Liphook or Blackmoor; which to join?

[richart]

It must be tough having so many great courses within striking distance!

You do have to pay for them though.

Hankley has a joining fee of £6075 ! Liphook £3160, Hindhead £1500, Stoneham £1260.

I think ours is £1000, though you do get a discount if you join on an open day.

 

[Eriktheviking]

I’d have similar decisions to make as the OP if I ever more back home to portsmouth.

Personally, I’d probably join goodwood as my dad is there, but my list would then be

Hankley
Hindhead
Hayling (all my best mates are members although I really don’t love the course)
Liphook
Blackmoor

I’d be very tempted by West Sussex too despite the drive as it’s absolutely sensational

my issue with Goodwood is the course quality, its good but nothing great, the greens quite average and have always had trouble with them. The fairways are also quite scabby in places. its £2100 a year which is a lot for ‘average‘ In the long term. Also, you need to be on it in terms of booking a tee, if you don’t book in advance you can generally forget playing at a decent time on a weekend or midweek comp.

 

[Eriktheviking]

You do have to pay for them though.

Hankley has a joining fee of £6075 ! Liphook £3160, Hindhead £1500, Stoneham £1260.

I think ours is £1000, though you do get a discount if you join on an open day.

£1500

 

[Deleted member 21258]

You do have to pay for them though.

Hankley has a joining fee of £6075 ! Liphook £3160, Hindhead £1500, Stoneham £1260.

I think ours is £1000, though you do get a discount if you join on an open day.

Hankleys joining procedure is interesting as well. If I had to follow that I would never get in

Do love Hankley, could wander round hacking there for hours and hours, great course.

OP Sorry never played Blackmoor but the course Liphook just didn't float my boat to be honest, nice but not £3160 joining fee nice(the lady member was nice/great that we played with tho on the H4H day).

 

[MendieGK]

my issue with Goodwood is the course quality, its good but nothing great, the greens quite average and have always had trouble with them. The fairways are also quite scabby in places. its £2100 a year which is a lot for ‘average‘ In the long term. Also, you need to be on it in terms of booking a tee, if you don’t book in advance you can generally forget playing at a decent time on a weekend or midweek comp.

I think the course has the ability to become great but agree the conditioning let’s it down (largely due to the horse racing taking priority with regards to water regulation in the summer).

I wouldn’t ever be a braid member there, I’d just use the points scheme and join somewhere in addition.
Liphook has never excited me but the new changes look great. I just think it’s got a lot of very average holes for a top 50 england course.

 

[anotherdouble]

Ham Manor used to be a regular stop for NBS Golf Soc in the 90s... haven't heard any mention of it in ages.

Any recent knowledge, or is that too far east from Pompey?

Too far really. You pass all the aforementioned to get there. They have changed some of it around (clubhouse holes) but I think it still gets wet. Heard rumours that there has been money trouble. The sold off some of car park to either the estate or some other developer.

 

[IanM]

You do have to pay for them though.

Hankley has a joining fee of £6075 ! Liphook £3160, Hindhead £1500, Stoneham £1260.

I think ours is £1000, though you do get a discount if you join on an open day.

You tend to get what you pay for.. Newport still has a joining fee, its a decent course, but in comparison with the 4 listed.... it's rubbish!!

 

[AliMc]

You do have to pay for them though.

Hankley has a joining fee of £6075 ! Liphook £3160, Hindhead £1500, Stoneham £1260.

I think ours is £1000, though you do get a discount if you join on an open day.

Don't know if I would be a club member at these prices, I have just shelled out about £800 for this year's full membership, Open final qualifying venue in East Lothian, this included a much larger than normal annual increase due to loss of visitor income due to Covid, fell very lucky to be paying this for such a great course

 

[IanM]

Don't know if I would be a club member at these prices, I have just shelled out about £800 for this year's full membership, Open final qualifying venue in East Lothian, this included a much larger than normal annual increase due to loss of visitor income due to Covid, fell very lucky to be paying this for such a great course

...sadly another manifestation about the nutty prices for most things in the South East!

