Tucked into 400 acres of rolling Hampshire countryside, Old Thorns Hotel & Resort gives you the full golf-break package: 4-star accommodation, a Peter Alliss-designed championship course, a health club and spa and plenty of reasons to linger for one more night.
The course has serious pedigree too. The official opening in 1982 saw Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, Isao Aoki and Open champion Bill Rogers tee it up in a competitive four-ball, with Aoki signing for 69. If you're a golfing geek like me, you'll love that the scorecards are still on display by the Sports Bar entrance.
On the course, it's classic Alliss in the best way: fair in parts, sneaky in others. Mid-handicappers will find it playable, but there's enough shape, bunkering and green-side questions to keep better players honest. Off the course, you've got solid dining options, a proper post-round bar and spa facilities that make it easy to switch off without ever leaving the estate.
In short, it's a hassle-free Hampshire base for a weekend with the lads, a society trip or a couples' break where the non-golfers still get a decent run at the facilities.
Who is this for?
Golfers or groups looking for a weekend or short break that combines quality parkland golf with comfortable resort facilities, good food and easy access from London and the south coast. Couples and societies will find plenty to do on and off the course, and the mix of accommodation options means it works for everything from a quick overnight to a longer stay with family.
Who is it best for?
Mid-to-high handicappers who want a playable but interesting championship test, groups seeking a relaxed country-house atmosphere with a proper golf pedigree, and anyone after a southern England break that doesn't require a long drive or complicated logistics.
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Old Thorns Golf Club
Set in the rolling hills of Hampshire, the par-72 championship course at Old Thorns was designed by Peter Alliss and officially opened in 1982 by Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Isao Aoki and Bill Rogers in a competitive four-ball. Aoki won with a round of 69, and all four scorecards are still on display in the Sports Bar entrance. A round here means walking the same fairways as some of the game's greatest players, and the course has lost none of its charm or challenge in the decades since.
The layout is classic parkland, routed through mature woodland with enough elevation change to keep things interesting and give you views over the Hampshire countryside. Alliss designed it to be playable for club golfers while still offering strategic interest for better players, and that balance shows. Fairways are generous enough to reward a decent drive, but the bunkering and green complexes demand accuracy on your approach. Miss in the wrong spot and you'll be scrambling.
The par-4 5th is the signature hole and one of the best risk-reward opportunities on the course. From an elevated tee, you get spectacular views over the surrounding countryside, but the real interest is in the decision you face. At 357 yards, the green is driveable for longer hitters, but the fairway is narrow and trouble lurks on both sides. Play safe with an iron and you're left with a short approach, but the temptation to take it on is always there. It's the sort of hole that gets you thinking before you've even pulled a club, and it sets the tone for the rest of the round.
Condition-wise, it generally holds up well across the season, and you'll get a proper test on the greens if your pace is off. The variety of hole lengths and shapes means you'll use every club in the bag. It's a proper test without being punishing, and the kind of course you'll want to play again as soon as you've signed your card.
If you fancy ticking off an Alliss design with a bit of history behind it, include Old Thorns on your next Hampshire golf break.
Old Thorns Hotel offers a wide range of accommodation to suit solo travellers, couples, families and larger groups. You can choose from superior and executive guestrooms through to family rooms and self-contained apartments, all finished with stylish décor, quality furnishings and the kind of modern conveniences that make a golf break feel properly comfortable. Every room comes with a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee facilities, hairdryer and en-suite bathroom stocked with complimentary luxury toiletries.
Superior rooms are ideal for couples or solo golfers wanting a well-appointed base, while executive guestrooms give you a bit more space and a few added touches, handy if you want to spread out your gear after 36 holes. Family rooms work well for groups or those bringing non-golfing partners and children, and the apartments are perfect for societies or extended stays where you want a bit more independence and room to spread out. All accommodation sits within easy reach of the clubhouse, restaurant and spa, so you're never far from your next round or post-golf pint.
