West Sussex - Sussex - England

West Sussex is a gem. I am delighted to have finally played it. It is one of the most lovely walks one will ever take on a golf course. It is a visually attractive course in an idyllic setting. One barely hears anything other than a bird, the shuffling of one’s feet, the strike of the ball, and the conversation with your playing partner (or partners if playing a foursome).

The course is routed to take advantage of all of the land features that it resides on, never being unfair in the questions it asks of the player. No uphill shot is overly high and no downhill shot is overly steep to result in an unfair run-out into the taller grass or trees. The course is very natural with nothing contrived. It plays firm and fast. The course moves in all directions as another feature of its fairness.

There is a wonderful variety of lengths to the five par 3’s with two shorter holes, one mid length and two longer at essentially 220 yards. The par 4’s also vary with several shorter holes and the longest at 459 yards. The holes are mainly flat but there are a few slightly uphill and downward holes. The holes have a good mixture of straight, dogleg left and moving right. Water can be found on three holes, two being par 3’s. There is only one par 5 which is the opener.

To a certain degree, it is almost the opposite of Cypress Point, where many claim it to be the best 17 hole course in the world due to the weakness of the 18th hole. West Sussex is the opposite where the only truly weak hole is the first, a short par 5 at 488 yards which plays even shorter due to firm and fast fairways. However, it differs from Cypress Point in that West Sussex does get off to a slow start and does not have the quality of the golf holes nor a rocky coastline on its final holes.

The club has tried to address the weakness of the first hole by adding two stacked cross bunkers on the left side of the fairway. Perhaps a better solution is to shorten the hole by 20 yards and make it a par 4 even if the course reverts to a total par of 67 instead of 68. Suddenly, you would have one of the more difficult holes on the course as your starting hole much like Oakmont. I suspect the members want to keep it as a par 5 due to being a good chance for birdie or a likely par, given the difficulty that follows. Other options would be would to improve the left side of the green with more contours and add a back left corner bunker.

The bunkering is relatively restrained, yet nearly always strategic. There is not an over abundance of bunkers which one might expect given the par of 68. Instead, the placement, depth, and shape of the bunkers is very tactical, not surprising given the architectural knowledge of Sir Guy Campbell, Major C.K. Hutchison, and Colonel S.V. Hotchkin. One can see their design philosophy throughout the course, with several forced carries having to account for bunkers particularly on doglegs dictating the line of play to benefit the braver line from the tee. There are also a couple of holes that are without bunkers serving as a chance to hit one as far as one wants.

The course is a par 68 at 6333 yards from the black tees rated 70.7/121. While on the surface this seems short, if you would have a “normal” par 70 course you would have one of the par 3’s converted to a par 5 likely adding 350 yards to make it play more like 6700 yards.

The course does get off to a relatively weak start beginning with the par 5 first at only 488 yards. Assuming one navigates the two stacked bunkers placed in the left side of the fairway, there are flanking bunkers about 50 yards from the green and one on the left front corner. The green has more movement on the middle right.

The second is a straightaway par 4 of 410 yards with no bunkers. The green is relatively flat.

The third is a nice hole at 364 yards playing straight with an early bunker on the right followed by two more than are in play for shorter hitters. These are placed inside the fairway and catch the tee shot of those trying to avoid the thicker trees down the left as well as for the better lime to the green down the right. The green is a good one with a large bunker on the front left creating a thin front third of the green. There are gentle falloffs near the back. This green has good movement. While some might think this hole is a pushover, any tee shot struck offline will likely result in a bogey rather than a par.

Four is the first dogleg going sharply left with tall trees down the left that cannot be cleared except by the longest hitter. There is a bunker on the left inside corner making it imperative that the longest hitters cutting the dogleg hit a very long, high shot. At only 390 yards there is no reason to take on the trees and the bunker and simply play out to the right of them. The first use of a center line bunker is here reasonably close to the green. The green has a semi-false front but is relatively flat breaking towards the front.

At this point West Sussex begins to increase the quality of the holes. The fifth is a par 3 at 157 yards that one should play the yardage to the flag due to its false front, which will bring balls hit only 10 yards into the green back off the front. It is a visually attractive hole surrounded by trees alone by itself with an early central bunker not in play and two off the left side. The green has a hump/tier on the left middle. It is both visually attractive and a challenging green.

The sixth is a memorable hole as a long par 3 downhill at 222 yards. It plays over a pond with the green having a high hill of tall grass on the left and a smaller rise on the right. The green is steeply banked to the front. Two bunkers are placed off the right which is the preferred miss given the grass and hill to the left. When one first steps on the tee they spy a wide fairway going to the right of the tree on the right front of the pond. The green looks long but narrow from the tee and only the straight strike will find the green. It is another attractive yet difficult hole.