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I always find it interesting when people mention somewhere is an open qualifying course. The criteria for that is 1) minimum length circa 6500 yards 2) good (and large) practice area able to accommodate a lot of people and 3) a big enough car park for cars, scorers hut etc.

 

[AliMc]

I always find it interesting when people mention somewhere is an open qualifying course. The criteria for that is 1) minimum length circa 6500 yards 2) good (and large) practice area able to accommodate a lot of people and 3) a big enough car park for cars, scorers hut etc.

May very well be the case but there must be more to it than that I would have thought, there are plenty courses around here that meet that criteria but they are never going to be qualifying courses

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

May very well be the case but there must be more to it than that I would have thought, there are plenty courses around here that meet that criteria but they are never going to be qualifying courses

Obviously the R&A, Englandgolf etc aren't going to use dog tracks but it certainly isn't an indication of a top quality course.

 

[Leftitshort]

Imo when you’re playing a course of the quality you’re looking at I couldn’t care less about the membership side of things. Turn up play your golf with your friends or playing partners and go home. If someone said I’ve got membership at Augusta available for you would you say ‘sorry mate, place is full of stuck up clowns’
?

I’d play there, wouldn’t join. It’s not even a subtle distinction

 

[AliMc]

Obviously the R&A, Englandgolf etc aren't going to use dog tracks but it certainly isn't an indication of a top quality course.

Again may very well be the case but at least I can rest easy on that score, just one of the many testimonials:
Dunbar Golf Club on Scotland's Golf Coast is one of the finest examples of Links golf anywhere in the world. It has a special place in my heart, with many happy memories taken place here. A classic course that has hosted top amateur events and Open Championship qualifying. Played by some of the best players in the world. It is a stern test on a windy day and a joy to play anytime, this is a must for any golfer visiting the area."
Andrew Coltart (Ryder Cup player and two time European Tour winner)

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Again may very well be the case but at least I can rest easy on that score, just one of the many testimonials:
Dunbar Golf Club on Scotland's Golf Coast is one of the finest examples of Links golf anywhere in the world. It has a special place in my heart, with many happy memories taken place here. A classic course that has hosted top amateur events and Open Championship qualifying. Played by some of the best players in the world. It is a stern test on a windy day and a joy to play anytime, this is a must for any golfer visiting the area."
Andrew Coltart (Ryder Cup player and two time European Tour winner)

I'm not putting your course down, just explaining the criteria. I've played Dunbar, it's very good ?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Don't know if I would be a club member at these prices, I have just shelled out about £800 for this year's full membership, Open final qualifying venue in East Lothian, this included a much larger than normal annual increase due to loss of visitor income due to Covid, fell very lucky to be paying this for such a great course

Sadly very much the nature of the beast in the South East. Lots of courses are into four figures. Heck it's £1198 to be a 7 day member at Horton Park and that is second in the goat track list to Lydd. Total rubbish not sure how they can justify that much for the quality of the course they present

 

[hairball_89]

Sadly very much the nature of the beast in the South East. Lots of courses are into four figures. Heck it's £1198 to be a 7 day member at Horton Park and that is second in the goat track list to Lydd. Total rubbish not sure how they can justify that much for the quality of the course they present

Being a Kent dweller, the bashing that Lydd gets here almost makes we want to go and have a look! Then I remember how bad it is is basically the only thing anyone agrees on! Maybe not!

 

[SammmeBee]

Being a Kent dweller, the bashing that Lydd gets here almost makes we want to go and have a look! Then I remember how bad it is is basically the only thing anyone agrees on! Maybe not!

Lydd only has 2 very bad holes...the rest is ok for where it is and what it is. You would be surprised how dry it actually is.

 

[Smiffy]

Lydd only has 2 very bad holes...the rest is ok for where it is and what it is. You would be surprised how dry it actually is.

Did you play it with a blindfold on????
Look where the tee is pointing on the fly-over of the 1st hole......
https://www.lyddgolfclub.co.uk/flyover/
The breakfast was it's only redeeming feature.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Did you play it with a blindfold on????
Look where the tee is pointing on the fly-over of the 1st hole......
https://www.lyddgolfclub.co.uk/flyover/
The breakfast was it's only redeeming feature.

Made for my mega power fade ?