Dining at Old Thorns covers everything from refined evening meals to casual bites after your round. The Kings restaurant is the main dining room for a more relaxed sit-down meal, serving seasonal menus with locally sourced ingredients and a wine list that complements the food. For something more laid-back, the Sports Bar has a proper pub atmosphere, serving classic favourites and lighter options in a lively environment where you can watch the game or replay your round over a beer.
If you're after a drink with a bit more polish, The Atrium Champagne & Cocktail Bar offers a sophisticated setting for pre-dinner cocktails or a nightcap. It's a nice contrast to the Sports Bar and gives you options depending on the mood of the group.
Beyond golf and dining, the Old Thorns Health Club & Spa is worth making time for. After 36 holes or a long drive down, the steam room, sauna and indoor pool are exactly what you need. There's also a fully equipped gym if you want to keep up your fitness routine, and the spa offers a range of treatments if you're looking to make the break feel like a proper escape. The facilities are open to all guests and work particularly well if you're bringing non-golfing partners or planning a longer trip.
Old Thorns is located just off the A3 near Hindhead in Hampshire, less than 30 minutes from the M25. It's an easy drive from London, the south coast and Surrey, making it one of the most accessible quality golf resorts in southern England.
Had everything needed for a great weekend- football/ rugby on TVs in Spirts Bar with a good food choice
8 / 10
Enjoyed our stay but some of the restaurant staff need further training! We were taken to our table on both days but then nothing! There seemed to be no supervision. All youngsters.
10 / 10
Good quality spacious room comfortable beds powerful shower very clean fantastic restaurant great food
6 / 10
Reminiscent of a motorway service station or an airport departure lounge. I miss match of styles and interior design. Food resembled a Wetherspoons pub. Never going back
8 / 10
Overall the rooms and service were very good however the dining experience just was not up to expectations. The Chinese option was not available at all due to Wedding bookings, they offered dining in the sports bar but it was very noisy. On Sunday we could not have fine dining due to a chef injury therefore had to use the carvery for the 3rd night running. Not what we expected and below par due to lack of choice!!!
6 / 10
The apartment we stayed in was excellent and the facilities were good.
The food was ok but limited in choice given it was a cavery.
8 / 10
Good comfortable rooms, good food. Bar was a bit noisy. All in all a pleasant stay
10 / 10
Was great rooms were clean and comfortable
8 / 10
The accommodation was very comfortable and the staff were helpful and friendly
8 / 10
Our party of 14 were very happy with their stay at Old Thorns. The carvery was slightly under pressure running out of desserts day one and curry day two , so a staff of one in the kitchen and carvery was too low and needed an extra member of staff. The quality was fine though and staff attentive. I did however complain about the quality of the coffee in the carvery as it was truly awful and as they have a Starbucks I suggested that they started to but their coffee instead.
10 / 10
This is our third consecutive year at Old Thorns and we enjoy our visit each year! Would recommend alternative choices on the dinner menu rather than carvery though the carvery is very good. Also cost of wine in the bar needs looking at! Otherwise very enjoyable.
8 / 10
Good value hotel with helpful staff, interesting course.
8 / 10
Really nice place, rooms are clean & tidy. The facilities are excellent, pool, spa, gym. Sports bar was good but a little pricey but nothing more than you would expect, pleantyof TV's & pool tables. Champagne bar gets top marks as guest only after 12 and stayed open late. Dining area is very pleasent and the food was plentyfull & hot with breakafst being the same. If you choose to stay on a party theme night it's a win/win the place was full & buszzing. Staff work hard & are extremely pleasent
10 / 10
I found the service was great and the staff were very attentive to everyone's requirements.
6 / 10
8 / 10
The room was excellent and the facilities were very good. The restaurant was limited in its offerings and staff were lacking in knowledge about wine. That said the food was wholesome and plentiful.
10 / 10
The hotel was a lot different to the last time we stayed here years ago, much bigger. Overall we had a great stay, rooms comfortable, food at the carvery was good value. The Champagne bar was freezing with no atmosphere we went to the spike bar instead, much more enjoyable. Overall, an excellent venue.
