Littlestone – Golf Course Review

Golfer’s Tips

• There is very little merit in taking on the gettable (and relatively simple) 1st hole – the fairway is very wide at mid to long iron length, leaving a full shot in where one can comfortably clear the front bunkers. Even if you did hit driver straight (likely with the wind) you are very likely to roll into the front bunkers, leaving a very difficult up and down for birdie.
• The approach to the 8th can look quite inviting from the right/centre of the fairway, but there is one small pot bunker at the back right (barely visible) which should be avoided at all costs!

Signature Holes

• 2nd – a good hole and is reminiscent of the 5th at Royal St George’s, in that the green is only visible between two great sand dunes if playing from the very centre of the fairway. It should also be noted that the green is a little beyond these two dunes and slopes significantly from back to front, so taking enough club is key to getting pin high.
• 17th – a fantastically-framed par 3, with a green that sits in a bowl with a cavernous bunker within the hill on the left and a sharp drop-off for anything beyond the pot bunker short right. Teeing from an elevated tee you have a view of the beautiful hole, and then the 18th hole stretch, with the tower on the left, back to the old clubhouse.

Review:

Traditional links setup, which in itself is great, but perhaps not as much of a standout as expected.

The clubhouse is very old school, and the welcome from local members and the pro shop is very friendly, so heading to the first tee (easiest straight-away hole on the course) you’re expecting something that would rival many of the superb links courses around the south coast.

Littlestone is a classic, mature, links course, and it is flatter than others of the same nature which is not in itself an issue, given that the wind is such a prominent defence, but at the same time it just lacks the impression you get with dune-lined fairways and funky sloping lies you get on other links tracks. I would also suggest that there weren’t many standout holes, and the lack of views of the sea was missed.

After the gentle opener are a couple of very good par 4s, but these feature sand dunes are therefore more visually appealing. That being said, the par 3s are all excellent, and with the wind playing such a huge part it’s a very nice and clever touch that they all face in different directions, are of different lengths, so all play differently. The closing stretch, which runs along the coast, is also a real highlight – the par 3 17th and par 5 18th are excellent finishing holes.

The quality of the course is strong throughout, but shot-making and plotting yourself around the course is not as much of a challenge as some of its other neighbouring links. The bunkering is good, and drop-offs around the greens can be tricky, so you do still have the short game challenges and areas to miss (and those where you can’t) which makes links golf so fun but such a test.

Overall it’s a nice course and a good day out, its always a pleasure to play proper links golf and it should be noted that it played fantastically considering the horrendous weather around the time of play, but for me there is better out there that may even be lower down the rankings.

• “Top 100” Ranking: 67th (England)
• Golfer View Rating: 71%

https://www.littlestonegolfclub.org.uk

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