S
Snelly
Guest
One of my favourite inland courses in the UK is Hankley Common and I had the pleasure of playing there again on Wednesday of this week. It was simply golfing heaven. The warm weather and clear blue skies showed this beautiful course off perfectly and it was in the best condition I have ever seen it. This is primarily due to the fact that they have Open Qualifying there in two weeks but credit to the green keepers - it is pristine.
For those that don't know, Hankley is near Farnham in Surrey in an area of outstanding natural beauty. The course itself is set in thousands of acres of heather and heathland with emerald strips of green fairway running though it. Every hole is played in a feeling of perfect isolation as there is an overwhelming feeling of spaciousness. In fact, I understand that the club have enough land for two more golf courses around the holes they have but would never build them as they like the special feeling that the course creates now.
There are so many good holes. The ones that stand out for me are the 3rd - a 330 yard par 4 that gently curves over a rise between two stands of pines. A lovely hole, despite the fact that I 3 putted for a par there this week!
My other favourite is the par 3 7th. One of the finest short holes in England according to many better judges than me. In fact there are no weak holes between the 5th and the 14th, the latter being my favourite hole on the course. A perfect par 4 that rewards good shots and punishes anything poor.
The 17th and 18th are as tough as they are excellent too and it is a difficult finish. Something I know too well after a bogey, bogey end to my round left me at 2+ :angry:.
The lunch is just superb too. A relatively recent change in catering provider has put Hankley at the top of my golf club food list. On Wednesday, it was a pork rillette for starters then a sirloin of roast beef that was so rare it was still twitching! Melted in the mouth. The Yorkshire puddings were home made and perfect, as were the crunchy vegetables and the roasties done in goose fat! All finished off with an Eton Mess then some ripe brie. Good wines too although we stuck to a couple of bottles of a nice Voignier as it was too hot for claret!
All in all, a totally brilliant experience. Not overly expensive at about £130 and in my view, whilst not cheap, this represents absolutely fantastic value for money.
Treat yourself and get to Hankley Common for a game. If you are lucky enough to play it on a day like last Wednesday under perfect blue skies and warm sunshine, with the course in perfect condition, then you will remember the experience for a long time.
Hankley is a perfect hidden gem and I would rate it higher than every other top 100 Surrey / Berkshire sand belt course with two notable exceptions - Sunningdale and Swinley Forest. It is that good.
If I lived 10 miles closer, I would become a member.
For those that don't know, Hankley is near Farnham in Surrey in an area of outstanding natural beauty. The course itself is set in thousands of acres of heather and heathland with emerald strips of green fairway running though it. Every hole is played in a feeling of perfect isolation as there is an overwhelming feeling of spaciousness. In fact, I understand that the club have enough land for two more golf courses around the holes they have but would never build them as they like the special feeling that the course creates now.
There are so many good holes. The ones that stand out for me are the 3rd - a 330 yard par 4 that gently curves over a rise between two stands of pines. A lovely hole, despite the fact that I 3 putted for a par there this week!
My other favourite is the par 3 7th. One of the finest short holes in England according to many better judges than me. In fact there are no weak holes between the 5th and the 14th, the latter being my favourite hole on the course. A perfect par 4 that rewards good shots and punishes anything poor.
The 17th and 18th are as tough as they are excellent too and it is a difficult finish. Something I know too well after a bogey, bogey end to my round left me at 2+ :angry:.
The lunch is just superb too. A relatively recent change in catering provider has put Hankley at the top of my golf club food list. On Wednesday, it was a pork rillette for starters then a sirloin of roast beef that was so rare it was still twitching! Melted in the mouth. The Yorkshire puddings were home made and perfect, as were the crunchy vegetables and the roasties done in goose fat! All finished off with an Eton Mess then some ripe brie. Good wines too although we stuck to a couple of bottles of a nice Voignier as it was too hot for claret!
All in all, a totally brilliant experience. Not overly expensive at about £130 and in my view, whilst not cheap, this represents absolutely fantastic value for money.
Treat yourself and get to Hankley Common for a game. If you are lucky enough to play it on a day like last Wednesday under perfect blue skies and warm sunshine, with the course in perfect condition, then you will remember the experience for a long time.
Hankley is a perfect hidden gem and I would rate it higher than every other top 100 Surrey / Berkshire sand belt course with two notable exceptions - Sunningdale and Swinley Forest. It is that good.
If I lived 10 miles closer, I would become a member.
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