Pulborough vs Liphook

[Adam Lawrence]

One for the Brits, or the better travelled visitors, further to a discussion I've been having on Twitter. Which of these two lovely heath-but-not-in-the-middle-of-things courses do you prefer, and why?

[Ally Mcintosh]

I've seen most heathland courses but one I haven't seen is Liphook.

I absolutely love Pulborough however. It is in my Top 5 Heaths. Could play it every day.

Doesn't answer your question I'm afraid.

[Alan Ritchie]

As above, haven't seen liphook but my brother is fortunate to be a member of West Sussex. very good course that I place on a par with sunningdale new and a nudge below the old. Many excellent holes to go along with the well known 6th. Reminiscent of the sandbelt in places which is no bad thing

[Clyde Johnson]

It's been a long time since I played Liphook, but I'd go for Pulborough.


Pulborough's routing builds nicely from the flat first, with some quite ordinary features making for some pretty compelling golf. Then you of course reach the fifth, and sixth - only Cypress Point with better back to back threes!? The seventh adds a nice thrill, and a timely bite. The two three/four hole loops that follow, nicely break-up the property. There is something quite charming about a course that feels so at ease with its Middle-English setting. The 13th has a pretty cool green perched above the bright white bunkers. The downhill fourteenth with the gorse hedge down the preferred inside driving line is an especially cool feature. The 16th from angled ridge, then back across to angled ridge again like nothing before. Quite aptly, you then finish in an orderly fashion back on the flat.


Liphook has similar moments of clever quiet mixed in with adventure, although i'm not sure there is quite the same flow or ease as at West Sussex. The original finish - short seventh, eighth green, and up and over with rig and furrows ninth - are what I remember best. Oh, and the tough, if not slightly awkward, opening par-three. There is always much to admire about the artistry of Simpson's work, but the four fours to finish are just little underwhelming.

[Robin_Hiseman]

I'd also go for West Sussex, but on a 10 round split it would be 6-4, so it's close.

Liphook misses out largely because of the road crossings involving dangerous and lengthy walks between holes. Pulborough is perfectly peaceful. Liphook is not.

Liphook is, however, a perfectly lovely course and is always presented beautifully.

[Adam Lawrence]

I think Liphook has more interesting greens. I agree with Robin that a round at Pulborough is a nicer experience, largely down to the road crossings at Liphook.

[Ryan Coles]

Lots of the Surrey / Berks Heaths are blighted by road noise. It may have boring greens but tranquility is one of the big plusses at Hankley Common (to introduce another just below top drawer course to the discussion).

Liphook is held in far higher esteem on this site than most of those I speak to.

[Sean_A]

I don't have a strong memory of Pulborough, but my high opinion of Liphook is thwarted a bit by the disjointed routing and plethora of short 4s which don't add up to much as a set...that equates to about a 6 in my book. 


Ciao

[Tom Kelly]

I've not been to Pulborough yet unfortunately so I can't really comment but a few of the gripes mentioned so far about Liphook may well be history in a few years times...though whether there will be new gripes then, I don't know.

[Bill_McBride]

I'd also go for West Sussex, but on a 10 round split it would be 6-4, so it's close.

Liphook misses out largely because of the road crossings involving dangerous and lengthy walks between holes. Pulborough is perfectly peaceful. Liphook is not.

Liphook is, however, a perfectly lovely course and is always presented beautifully.

I remember being terrified by that one crossing.  The curve seems to be blind to the drivers going into it.