Hankley Common Golf Club Course Review

Tom Clarke

The excellent, free-draining turf at Hankley gives a real links-like playing quality and the surfaces are of the very highest standard

Hankley Common Golf Club Course Review

Hankley Common Golf Club Course Review

Green Fee Range: £105-£120

Medal Tee: Par 71 – 6,442 Yards

Visitor Times: Throughout the week when times available – not before 14:00 at the weekend

Website: www.hankley.co.uk

Hankley Common Golf Club Course Review

WATCH: UK and Ireland Top 100 Course Rankings – Hankley Common visit –

The ground at Hankley Common is renowned for its good drainage and the dry conditions make for fast running fairways akin to a links course as Bobby Locke once pointed out. The surrounding area has been designated a site of specific scientific interest and you’d struggle to find another course sitting in such a large swathe of land. The setting is truly beautiful with birches, rowans, pines and oaks in their thousands. Dating from 1897 with additions by James Braid in 1922, this layout is memorable for its sheer quality as well as its beauty.

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The 7th hole at Hankley Common (Getty Images)

A decade later, the committee hired Harry Colt to add a little more length and change the routing so that the short holes were more evenly spaced.

It now occupies a glorious and quite peaceful expanse of west Surrey heathland, and the course and its surrounding area are classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

This area includes a wide variety of trees as well as rare birds such as the Dartford Warbler, and sand lizards.

Heading back down the 18th (Getty Images)

From the many high points on the course, it’s amazing to view the holes stretching in all directions across the huge swathe of land over which the layout sits.

The fine, free-draining turf has a links-like playing quality and there are several standout holes including the elevated par-3 7th, where you feel you’re standing at the edge of a wilderness, and the remarkably tough closing hole, which calls for a strong drive followed by a long and lofted approach over a deep, wide grass gully.

With a par of 72, the course is kept in very good condition and the welcome and catering in the clubhouse only add to a memorable day out.

Course changes since previous ranking

Redesign of 9th with Martin Hawtree, changes to back of 7th green, new fairway irrigation installed.

Proposed course changes

The club is embarking on a new course masterplan to look specifically at bunkers, tees and routing around the course, albeit with a minimalistic approach. Improvements to practice facilities.

Golf Monthly Verdict

A stunning piece of land with a layout to match.