf Course Guide (1968) lists Liphook at 20/- (£1), Sunningdale at 50/- (£2.50) and Wentworth West at 47/6 (£2.37). What would you give to play at those prices today?

Mark, you just have to be able to remember back a while.   Last time I played Pebble Beach, 1978, it cost $65 and I carried my own bag!

I have a copy of the 1986 AA Guide to Golf Courses in Britain.   The most amazing thing about this book is that I apparently paid US $19.95 for it 25 years ago!

[Sean_A]

Paul and Brian,

Thanks for the additional photos both historic and current, which help bring the course to life (especially as Photobucket have thrown a wobbler and I don't think my pics will be visible till the middle of the month?)  

Brian,

Your pictures with the heather in full bloom look amazing! Great that you managed to join us for the meal at Buda on Thursday night, but sorry we didn't get to chat long. Must catch up again some time soon.

Paul,

The annotation of the holes on the old photos is based on the old routing, therefore they now play as follows:
9 = 17
8 = 16
6 = 14 which also shows the "Pulpit" ladies tee which I forgot to mention
5 = 13
1 = 10
18 = 9
16 = 7
15 = 6
13 = 4
10 = approximate area of current 1 and 18

Also, thanks to everyone for the additional information, comments and input!

Cheers,

James

Boonie

I am trying to figure out the routing.  I can't get my head round the current 16th being the old 8th.  I am also struggling with the current 14th being the old 6th.  

Looking at old pix, the current 13th is labelled as the old 5th.  A hole has gone missing in this sequence.  

Ciao

[John Mayhugh]

Glad to see this thread pop back up as I somehow missed it before.  The course profile is great.  I love the raw look that the course had in those wonderful old pictures that Paul posted.  Makes me even more sorry for missing Buda last year.

[James Boon]

Paul and Brian,

Thanks for the additional photos both historic and current, which help bring the course to life (especially as Photobucket have thrown a wobbler and I don't think my pics will be visible till the middle of the month?)  

Brian,

Your pictures with the heather in full bloom look amazing! Great that you managed to join us for the meal at Buda on Thursday night, but sorry we didn't get to chat long. Must catch up again some time soon.

Paul,

The annotation of the holes on the old photos is based on the old routing, therefore they now play as follows:
9 = 17
8 = 16
6 = 14 which also shows the "Pulpit" ladies tee which I forgot to mention
5 = 13
1 = 10
18 = 9
16 = 7
15 = 6
13 = 4
10 = approximate area of current 1 and 18

Also, thanks to everyone for the additional information, comments and input!

Cheers,

James

Boonie

I am trying to figure out the routing.  I can't get my head round the current 16th being the old 8th.  I am also struggling with the current 14th being the old 6th.  

Looking at old pix, the current 13th is labelled as the old 5th.  A hole has gone missing in this sequence.  

Ciao

Sean,

As you know, the original routing started at what is now the 10th hole and is pretty much as its played now with the following exceptions (if I recall correctly from the history book which is at home):

- Between the current 12th (then 3rd) and 13th (then 5th) was a par 3 off to the right that was lost when the course moved to the new clubhouse and rerouted accordingly, shunting the sequencing until we get to...
- The current 18th green and new 1st tee came into play creating two holes where there used to be just one (then 10th), roughly played from the current 18th tee to the current 1st green.

Hope that clarifies it?

Cheers,

James

[Sean_A]

Paul and Brian,

Thanks for the additional photos both historic and current, which help bring the course to life (especially as Photobucket have thrown a wobbler and I don't think my pics will be visible till the middle of the month?)  

Brian,

Your pictures with the heather in full bloom look amazing! Great that you managed to join us for the meal at Buda on Thursday night, but sorry we didn't get to chat long. Must catch up again some time soon.

Paul,

The annotation of the holes on the old photos is based on the old routing, therefore they now play as follows:
9 = 17
8 = 16
6 = 14 which also shows the "Pulpit" ladies tee which I forgot to mention
5 = 13
1 = 10
18 = 9
16 = 7
15 = 6
13 = 4
10 = approximate area of current 1 and 18

Also, thanks to everyone for the additional information, comments and input!

Cheers,

James

Boonie

I am trying to figure out the routing.  I can't get my head round the current 16th being the old 8th.  I am also struggling with the current 14th being the old 6th.  

Looking at old pix, the current 13th is labelled as the old 5th.  A hole has gone missing in this sequence.  

Ciao

Sean,

As you know, the original routing started at what is now the 10th hole and is pretty much as its played now with the following exceptions (if I recall correctly from the history book which is at home):

- Between the current 12th (then 3rd) and 13th (then 5th) was a par 3 off to the right that was lost when the course moved to the new clubhouse and rerouted accordingly, shunting the sequencing until we get to...
- The current 18th green and new 1st tee came into play creating two holes where there used to be just one (then 10th), roughly played from the current 18th tee to the current 1st green.

Hope that clarifies it?

Cheers,

James

Boony

So 18 was made a par 5 and the 1st replaced what I can only imagine was a par 3 or some sort of funky mess par 4 which played from 18 tee toward the current 2nd tee?

Ciao 

[James Boon]

Sean,

The old 4th NLE was 150 yards. The old 10th NLE was 360 yards.

It's also worth noting that the old 1st, now 10th, was originally around 420 yards from an elevated tee near the clubhouse, now pub. I know the current 10th isn't the best on the course but I suspect the original longer hole, then 1st, was probably a better hole?

Cheers,

James