Hockley

Twenty-five years of marriage deserves a special gift – and in the case of this lucky lady, it was a golf course.

The idea of Horace Trimmer, the landowner at the time, Hockley Golf Club came to be in 1915, despite the ongoing First World War.

The great James Braid would visit a few years after the war and sprinkle his magic on this course, which will challenge both length and accuracy throughout.

Visit Hockley’s website here.

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Hockley Golf Club dates back to 1915, but its origin story is certainly different to most clubs, thanks to Horace Trimmer...

John Moreton and Iain Cumming’s fabulous book, ‘James Braid and his Four Hundred Golf Courses’, reveals the origins of Hockley came from Trimmer’s desire to create a 9-hole course for his wife Bessie’s silver wedding present.

Nine holes arrived towards the end of 1915 – no small feat given the country was in the grip of the First World War – and the rest was completed two years later. But it was Braid’s arrival in the spring of 1920, after Trimmer’s death, that really set this South Downs National Park layout on its way.

The course is described by the club as a “pleasant walk”, making its way gradually up a valley before looking out across Winchester and to the coast. Thanks to its turf, it is also a course that is pristine condition year round, and rarely ever shuts due to adverse weather conditions. At 6,450 yards from the tips, it’s definitely long enough for most of us and that yardage can be altered by the breezes, which form this Hampshire course’s main defence.

The first four holes start a steady climb, and the course begins with a gentle par 4. At 375 yards from the tips, some might not even require driver. The green has two tiers so make sure to finish on the same level as the flag. The 2nd is a tough dog-leg left, of more than 430 yards. Longer hitters may try and take their line more over the corner, but there isn’t anything good going on if you go too far left off the tee. Check out the very slightly raised green just below a steep bank on the 2nd before you hit your approach. The 3rd is an arrow-straight par 4, with the danger coming in the form of five bunkers, two of which are greenside, dotted down the hole. The 4th is the Stroke Index 1 at Hockley, and avoiding the fairway bunker that sits on the left side of the hole is vital. The hole moves slightly round to the left towards the green, with two more bunkers protecting the putting surface, one that slopes from back to front.

The 5th is the first of the par 3s at Hockley, one that can be as short as 145 yards, and as long as 170 yards, depending on the depth of the flag. Three bunkers are in view, with just one of those really in play if you strike the ball well.  The 6th is only 278 yards and some might fancy their chances. Be wary though, as the entrance to the green is narrow, and it is a double green with the 13th. 7 usually plays into the prevailing wind, making it seem even longer than its carded 450 yards. As a par 4, this is an absolute brute. Avoid the two fairway bunkers on the inside corner of this dog-leg right, and you have a chance of making it to the green in two. Some will have to lay up, but the fairway is narrow for the last 100 yards or so.

The 8th is 200 yards, and the longest par 3 on the course. It is a hole where 3 is a good score, as anything awry will leave you scrambling across a difficult green. The front nine ends with another par 4 often played into the prevailing wind. The fairway ends at the 260-yard mark, so make sure you stay short of that with your tee shot. From there, the green is wider than it is deep, so club selection with your approach is crucial. The 10th is another par 4 which is less than 400 yards, but its sloping fairway – from left to right – can take you ball towards the two fairway bunkers. Four more traps protect a long putting surface. 11 is the longest hole on the property, a par 5 measuring 550 yards from the tips. Even the longest of hitters should play this as a three-shotter. The green is two-tiered, so even with a wedge in hand, it is not the easiest of approaches.

The 12th is a lovely Braid par 3, a little flick with a short iron but tricky to hold if the flag is in a back location due to the prevailing wind usually being at your back. 13 is another short par 4, but it is one that turns sharply to the left. It plays longer than its 280 yards due to the turn and the uphill approach to the opposite side of the aforementioned double green with the 6th. The 14th is the hardest hole on the back nine according to the Stroke Index, a long and straight par 5. Making par on this 548-yard hole is not to be laughed at. 15 is a mid-length par 4, but there is a deep gully in front of the putting surface, so make sure to take enough club to cover that!

The wonderful 16th – 187 yards from the back tee – has bunkers on both sides and pushes anything struck left away from the green. It begins a cracking closing stretch at Hockley. 17 is a tough par 4 with a fairway that slopes from right to left. It then slopes down towards the green, so anything running down the slope might not hold the back of the putting surface. And though you may not have noticed the climb too much on the way round, what goes up must still come down and it does so in some fashion on the closing hole. This 526-yard par 5 can be reached in two by those who are both accurate and take advantage of gravity. Even so, the approach won’t be easy as you try to judge where to land the ball as it goes running into a green that’s only 25 yards deep.

Where is Hockley Golf Club located?

Hockley Golf Club is in the south of England, located in the county of Hampshire. The course sits just south of Winchester, and sits off the B3335. The M3, one of the country’s biggest motorways, is a stone’s throw from the northern boundary of the course, with the B3335 running to J11 of the motorway. The city of Southampton is just ten miles to the south of Hockley Golf Club.

Southampton Airport is closer, just eight miles from the golf club. However, most international visitors will fly into London Heathrow or London Gatwick, the two busiest airports in the country. The former is 55 miles away, while Gatwick is slightly further from Hockley. Winchester Station is three miles from the golf club, and operates trains that run to Southampton Central, Portsmouth Harbour, Bournemouth and London Waterloo.

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: England venues nearby?

Thanks to its location in Hampshire, there are several venues within an hour from Hockley that occupy a spot on the NCG Top 100s: England list. Stoneham is the closest, while Hayling sits on the south coast of the country. To the east, the likes of Blackmoor, Liphook, Hindhead and Hankley Common are within an hour as well.

What golf facilities does Hockley Golf Club offer?

Hockley Golf Club does not just have a cracking 18-hole layout; there are also some great practice facilities at the Hampshire venue. There is a full-length driving range which is covered, along with a short game area and a putting green so you can practice every aspect of your game before taking to the course.

What are the green fees at Hockley Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Hockley Golf Club changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.

For more information on current green fees at Hockley, visit their website here.