If you’re after golf for under £50, which offers a unique challenge to golfers of all levels – Southwick Park Golf Club just outside of Portsmouth could be a great option for you this year.
With amazing countryside views, a wonderful mix of holes (all built around a stunning lake), and a really friendly atmosphere for visitors to enjoy, Southwick Park has it all.
In this review, I’ll dive into the time I got to play Southwick Park and let you know what I thought about the idyllic little course in Hampshire.
Let’s get into it and find out a little more about Southwick Park Golf Club.
Southwick Park Golf Club Review
Our Rating
| Overall [4.2/5] |   |
| Course Design/Layout |  |
| Course Difficulty | |
| Course Conditions | |
| Green Conditions | |
| Pace Of Play | |
| Facilities | |
| Hospitality | |
| Practice Facilities | |
| Food & Drink | |
| Value For Money | |
Southwick Park Golf Club Information
Fareham, Hampshire. Opened in 1988.
18 Holes Course | Par 69 | 5884 Yards | Parkland
southwickparkgolfclub.com
Location
On the outskirts of Portsmouth and Fareham, the golf club is situated in a little village called Southwick. A small village that has seen an incredible amount of history over the years. From its creation during the Saxon years to a priory for monks mid-12th century, to hosting the British Navy during World War Two up until the mid-1990s.
Built-in 1977 initially as a Naval golf course, the club has grown massively and benefits from a stunning location for golf.
Southwick Park Golf Club Green Fees
| 10am- 1pm | |
| Mon-Thurs | £35 |
| Fri, Sat, Sun | £40 |
| 1pm -3pm | |
| Mon-Thurs | £30 |
| Fri, Sat, Sun | £35 |
| 3pm – 5pm | |
| Mon-Thurs | £25 |
| Fri, Sat, Sun | £27 |
| 5pm – 7pm | |
| Mon-Sun | £18 |
Southwick Park Golf Club Scorecard
Southwick Park Golf Club Slope Rating
| Tee | Gender | Slope Rating |
| White | Men | 129 |
| Yellow | Men | 122 |
| Red | Women | 124 |
Pre-round Thoughts
A course that hasn’t been around too long in golf course terms, but one that has a lot of history and is built around a military ethos.
Having learned about it from a friend, he described how much it had improved over the past 5 years, with great improvements to various aspects of the course.
The scorecard shows a rather short course at less than 6000 yards, it feels like a course that could be taken apart by the longer hitters.
Located in a quaint little village, you make your way along the top of Portsdown Hill and get to enjoy an incredible view of Portsmouth and the Solent. Making your way into Southwick, you go past the old HMS Dryad and the magnificent Southwick House which was used for D-Day planning during the war. It’s a pretty setting for a golf course!
The sun is shining on a late September day and it’s perfect for a brilliant round of golf. A slight breeze in the air which could make it tricky with so many OOB’s on each hole.
Staff are friendly in the shop and we hit a few old balls down the range to warm up (it’s a use your own balls kind of range…). A quick putt on the smooth putting green and we were ready to go.
The Course
The course is built around a large lake that connects to the River Wallington. This lake features in a few holes where water is very much in play.
The course is short but incredibly tight in many areas with a lot of greens the size of postage stamps. Small greens and punishing rough around the greens are what give Southwick Park its real challenge.
The course is tree-lined and has a good mix of 3s, 4s, and 5s to test any golfer. Longer hitters will be able to get close to a lot of the 4s, but it’s still very much a question of hitting what are very small greens and missing it in the right places. There’s the question of out-of-bounds on almost all of the holes which would be alright if the tee shots weren’t so narrow.
Sitting at the bottom of a valley, the views of the sweeping fields are spectacular and something to enjoy on a clear day.
When we played it was in magnificent condition for the time of year. Smooth, fast greens that are a joy to putt on. Fairways are well-manicured and lovely to hit off.
Front Nine
Par 3s – 2nd, 7th
A couple of par 3s on the front nine, the first of which come on the 2nd hole. 184 yards off the backs, the hole has an OOB on the left for any wayward pulls and a large gaping bunker on the right of the green. A green that is about 8 yards wide, an accurate tee shot is essential.
