Littlehampton Golf Club

Littlehampton is the only links course open to.the public in Sussex. Nice views but very challenging when it's windy.
Well worth the visit.

After the wettest winter I can remember it was nice to be offered the chance on playing on a chalk based course. I love links, we only have one in Essex, Felixstowe Ferry, so it was nice to sample another one. The drive down to Sussex was horrendous 3 hours of torrential rain! On arrival at Littlehampton I was greeted by the club Captain who rightly predicted the sea drizzle would go by 10.30 am. A doorstop Bacon Sandwich and a couple of coffees soon had me in the right mood.
The driving range is a fair way from the club house, and the putting green was being hollow tied. Many of the greens were temporary as they had been hollow cored and were being dressed. Which was a real shame but what a course and in fantastic condition after this dreadful winter.
So many great holes, pretty flat, well compred to St Andrews any way! If your going to walk bring plenty of energy as it’s a fair trot.
Lovely club house with very friendly staff, meal afterwards was a lasagne which was magnificent. I got the day for £35, but this was a Society day. Fantastic course in a lovely part of England. I want to play it in the summer!

I try to always play this course when I'm having a south coast golf trip. It's a bit off the beaten track but worth going out of your way for. It's a private members club, but you can turn up and play most weekday afternoons, unless there's a club competition.

This is one of the few true links courses around, and it has a great feel to it, with a salty smell to the air and towering sand dunes. At £38 on a week day it's not cheap but worth the money, with true greens and nice sand - in summer you can play a twilight round for £20.

The first hole is a beast of a par 4, which always seems to play into the wind - 5 is a fine score for most players. The second hole is where you first notice the sand traps, which can be truly penal - if you're short there's a nasty pot bunker about 190 yards down the right side of the fairway.

On hole 7 it's traditional to sneak up and play from the elevated member's tees, which provide views of the Clymping beach on the left. You then play the next few holes along the sand dunes and this stretch often plays into the wind. Any slightly fadey shots get punished since the wind will direct them right towards the gorse.

On hole 11 you turn round and head back, and you may have the wind with you. However, the back 9 has some intimidating tee shots with the risk of losing balls left. Holes 17 and 18 can be tough finishing holes, depending on what the wind is doing.

You can score well on this course if you play solidly and keep away from the bunkers, but it's a good test of your course management. Looking forward to returning soon.