There is an overwhelming feeling of spaciousness at Hankley Common, so much so that it seems plausible that a second or third course could be intertwined between the existing 18 holes.
Overall rating
There is an overwhelming feeling of spaciousness at Hankley Common, so much so that it seems plausible that a second or third course could be intertwined between the existing 18 holes.
Hankley Common Golf Club
Hankley Common Golf Club is situated on the North Downs, in a preservation area or to be precise, a ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’, home to oak, rowan and the woodlark.
In many ways, Hankley is reminiscent of Walton Heath, which is high praise indeed; the common at Tilford has the same ferocious heather and the same wide-open and windswept appearance as that of the heath at Walton on the Hill. If there was ever a place where seaside links golf meets inland heathery golf, it’s here at Hankley Common.
Golf at Hankley commenced in 1897 with a modest nine-hole course but it remained an innocuous layout until James Braid added a further nine holes in 1922. Many people believe that Hankley Common became a truly great course in 1936, after Harry Colt remodelled it.
There is an overwhelming feeling of spaciousness on this heathland course, so much so that it seems plausible that a second or third course could be intertwined between the existing 18 holes. To put everything into context, the course at Hankley Common occupies 164 acres, but the club actually owns more than 850 acres of perfect heathland. Don’t let this feeling of space lull you into a false sense of security – this is not the place to open your shoulders and let rip. Anything slightly off-line will be swallowed up by bunkers, or even worse, by the thick tangled heather.
New "Purple" back tees are now in play, pushing Hankley's yardage to a lengthy and testing 6,909 yards from the tips. Regional Qualifying for the Open has been held at Hankley Common since 1984 and the club has hosted numerous other important amateur and professional events over the years.
The par threes, especially the 7th and the 11th are enjoyable and challenging, as are the opening and closing holes. Both are tough par fours, measuring well over 400 yards.
So, if you are looking for a memorable, testing and expansive golf course with true greens, look no further than Hankley Common.
It was announced at the start of 2023 that the second phase of a course upgrade project had been completed by architects Mackenzie & Ebert.
Shaper Quinn Thompson, who worked with Martin Ebert on his acclaimed Hirono renovation, was brought in to join the MJ Abbott construction team and work with the club’s greenkeeping crew. The third and final phase of the project takes place in the winter of 2023.