Number 7 is the next par 3 and one of my favourite holes on the course. Nestled away on the far side of the course. the 7th is only short at 134 yards but features a small pond in front (which shouldn’t really be in play)., OOB on the left and the large lake all the way up the right. A narrow green which sits on the top of a bank, anything that misses right will either get caught up in a bunker or be heading for a watery grave.
Par 4s – 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th
There’s a nice mixture of par 4s on the front, with some shorter holes like the 6th to much longer holes like the 1st and 4th. Number 1 is a difficult start with OOB all up the left and a ditch that runs about 50 yards short of the green.
Stroke index one, the 4th hole features a large dog-leg left which the better players will either take a tee shot over the edge of the trees or bend one around the corner. Depending on how well you hit your tee shot, you’re left with a shot over the bottom end of Southwick Lake. It’s a very tricky hole, that requires a lot of concentration on the tee shot.
6 and 8 are a couple of short holes that are reachable for long hitters and should be good opportunities to make birdie.
Back Nine
Par 3s – 12th, 15th, 17th
Three good par 3s on the back nine include the 15th, which is another short hole but offers up an interesting challenge. This is where you first see a little bit of the history of the area. An old Priory from the 12th century sits just past the 15th green and adds a unique look into the past.
Although short, the 15th still requires an accurate tee shot with a short iron, to a green which is double-tiered.
The 17th is probably the toughest of the par 3s round Southwick Park. At over 200 yards and usually into the prevailing wind, it offers a great test so late on in the round. Bushes to the right of the green seem to have magnets for golf balls, as both balls ended up in that area. The front left bunker guards the safety shot left, so hitting this green feels like a very good shot.
Par 4s – 10th, 11th, 14th, 16th, 18th
A few much tougher par 4s on the back nine really set this half apart from the front. The 10th offers a risk/reward hole off the tee, with a reachable green but ditch running across the middle.
14 seems to start a run of tough finishing holes, with the lake all the way up the left and the old garden terraces down the right. These wonderful mounds which were created in the 19th century, feature heavily on the 14th and 16th holes. Stroke index 3 and 2 respectively, these are a tough couple of holes that can certainly ruin a good score.
The 18th is a great way to finish your round, with a lengthened tee shot off the backs, avoiding the large tree just off-centre. A ditch about 60 yards short of the green gives the shorter hitters something to think about when laying up. A tough hole to end your day, but a really good hole in front of a clubhouse that overlooks.
Par 5s – 11th, 13th
The two par 5s come on the back nine at Southwick, starting with the 11th. A slight dog-leg left requires a fade shot from the tee. A ditch runs about a 180 carry off the tee, which shorter hitters will struggle to get over. A narrow green that slopes heavily from back to front means 3-putts are a danger.
The 13th is another hole with OOB all the way down the left. An accurate tee shot is needed, to avoid the lumps that run through the middle of the fairway. Not the longest of par 5s, the 13th is definitely gettable for a few players who will see this as a good opportunity for birdie.
Our Verdict
There’s no denying Southwick Park is a proper golf course that’s a really interesting test of golf. When you see a scorecard of under 6000 yards, it feels like you should be tearing the place apart, but that’s not the case.
This is a course where you walk off feeling like anywhere near handicap is a good score. It’s narrow with thick rough, greens that are one of the smallest I’ve ever played and are protected by plenty of threats. If you’re slightly off on your approach shots, scrambling for par is not easy at all.
For me, the 16th was by far the hardest hole and one of my favourites. The setting, with the old priory and unique slopes from the old gardens, is special.
It’s pretty and the nature around the lake and woods is marvelous. Trout jumping in the water and the birds chirping in the trees.
All of this for no more than £40, Southwick Park is a must-play if you’re in the area.
Final Thoughts
That’s it for our look at Southwick Park Golf Club in Hampshire. It was a really enjoyable day’s golf at a pretty little course nestled away in the countryside.
Is it the best course you’ll ever play? No, probably not. But for £40 you’ll have an amazing round at really good value.
Overall it’s a 4.2 out of 5 for Southwick Park Golf Club. Excellent conditions, a fun challenging course, and a friendly welcome. The only slight issue would be the practice range not having balls to use.
Of course, you’ve also got Rowlands Castle Golf Club just 15 minutes away, or a little further up the A3 is the marvelous Blackmoor Golf Club.
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.