6 / 10
The accommodation was everything you needed in a hotel. The rooms where very comfortable and clean. The restaurant was great and the staff friendly. The bar was not so good as they ran out of the 2 types of bitter that where on tap.
8 / 10
Lovely location. Excellent service in the restaurant.
We were in a family suite which is outside of main hotel & it was very noisy in the early hours due to people ( conference delegates I think) drinking & smoking. I would recommend a room in the hotel next time.
8 / 10
I took 12 golfers to this wonderful hotel, food was out of this’s world. Rooms were spotless and staff were extremely friendly. The only down side was that the golf course looked a bit tattered. Although the greens were excellent tees and fairways were in poor condition.
Saying that we all agreed we would defiantly come back again....
6 / 10
The accommodation is good but their drinks prices are very expensive. The Champagne Bar can get very busy in the evenings. Bills need to be closely checked as there were two errors on mine. They were corrected straightaway but were both in the hotel's favour so watch out.
10 / 10
Brilliant hotel will definitely be going back
6 / 10
Standard of hotel & facilities are good but as a golfing venue it falls short of providing a bar/lounge and outside area for drinks etc. This has now been developed into a sporting village type complex and concentrates on weddings and Corporate events. I will not be returning for future golf breaks to Old Thorns which is a pity as in the past I would always have recommended this to others for a golfing break.
8 / 10
Our gang of 12 from Barton on Sea GC booked our spring break
for 2013 at Old Thorns again this year. We arrived on
Monday 13th late morning and were greeted by Gemma and her team in
the Sports Bar where we had tasty bar snacks to set us up for the afternoon
round.
We registered at the Pro Shop and everything was already
arranged by YGT regarding tee times, bag tags, cards etc and we set off
in 3 x four ball groups. They seem to have let the fairways grow quite
lush which is quite a change from our tight fairways by the coast. However the
biggest disappointment was the fact that they had just dressed the greens. Most
of us had difficulty getting the ball anywhere near the hole as there was such
a lot of impedimenta. However the scenery was great as usual and there are some
very beautiful and challenging holes on the course.
The hotel facilities were excellent, as was the evening
carvery meal, as well as the buffet breakfast the next morning.
Due to the threat of rain we agreed to just play 9
holes on the Tuesday morning and then review our options. As it was the
predicted band of rain swept in just as we were on or approaching the 9th hole
so we called it a day, to save getting soaked and having a damp 75 minute drive
home.
We retired to the Sports Bar again where Gemma organised our
snacks and had the prize giving for the two days competitions.
Our golf break was good value even though most paid for the
single supplement but we were disappointed that the certain parts of the course
i.e. the greens were not great. I hope that the right mix of rain and
sunshine will help the course get back to its best in the next
few weeks.
10 / 10
I would like to express my appreciation to the YGT team for
once again providing a first class service to me and my colleagues having just
returned from Old Thorns Manor.
Old Thorns easily lived up to our high expectations,
providing us with a golf course that we found quite a challenge, with some of
the holes literally taking your breath away. The view from the 5th tee was
worth the trip alone and we found the greens true but very fast despite
having a hailstorm on the first day.
The location of the venue is very easy to find being within
a mile of the main A3 near Liphook, and the Hotel is all you would expect of
such a high class establishment, with the rooms and food being of a high
standard.
I would definitely recommend Old Thorns to
anybody that was looking for a true test of golf along with top class
accommodation.
We will definitely be contacting you again in the future to
book our next golf adventure.
8 / 10
This was our third stay at Old Thorns and as
usual we had a really enjoyable time. It’s in a convenient location just off
the A3 which makes it easy to get to.
The golf course is well maintained with many great views, interesting
features and presented a stiff challenge to everyone in our mixed group of 2
men and 2 women (handicaps ranging from 17 to 36). We used our own trollies and
felt we had had a good workout by the end of the day. Perhaps a buggy would be
advisable for those who might struggle with the walk?
