Old Thorns - Hampshire - England

I arranged 2 four balls and played Feb 2019. Very disappointing. The course has clearly not had any money spent on it. The fairways were a disgrace, divots all over, hard to differentiate rough and fairway in many areas.

The greens were poor, balls didn’t run true at all.

Many of the tee boxes were off mats. The course frame is good with a number of interesting and scenic holes, but if it isn’t been looked after, it isn’t worth playing. Very, very disappointing, especially as I chatted through condition etc with the pro shop prior booking.

Cheap rate at £25 a head, but avoid booking here due to the sub standard playing conditions.

I appreciate its January . . . but the course conditioning was AWFUL! Many holes played off mats; fairways bare and in many cases with turf ripped up and left in piles; greens either scalped or as long as carpets (I forgive the hollow tinning, but the green staff behaviour was disgusting - on one green someone ruled their machine over my partners ball! Deliberately!); bunker fill really variable; 9th temporary hole rubbish (but required because the hideous new apartments apparently made the good original 9th hole "a health and safety issue" which wasn't discovered during planning). Again, it was cheap (£25) but not really worth it. We spoke with some other players who agreed with us that the course design is generally good and challenging - but the conditioning was dreadful. So leaving aside the conditioning this week - the general experience. I knew this place when it first opened in the 1980s, run by the Japanese. It was exclusive and everything revolved around the course. First impressions now - the car park is like something from Tesco (and full on a Friday morning!); and the buildings in front of you are also like an out of town shopping centre (and not in a good way). There is even a Starbucks (!) being used by villager mummies and travelling road warriors as a place to meet (goodness help the village centre!). You cannot see the course now as its behind some newly completed timeshare apartments. The commitment to the course can be understood from the fact that to access the changing rooms you go through Starbucks; through the Sports Bar; past the kitchen and toilets and then into the (nice, clean and well equipped) changing rooms. It's a long way from there back to the first tee. You get the impression early that this place now clearly focuses more on the casual food market, conference centre and gym / pool than the golf. Once you find the course, through the labyrinth of buildings, it's actually quite a pleasant surprise! The first 7 holes make the most of the land and the views. The pines are plentiful and beautiful. The views expansive across the tree tops to Surrey. The 1st a fair start (keep it left of the tree!); the 2nd a par 5 with a challenging green; the 3rd is long and stunning; the 4th set in a wonderful pine dell; the 5th the signature drive from high on the hill into a pine corridor toward a pond protected green; the 6th an interesting and challenging par 5; and the 7th a par 3 over a pond, somewhat like the 16th at Augusta. BUT - the 8th tee is right next to a very large (and noisy!) scrap yard which is very visible and audible. The 9th used to run next to very visible 80s houses - but is now a significant walk from the 8th green to access the temporary par 3 green. To be honest the back 9 doesn't really live up to the first 7 holes - the 15th is a bit of a joke hole (who props a green up on sleepers reducing all the playing options??).However the last 3 holes offer a good and tough close (don't go left at the par 3 16th!!!). I know I'm spoilt being a member at Liphook GC (incidentally, we went there for lunch and the course conditioning was amazing - proving what can be managed by effective green keeping just 2 miles away); and that it was cheap. I would even forgive the scrap yard and ruination of the 9th (just for profit) if the conditioning was better. I think that the environment really says it all here - there has clearly been massive investment here in the last 10 years, but none of it seems to have been put into its greatest asset, the golf course. All a bit sad really. Unless you want cheap golf I would spend the extra and make use of any of the far superior courses in the locality at Liphook; Petersfield; Hindhead; Blackmoor; or Hankley Common.

I visited here last week 18/06/2011 for the first time in many years. The course winds through mature woodland that fringes many fairways and over contoured ground. It was always in good condition but the hotel and restaurant always were tired and ilbefitting such a nice course. Not Any more!! millions have been spent and it is now a five star venue on and off of the course. The third hole is a superb challenge after a gentle start and that sets you up nicely for the very scenic par 3 fifth. Then you stand on the 5th tee and enjoy the 20 mile views over thick forest and a fine par four down the hill, over a pond and an approach to a small green tightly surrounded by the aforementioned thick forest. The sixth is a tight par 5 dogleg and the next is a medium length par 4 which requires an accurate and well struck shot over the water which stretches from the green back to the tee. the 8th is flanked all the way to a generous green by water. The back nine has some lovely holes too that require careful club selection and some greens are extremely slopey. All in all it is a lovely day out with some strong holes, some quirky holes and some easy holes set in a beautiful parkland and forest setting. The condition of the course was very good indeed from tee to green and the Hotel and off course facilities are brand new. Great for a society, weekend breakers and players of all levels or if you are passing by. My guests from Canada enjoyed it very much. I'll be back! Also see Liphook, Hankley Common, Hindhead and Blackmoor if you are planning a Hampshire trip, they are all close by. JCB LAY

Some super holes on this course, worth playing just for the view from the 5th tee. It does have a few weaker holes and the course doesn't seem to drain very well whenever I've played it. All in all a nice course and worth a visit if your in the area.

Having played Old Thorns, it is a classic case of two sets of holes - some beauties in the mature hilly wooded part, but then some rather plain flat holes out amongst some houses.Good fun though, and there is a Japanese interest in the club leading to a choice of Western or Japanese changing rooms in the very nice club house.