I thought seven to be the best hole on the course, a long par 4 at 440 yards beginning with a blind shot with a forced carry to a higher plateau of this dogleg left. Going too far left will leave one in tall heather or tall grass. There is a bunker where the fairway begins that serves more as a guide point. The play from the tee is down the right center. For shorter hitters there are two flanking bunkers about 55 yards from the green. The final bunker is off the front left corner. What I found most interesting about the hole is how close to the green the trees are on the right. They almost seem to be part of the hole.

Eight is a par 3 with the tee wedged between the seventh fairway and the sixteenth’s green. The hole is 183 yards playing slightly uphill to a green. Bunkers are on both sides beginning before the green going slightly down the right side but halfway into the left side. This green is angled left with a slightly higher back half.

Ninth is a par 4 at 377 yards and another dogleg left. On the tee you are looking at thicker trees down the right side and heather down the entirety of the left side. This is another hole without bunkers. It plays to a green with subtle movement. This is a breather hole.

The tenth is one of the top four holes on the course at 394 yards. It plays from an elevated tee with the land falling away from you. Thick trees and tall grass are down the right with a series of three stacked bunkers down the left inner corner. A fourth small bunker is another 20 yards down the left. Two bunkers are then placed inside the fairway, the first on the left about 40 yards from the green and the one of the right about fifteen yards away. A final bunker is on the left middle of the green. The green has slightly more rolls in it. This hole is an excellent example of bunker placement as both shots to the green must be well executed.

Eleven is the best hole on the back nine as a long par 4 of 448 yards. It plays as a long dogleg right with tall grass down the right side as well as out of bounds. There are two bunkers in play down the right placed close to each other. The entirety of the left side is thick heather. This fairway tilts to the right and down to the green. At the green there is a long bunker on the left side. This green seems to have a bit of a hollow in the front and is sloped back to front with smaller falloffs if one goes long.

Twelve is the second long par 3 at 221 yards playing flat over heather followed by two large bunkers on the right of the green. The green is angled to the right. I felt this green lacked movement but perhaps that is due to the length of the hole trying to not make the hole unfair.

Thirteen is 378 yards playing the opposite direction of the previous two holes. It begins with another forced carry over heather with heather on both sides of the fairway. The hole plays a bit longer as it is uphill. There is a single bunker on the fairway on the inner left. What most will remember about this hole are the three deep bunkers that wrap around the front third of the green, with the middle bunker extending back into the fairway. These bunkers create a very narrow front third to the green which is on a lower tier. The back of the green is much wider and higher. This green seemed to have the most inner movement. It is a terrific hole, perhaps the best on the back nine.

Fourteen is a longer par 4 at 456 yards. It plays downhill as a dogleg right over heather with heather on both sides defining the fairway. There is another good use of bunkering on this hole with two center line bunkers about 150 yards from the green. Longer hitters can likely reach the first of these bunkers. At the green there is lower ground to the left where a large bunker is sited about 20 yards short of the green. There is a final front right corner bunker. A pond is down the left side of the green along with some trees. It is another strong hole that demands execution and commitment.

The fifteenth is a pretty hole at only 145 yards over a pond with the green angled slightly left. Trees are on both sides creating a funnel effect. The green has micro tiering and mounding. It is not a difficult hole.

Sixteen is a fun hole playing uphill to a rise that then falls towards the green. At 364 yards it offers perhaps the widest fairway. If one clears the crest they will get a substantial roll-out down to the right of the fairway as the fairway narrows and stops. The green is slightly shallow placed behind two hills blocking views of the left and right side of the green that seem to suggest a slight opening to the green. The back of the green has higher ground eventually becoming the eighth green. It is a very cool looking approach to the green. The green has a fair amount of inner movement.

You walk behind the eighth tee and across the seventh fairway to find the seventeenth, the longest par 4 at 459 yards. This is a dogleg right with a collection of three bunkers on the right that should not be in play. The single fairway bunker on the left further up is also likely not in play but perhaps very long hitters can reach it. The hole becomes more strategic on the approach shot as three cross bunkers on the right come into play beginning about 40 yards out continuing to the front right of the green. The green is a bit disappointing in its movement but again this might be due to the difficulty in hitting it in two shots. I liked the hole.

The finale is 437 yards playing straight with the emphasis on the bunkering, Flanking bunkers come first but the bigger danger are the cross bunkers on the right reachable from the tee. Th green is well guarded with flanking front bunkers and a final one on the left side. The green is relatively flat.

