If you’re in the Winchester area, you’re lucky to have a selection of great golf courses to play. One of those courses is Hockley Golf Club. Sitting on Hampshire Downland, it makes for an interesting place for golf.
I managed to get a round there recently and had a really great day out. Great golf, beautiful views, and amazing weather.
Here we’ll take a look at what makes Hockley Golf Club such a great course to play and help you decide whether you should play there.
Let’s get into it and look at our review of Hockley Golf Club.
Hockley Golf Club Review
Our Rating
| Overall [4.4/5] |   |
| Course Design/Layout |  |
| Course Difficulty | |
| Course Conditions | |
| Green Conditions | |
| Pace Of Play | |
| Facilities | |
| Hospitality | |
| Practice Facilities | |
| Food & Drink | |
| Value For Money | |
Course Information
Winchester, Hampshire. Opened in 1914.
18 Holes Course | Par 72 | 6407 Yards | Downland
hockleygolfclub.com
Location
Situated just off the M3 and just outside the fabulous city of Winchester, Hockley Golf Club is very accessible for all and a great location to play golf.
The Hampshire club is set on the Downland, similar to Royal Winchester Golf Club, and offers a unique style of golf.
First built as a 9-hole course in 1914, the course was later re-modeled by the legendary James Braid in 1920. In 1955, the owners gifted the property to Winchester College, which still owns the land to this day.
Hockley Golf Club Green Fees
| Mon – Fri (After 12pm) | Sat – Sun (After 2pm) | |
| Visitor | £65 | £70 |
Hockley Golf Club Scorecard
Hockley Golf Club Slope Rating
| Tee | Gender | Course Rating/Slope Rating |
| White | Men | 70.9/121 |
| Yellow | Men | 69.1/120 |
| Red | Women | 72.8/122 |
Pre-round Thoughts
So, having played Hockley Golf Club a few times growing up, I knew the level of course that was on offer. However, it had been a fair few years since I’d made the trip to this part of Winchester to test my game on the Hockley slopes.
I’ve always enjoyed playing Hockley. The slopes and borrows that you get give a totally unique form of golf.
Greens fees at Hockley aren’t cheap but they seem fair in my opinion, at £65 for a midweek round. For the level of a golf course you’re getting, I think that’s a reasonable price they can charge. Slightly cheaper than Royal Winchester which we gave a 4.2 rating.
The club is also super convenient to get to, sitting literally just off the M3. As you drive into the car park you get a view up the first hole which rises up the slope to the green.
The range is good and a nice place to get warmed up for the round. If you don’t fancy the range, there’s also a practice net by the first tee.
The sun is shining and we’ve luckily got a fairly calm day of wind.
The Course
Similar to Royal Winchester, Hockley has plenty of elevation changes to contend with.
It’s also set on top of a hill which gives you great views of Hampshire, but also means you’re heavily open to the elements. Once you get past the first few holes you’re up on the top without any real protection. This means the wind is heavily going to affect how your round goes. I’ve never played this course without wind, so it’s just something you have to get used to playing with.
Drainage is great at Hockley, with it being on a hill, so conditions are good and dry. The fairways are a little overly dry, but the greens are rolling really fast.
Although it may appear fairly open, there are certainly dangers that need to be avoided for a good score. Long wispy grass will swallow your ball on offline shots for most of the holes, so keeping it in the fairway is important.
The greens are also very challenging, with some incredible slopes and undulations to putt on.
The par 71 setup goes out in 34 and back in 37, with the back nine featuring all three of the par 5s.
Front Nine
The front nine includes just two par 3s and the remaining holes are all par 4s. It’s the harder of the nines in my opinion. Not just because it has no par 5s, but also because of the challenging opening stretch of holes.
Par 3s – 5th, 8th
The 5th is a great short hole to settle you after a tricky start. At 159 yards, it plays a little longer than the yardage, however, it’s better to be a little short of the flag on this green due to the slope from back to front. Anything short and right will be eaten up by one of the three front bunkers, as it all slopes right.
