Hayling - Hampshire - England

playing hayling in the wind i must say brings out the beast in the occassionally sunny seaside links.When the wind blows you can feel like running for cover but i suggest you stay and enjoy the south coast golfing highlight. The greens are slick and true as well as having some of the toughest run off areas i have come across.The course opens fairly smoothly but be sure not to let the apparent ease of the opening two holes deceive you into thinking that the remaining holes will follow suit.The hardest golf hole i have ever played is the one hundred and eighty yard fifth.To hit the green is a miracle and to get up and down from around it is even more of a miracle.The delights of hayling then continue with testing holes like the long dogged leg twelve. A difficult tee shot followed by a tough second into a massively sloping green.The home ward straight will test even the best of golfers with a big number just around the corner.The club house offers everything that you could need as well as spectacular views over the solent out towards the isle of wight.If you are going to play golf on the south coast this year or next be sure to put this course on the rota.

Excellent links course which despite playing badly in a monsoon gale I walked off the course wanting to play it again. Struggle to understand how Golf World ranks this course at 175, suggest they at least take the one off the front. Highly recommend you play this hidden cracker.

This is a course to really like. As a links course it has it all in friendly amounts, flats links holes to start and finish, undulating dunes, some big dunes, occasional blind shots, interesting carries etc. It probably rates above Rye, as it doesn't have the lesser holes Rye has but quite a bit below the two Royal Kent links. However the position over Rye is qualified. Although the course was being burnt to a cinder by the July heat wave there are still some poor maintenance practices. They are for example the worst southeast links greens (although still pretty damn good) and the course has a bit of a worn unloved feel. The things that disappointed me were for example the bunkers, nobody playing could obviously be bothered to rake them and that is poor. Having said that it is wonderful place to play and the club house is fantastic to look at with one of the great balconies of any golf club. In fact the club house is debatable point, it is five years old. The original art deco building from the twenties was knocked down ....... which in terms of history is a truly vandolous act. However you can't help but praise the club for the external design of the new club house, it is truly majestic and fitting for it's location. Although as the steward said, inside it is like any other service station type new golf club house interior (who are these people who specialise in making golf clubs look like old peoples homes or doctors surgeries?).

In terms of playing the course it really does build as the dunes become bigger the further you get from the club house, (personally if I was to alter the course I'd change the first to play a par 4 down the practice ground, this is my opinion and probably wrong, but I think the 1st is a poor opening hole, I'd then change the 2nd into a long par 4 rather than a nothing par 5). However as you get further from the clubhouse the fun starts with the 6th being the first of a long run of very different and interesting holes .The 8th is very much like Royal St George's SI1, but much much shorter. The 11th is one of the best par three links holes I have played, in fact I struggle to think of a better one on the south east coast in terms of a short challenge (obviously there is the Maiden at Royal St George's for sheer dramatics). Then there are the completely different challenges of the 12th and 13th across some very large hill like dunes (don't be tempted in summer to drive the 13th somebody watched my ball bounce out of bounds today). The 14th is also a good par five although there seems to be a spare green further on by the 15th tee which if used would make it a truly great and very tough hole with the marsh all down the left. After that you are back to the flatter on the way to the club house with some long and testing par 4's with water and some big carries.

It's really worth the visit and is a friendly place to be, just get chatting to the charming pro Ray Gadd to get the idea. I just think the club needs to concentrate on the course a little more, they really have a great historical links here and they really need to treasure it a little more.

Played Hayling on Wednesday 31st May. When the wind blows (as it was) this is a tough course. The greens and fairways were in top condition and the whole surroundings are very natural. Prior knowledge of the course layout is a distinct advantage as the landing areas from certain tee shots are not obvious. Do make the effort to play this course. The whole atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming.

Like most visitors to Hayling Island, I had to travel out of my way to get there, but I was glad I made the journey. Having crossed the bridge from Havant, you will find the island's main seaside town tacky, gaudy and outdated, but the golf course is quite the opposite - charming, understated and offering a variety of challenges as pleasing now as they must have been 100 years ago. It is possible that the first two holes will disappoint you, and the next two whilst presenting a stouter challenge are hardly that exciting. However the wonderful short par three at the fifth sparks a fine run of holes, where some testing longer par fours are mixed with several short, but treacherous holes. The perilous 13th at 340 yards is a great example of how Hayling can tease with birdie opportunities yet threaten disaster - in addition to a thrilling downhill approach the backdrop of cottages, water, boats and hills is truly beautiful. The long par five fourteenth is another outstanding hole but sadly the last great hole that Hayling offers. The home run through gorse presents a fair and tough challenge, but lacks any inspiration. Hayling's clubhouse, perhaps designed to resemble a passing ship in the Solent, is big and brash and might once have been a Tate Modern installation. I was surprised to discover that inside it is stylish and comfortable, the views superb, and the food worth pausing for before hurrying home. HighHandicapMan

The previous reviewer must have caught a couple of the old boys on a bad day, the last time I played here (autumn 05) the welcome could not have been friendlier. This is certainly the best south coast links course and it’s an underrated and challenging gem which in my humble opinion should be a bit higher up the rankings. The start is a bit ordinary and then things really get going with two hard par 4s at 3 and 4. The 5th is a brilliant par three and things just continue to get better and better. The 14th is considered to be the best par 5 on the south coast and I can’t disagree. Certainly this is a traditional members club, which opens its doors to non-members, and long may it continue.

Although a very nice course with some very challenging holes, Hayling is one of those courses living in the past. Although I agree that all courses should adhere to the no jeans sports clothes policy this course is as stuffy and snobby as they come. Run by old men who try to make up for their lack of golfing skill by moaning at non-members.Played in a fourball with the highest handicap being 3 had 4 elderly 'gents' constantly moaning at us trying to come through which we did at the earliest chance. Even when we did call them through they decided to continue their feud in the bar. Overall a very nice course but the members/committee should perhaps modernise and realise that not all golfers wear plus 4's, smoke pipes and reminisce about the good old days of hickory shafts etc....

I’m stunned that nobody has yet posted a review for Hayling, so here goes: It’s a toughie but really enjoyable and entertaining. There is more than enough variation here to keep golfers of all levels entertained. It’s not the longest course but they allowed us to play off the back tees which was great but turned out to be a low scoring round! After a gentle and rather oridinary start, Hayling really gets going at the 3rd and it just gets better and better. The best sequence of holes are in the dunes around the turn and these are cracking holes. The 14th is one of the best long par 5s I’ve ever played and many reckon it’s the best par 5 in the south…superb it certainly is. If you like traditional links courses, you’ll like it here at Hayling Island, this was once a Top 100 regular and I still prefer it to many of the brash tournament courses that always seem to make it onto Top 100 lists. There are better links courses but Hayling is the real thing, no question.