West Sussex is a golf course for those who are purists of the game who favor naturalness. Nothing is contrived or manufactured here. The course is routed near perfectly to the land it occupies. It offers strategic bunkering, a mixture of difficult and easier holes, and variety in its long and short par 3’s. It likely has fallen a bit in the rankings because it is considered to be “short.” I think a few holes could be strengthened with bunkering consistent with the bunkering on its better holes. This would not create an over-abundance of bunkers as it likely only needs five-seven more. The surfaces of many of the greens could be made a bit more interesting with more smaller mounds and depressions. Finally the green surrounds on several holes could also add a bit more mounding as long as it would not detract from the naturalness look of the course. Of the sub-par 70 golf courses in the UK and Ireland, it certainly rivals Swinley Forest and Rye Old.

I found the course to be quite splendid. It obviously should be a top 100 course in UK and Ireland. It is doubtful you would find a more enjoyable round of golf anywhere that offers both a challenge and a lovely, peaceful walk.

When I finally managed to organise a round down at West Sussex I was chuffed to bits. I had wanted to play there for a while, having heard glowing reviews, and with a place in the world Top100 I knew it had to be something special. My preconceptions envisaged a sleepy members club with a pop-up pro shop and a trickle of members through the day but this couldn’t have been further from the truth. West Sussex is a busy and well-organised club with excellent facilities throughout. I arrived through the far entrance to the club I was blown away by the expansive driving range and practice pitching area. It’s not something I’m used to seeing at traditional English golf clubs. The warm and friendly welcome from Tim Packham in the pro shop set me off on a good footing, as being a guest at a private members club can sometimes be a daunting experience. Tim talked me through the history of the course and explained that they had recently invested in full fairway irrigation due to the recent changes in Summer temperatures. This seems to have been a shrewd move at the right time, as they managed to undertake the majority of the work through Covid lockdown time meaning little disruption to the members. The lush and consistent fairways were noticeable and still played firm enough to confirm you’re playing on sand-based terrain.

The course itself is similar in parts to many of the Surrey and Hampshire heathlands, yet it has its own character, as it is unadulterated by modern design trends or course lengthening. In fact, a conversation with the secretary revealed that the course had barely changed in its 90 year history and the course photography in the clubhouse proved the general layout and routing was almost identical to the original design (a rare but enviable trait in the current world of restoration and refurbishment).

Although the par is short at 68, the course demands long accurate shots on the majority of the par 3’s and 4’s. Many of the par 3’s are over, or close, to 200 yards, with greens protected by heather and bunkers. There are plenty of run-offs too, and with the firm green surfaces you’d expect from a sand-based course any poorly struck shot will surely be found out with a firm bounce or a kick into the bunker.

There are 3 water holes on the course and each is very picturesque. Two of the par 3’s have water and each had a sawn in the pond which I found out later kept the geese away. I’ve no idea if this was intentional or how they manage to keep them there, but it certainly added to the ambiance. The back-to-back par 3’s on 5 and 6 couldn’t be more different and when you reach the tee box on 6 you could be forgiven for thinking it’s a short drivable par 4, as a sweeping fairway circles the pond giving a bailout area for those unable to make the 190 yard carry over the pond. It’s a superb test and any par here will be well earned. From this point onwards the variety and quality of holes is outstanding. The 7th is SI 2 and requires a blind drive. You can trust the position of the marker post of this one and it is the only real blind shot on the course so worth a mention.

I had been told by a golfing buddy that the stretch of holes from 11 – 17 were some of the finest heathland in Britain and it’s hard to argue. Many of the par 4’s are over 400 yards with the carry over the bunkers in the 230 – 250 range, making it a risk/reward for longer hitters. It’s worth noting the sequential bunkering which can be cunningly misleading, as using the laser to get the yardage often won’t tell you that beyond the first bunker another 2, or in some cases 3, bunkers are lying in wait to catch you out. I would certainly suggest a course guide or GPS map in addition to a laser on the first visit. When we finished the round here there were still members teeing off at 5 pm in September and it wouldn’t surprise me if they managed to complete a round given this is a 2 ball course and the holes are well routed from green to tee. On reflection there we many holes I would have played differently and reaching for driver on most of the long holes wasn’t always the best choice. As with most great courses, I would happily have pegged it up on the 1st right away and given it another bash, hopefully, my next visit won’t be a long wait.

Magical golf course - a true heathland classic.

West Sussex does not receive the same attention or adulation as its Sand Belt neighbors - Sunnindale or Swinley Forest. Though I would argue it should be part of the same conversation, offering a thought-provoking challenge for all manner of golfer.