Number 8 is the longest par 3 on the course and at over 200 yards it will require a well-struck tee shot. Making a par on this hole is definitely a good score and one you can feel relieved to walk off with.
Par 4s – 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th
The first 4 holes at Hockley are a difficult start to your round, all of which are uphill.
The 1st is relatively straight, and misses left or right will be helped by some friendly slopes. The green features a couple of mighty tiers, so finding the correct tier is difficult.
The 2nd tee shot is slightly blind and doglegs up to the left. If you can get a good draw off the tee it will shorten your next shot.
Number 6 is the shortest of the par 4s at only 277 yards, however, the tee shot is a little blind so taking the green on is risky. A layup with a long iron will give you just a short pitch and a good chance at birdie.
The 7th is the toughest hole on the card and rightly so. It’s long and narrow with trouble on either side. A couple of fairway bunkers on the right make the tee shot more challenging and when we played it was straight into the breeze. A par on this hole is definitely a very good score.
Back Nine
Once you’ve got the front nine out the way, you can have a quick sigh of relief. The back nine offers a slight respite to what is a tough opening. With three par 5s and a couple of short par 4s, there’s a great opportunity to pick up a few shots.
Par 3s – 12th, 16th
Number 12 is just a short hole, but it’s one you can’t take for granted. At just 131 yards, it’s only a short iron but getting the right yardage is a good test especially if the wind is swirling. Missing right is not an option and if the pins on the front, the bunker short seems to be a magnet for golf balls.
16th is a great par 3. The long, narrow green is well within reach at 183 yards. The play here is to aim to the right side and let the ball feed back down the slope. Overdo it and the bunker will catch your ball leaving a testing up and down to par.
Par 4s – 10th, 13th, 15th, 17th
Number 13 is an interesting hole at Hockley. The relatively short par 4 slopes steeply up to the left and has a narrow landing area for tee shots. If you hit it long, taking on the green might be the best way to avoid any doubt.
17 is a 396-yard par 4 that will keep you on your toes late into the round. Aim your tee shot up the right and let the contours do the rest, then you’ll be potentially left with a blind approach depending on how far up your drive goes. Like with most of the other fairways at Hockley, number 17 has some really crazy undulations to get your head around. So getting a flat lie for your approach is unlikely.
Par 5s – 11th, 14th, 18th
All the par 5s on the back are a good opportunity to pick up some shots. Number 11 requires a tee shot up the left which will feed back into the middle. Then you’re left with a layup short of the bunkers or an attempt at the green. We luckily had the wind playing down so it was very much gettable in two.
The 18th at Hockley is a rather quirky hole that I really enjoy playing. 528 yards, it plays much shorter than that due to the change in elevation. This dog leg left hole slopes all the way down from the tee. If you can get a good drive, tight to the left side, you should have a good chance of hitting the green in two shots and potentially finishing your day with an eagle.
Our Verdict
Hockley Golf Club is a really enjoyable golf course to play. It’s well set out and has so many things to make you think about whilst playing.
If you’re not a fan of slopes and undulations then this isn’t the course for you. However, if you enjoy the challenge of never having a flat lie in the fairway or never having a straight put on the greens, then Hockley offers a really fun 18 holes.
Of course, on days when the wind is up, this can be a truly brutal place to play. But it’s also a true test of your game in conditions that you won’t find in most courses.
Once you’re up on the top of the hill, by about the 6th hole – the views of the surrounding countryside are fantastic.
For me, as someone that enjoys a good test, Hockley is a must-play.
Final Thoughts
Hockley Golf Club is a great golf course on Hampshire Downland just outside of Winchester. The course features plenty of challenges, none more so than severe undulations. If you’re in the area, it’s well worth a visit.
Hampshire is full of great places to play golf. Whether it’s the links delight of Hayling Golf Club or the wonderful Blackmoor heathland, there’s plenty to enjoy.
Founder, Editor
Ed is the founder and editor at EEE Golf. He’s been playing golf for over 20 years, competing in many top amateur events. He’s played courses all over the world and played with some of the best players in the game. His aim is to help educate people about the game of golf and give insights into the sport he loves most.
