Old Course

Hampshire's golfing roots run deep, and the name "Old Course" signals exactly that kind of heritage — a layout that predates the era of signature architects and manufactured drama, shaped instead by the land itself and generations of local play. Without knowing precisely which Old Course this is (several Hampshire clubs carry the name), what's certain is that the county has a genuine claim to serious golf history, from the heathland and parkland tracks of the New Forest fringe to the links-influenced turf closer to the Solent coast.

Hampshire sits in one of England's most varied golfing counties — heather, pine, chalk downland, river valleys — and whichever Old Course this refers to, the landscape does most of the talking. Winters are mild by British standards, the turf tends to stay firm and fast into autumn, and the prevailing southwest winds can turn a benign-looking layout into something altogether more demanding.

A par 72 over 18 holes suggests a full, traditional test with room for both par 5 scoring opportunities and the kind of two-shot par 4s that define classic British inland design.