Although relatively short - at 6300 off the tips - it does not feel like a short course when you play it, with a Par of 68 and multiple Par 4s playing close to 450yds. Accuracy from the tee is crucial as the vast swathes of heather will gobble up all wayward tee balls. The placement of each and every bunker is deliberate, and the white sand is some of the finest you will ever see.

Each hole brings with it a new challenge, I loved the slight dog leg Par 4 16th - drive from a tee box where you face into a sea of heather, to find a flat fairway lie for the second shot which is hit over a valley and through a heather-lined corridor that guards the raised green. My playing partner holed out with a wedge from 110 yards - shame it was only for a Birdie, as a misplaced drive meant he had to chip out sideways from the thick heather to find the short grass again!

Only an hour from Southwest London and less than 45 mins from Gatwick airport - a must for anyone planning a golf trip in the South of England. Golf at it's finest..

The first time I played West Sussex I went round twice in a day, but driving the odd holes both times. My teammate and I were wowed as each new tee box seemed to present quite the most delightful view, and plenty of challenge. This time I plucked up courage to play the evens in the afternoon (with the challenge of the 6th) so played the first shot at all 18 holes.

So I can with certainly say that this is a course with significant challenges off the tee. To some degree it’s about length, both for the longer par 4s and for the three long par 3s. But it’s also about position. For example the 11th tempts the longer hitter to take on the bunkers. Do so successfully and the line into the green is much easier. Take the more conservative line to the left and the second shot is both longer and more difficult as it requires a draw to meet the length requirements as well as to avoid falling down the slope to the right of the fairway.

These challenges, very real though they are, felt to me like the icing on a very nice cake. The course is incredibly pretty; the clubhouse is lovely the staff were superb. As has been said before the course manages to do what virtually every 1990s course I’ve played fails; that is have a driving range, chipping area, pro-shop and two putting greens within a short chip or long putt of the clubhouse. The food was good too.

And as for the sixth; yes, I did get it right; lower tier admittedly, but we parred the hole for a half.

Having only played West Sussex once before, several years ago during one of the hottest summer's on record, when the fairways were scorched and brown dirt, I'd come away a little underwhelmed and had never hurried back.

However finally returning for a second time, I was completely flawed by such a spectacular course in a tranquil setting, which was in top condition.

Far too often when playing golf, I stand on a tee and without too much thought just reach for my driver. Due to the fantastic course layout and strategic placement of bunkers and heather at West Sussex, I was constantly having to plot my way around the course and played everything from driver, three wood, rescue wood to long irons off the tee.

West Sussex has a really strong set of par threes that come in quick succession - in particular the 5th followed by the long down hill 6th hole are a couple of crackers - especially when the wind is picking up.

West Sussex is a challenging but fair course, if you miss the generous fairways and end up in the heather, you'll be lucky to find your ball.

It has some of the prettiest approach shots of any inland course in the UK - I especially liked playing to the picturesque 4th green with danger lurking in front and to the left of the flag.

My only regret is not having returned sooner to play this tremendous course!

Is there a Top 15 course that flies more under the radar than West Sussex? Other English courses that find themselves within the World Top 100 rightly receive regular adulation and visitors flock to play these in their droves, yet West Sussex seems to remain a little bit of a secret and I’m sure the members love it!

West Sussex is without doubt one of the best courses in England and should be one of the first courses named in the discussion of the best inland courses on these shores. There isn’t a single weak hole on the property, the course is always in phenomenal condition, it rolls and gently undulates in order to create a large variety of holes and the bunkering is some of the best Heathland bunkering you will find. The Par 3’s are some of the best in England and with holes 5 & 6, West Sussex could lay the claim to the best back to back Par 3s in the World. Off the top of my head I can’t think of many other courses that could enter that conversation, but I’d be interested to hear the competitors.

It’s hard to pick highlights with there being so many, but the Par 4 13th firmly sits within my favourite 18 holes in England. The elevated greensite, surrounded by heather lipped bunkers is a hole you would never tire of playing.

One could argue that the course is missing one or two Par 5s, with the only one coming at the scoreable first hole, but with so many good Par 4s on the course, I don’t feel it misses out too much. West Sussex just throws one good hole after another at you and once you walk off 18, you just want to go back out there again. This may fly under the radar, but make no mistake, this is a great Heathland golf course and fully deserving of its lofty ranking.

For all photos of reviews, please follow Chris’ Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/top.100.golf/

West Sussex Golf Club is another case of unappreciation on my part.

I was 16 when I played West Sussex, and as with Royal Ashdown Forest, and many others, I did not know where I was. How lucky I was. I may now not get the opportunity to return for some time. Silly me.

I somehow managed to represent Radley College at The West Sussex Invitational Golf Tournament. I say somehow, because I remember playing absolutely appalling. The tournament is a historic public-school golf meet, between some of the top schools in the world – Eton, Harrow, Wellington, Radley and many more. The format is foursomes, as with many schoolboy matches, and I enjoyed the day thoroughly from memory.

6 of us, 7 including our math professor/scratch-handicaper Master in Charge of Golf ‘Wee-man’ Kevin Reed, bundled into a minivan and travelled down to West Sussex. Packed lunches littering the seats. These were a real highlight, believe it or not. Consisting of a chicken-mayo sandwich, crisps, apple, banana and bar of some sorts. The kitchen staff had no idea how many people make up a golf team, so we often had two each. Hoorah!

3 pairs were decided on the journey and I was paired with my best friend K. Lots of laughs were to be had but good golf, not so much.

West Sussex Golf Club is one of England’s quintessential hidden gems, and the club seems perfectly at ease with that status. The big stars of Sunningdale, Walton Heath and Swinley Forest are all within an hour’s drive and have much in common with this fine golf club, but attract all the attention, visitors and plaudits. West Sussex is little-known except by real golf aficionados, yet it offers one of England’s best heathland challenges.

I fondly remember the clubhouse and the practice facilities. One of its nice features is that everything is so close together. The clubhouse is a lovely red brick building with a cosy feel inside. The surprisingly large driving range was 20 steps from the clubhouse and from there it was a few more steps onto the putting and chipping green, tucked in by the bar patio.

The team as a whole, played badly. A shame. But not a day wasted. A truly beautiful course and I cannot wait to return.

A great heathland course, that is more towards the Sussex coast than the Surrey heathland stronghold, West Sussex is a beautiful Par 68. The bunkers are what you would expect, with heather on a lot of the faces. Fairway bunkers always seem to be well placed, and the green complexes mean finding the correct part of the greens are crucial. Not long, and not even particularly tight, this course has enough natural defence (especially the heather!) that means it is by no means a pushover. The first is a ‘easer inner’ par 5 that starts a great stretch of golf, highlighted by the long dogleg style par 3 6th. The hole wraps its way round a pond, but the green site is particularly skinny and has deep bunkers either side. There are great holes throughout, and the layout means that one hole just flows into the next which allows the course to be extremely walkable. Slightly more out of the way than the heathland classics, but well worth a journey.

I suppose you subconsciously set the bar a little higher when you play a course in the World Top 100, expecting a little more than you might from other places that are “only” ranked inside their national chart. Well, a lot was anticipated of West Sussex before playing here and it delivered in every way imaginable.

There’s an intimacy to playing this heathland track that you’ll not find on bigger, championship-orientated layouts – overall length from the yellow tees is just under 6,000 yards, which is more than enough for the average golfer – and the holes are routed in a very interesting sequence across lovely wooded terrain.

The 1st and 18th occupy the flattest part of the property, closest to the clubhouse, so the round at West Sussex doesn’t exactly get off to a spectacular start and neither does it finish with a flourish, but what goes on in between these two holes is pretty special.

The downhill 6th hole over a lily pond was a big surprise and one of the finest long par threes you’ll play, offering a big bail out to the right if required. There’s a bit of a lull in proceeding around the turn and holes 9 to 11 are more in the category of “breather” holes.

Thereafter, it’s one top class hole after another, with two terrific par fours sandwiched between the par threes at 12 and 15 (the two-tiered green for the second short hole sitting behind another lovely lily pond), followed by a pair of right doglegged par fours where two big heather banks protect the front of the 16th green and menacing cross bunkers need to be carried on the 17th.

My host was completely unaware that his course was as well-regarded on this website as it is. He lives locally and enjoys playing occasionally – mainly midweek, and often on his own – when things are a little quieter. What a lucky man!

Jim McCann

Second only to Woodhall Spa’s Hotchkin, West Sussex is perhaps my favourite inland course in England. The magic starts on the 3rd hole where you weave through pine trees, thick heather and impeccable bunkering.

The back to back par 3s (5&6) are great fun, with the latter being 230 yards down hill over water with thick stuff immediately left of the green and a bunker long-right. There isn’t a weak hole on the back 9, but the run of holes from 13-15 are simply brilliant. The 14th is somewhat similar to the 11th at Augusta with water left and whilst you think the bailout is right, it leaves you with no shot to a green that slopes away from you towards the water.

At Par 68, the course plays deceptively long off the back tees.

Can’t wait to get back there in Spring!