The hotel accommodation is superb. Clean, spacious rooms
with tea and coffee making facilities, immaculate bathrooms, room safe, and
although the hotel is a popular venue for weddings and parties, we did not
experience any noise or disruption. We didn’t use the pool and saunas on this
visit but have done so in the past and found them to be excellent.
There is a Starbucks on site which is great for coffees and
snacks and the Sports Bar serves a range of sandwiches and bar meals. The
buffet breakfast is extensive and very tasty. However the one weak spot is the
evening meal which consists mainly of a carvery. This might suit groups of male
golfers who come in ravenous after a day on the course but the choice for those
who don’t eat meat is extremely limited – either a sad looking red onion and
goats cheese filo tart or the tuna hot rock both at a £10 additional charge.
It ought to be possible to offer something like a piece of
salmon instead of the meat at no additional cost.
That said we all thoroughly enjoyed our one night stay and
two rounds of golf and would recommend it to others. YGT as usual provided
excellent service and value for money – many thanks.
8 / 10
My party of 9 were all well impressed with Old Thorns.
The golf course is a magnificent layout, with every hole
very different and with manicured fairways and well kept bunkers. The
greens were not good on the first day but were much better on the
second/third days due to a light sanding.
Take lots of balls as there are water hazards everywhere!
The accommodation was first class and the food and wine were
really good. The beer wasn’t too expensive either.
8 / 10
My weekend away at Old Thorns with my son (I am a new golfer)
could not have been any better. It’s a very impressive golf complex and golf course
and I would not hesitate to go there again.
Food and hotel accommodation were also first class. When the
time is convenient I will be booking up through yourgolftravel again.
8 / 10
Although the greens were under repair when we played, the
course at Old Thorns Manor was one of the best I've played and
certainly felt like a Championship course. As a high handicapper I found it
very difficult but with each hole presenting a new challenge and wonderful
vista I didn't mind. My playing companion and I were therefore praising and
cursing designer Peter Allis in equal measure!
The hotel itself boasted great facilities. The informal
Sports Bar was perfect for an afternoon pint while the Champagne Bar was ideal
for the evening. The leisure facilities were superb too and make this a good
destination for a mixed party of golfers and non-golfers.
The staff were friendly but not as organised or attentive as
you might expect from a 4-star hotel.
I booked last minute through Your Golf Travel who managed to
find a place which ticked all the boxes in no time at all. Great work.
10 / 10
The golf course at Old Thorns is excellent with lots of
challenging holes. It’s extremely well kept and laid out but I would say higher
handicapped golfers may find it tough.
The clubhouse and resort are excellent with a separate sports
bar and a posh bar although the entire place is very friendly. There is an excellent
gym, pool and spa and the accommodation was comfortable. Beer was expensive at
£5.20 a pint though!
The hotel is excellent value for money and the staff
couldn't have been more helpful or friendly. Out of 10 I would give the overall
experience 9.
As for YGT, I couldn't recommend you more highly. This was
an easy booking, you’ve got polite staff and a late change was handled very
well indeed.
10 / 10
We’ve just returned from our golf trip to Old Thorns
on which we played the Downs Course at Goodwood too. What a fantastic two
days we had!
The courses were in first class condition from tee to green
and to top it off, the bar was awaiting us to watch Rory secure his first Open
victory on home soil.
The organisation from beginning to end was first class and
we would have absolutely no hesitation in calling you again to book next year’s
trip.
10 / 10
We were a group of 6 lady golfers, most of whom were playing Old Thorns for
the first time. The golf course was beautiful, with wonderful mature trees,
lakes of various sizes and some truly stunning views. It was in excellent
condition too and we found the course to be challenging both technically and
physically as it is quite spread out and both days we played the weather was
quite sultry.
Some of our group used a buggy and found this to be a useful
asset between holes (especially when negotiating the locally known ‘cardiac
hill’ between the 2nd and 3rd).
The Pro shop had a good selection of equipment on offer. We
were rather surprised to find that our tee time on the second day had been put
back half an hour without any notification but in the end it didn’t matter as
the starter was able to get us off pretty close to our original time.
The hotel was great; very quirky as if a magpie had been
busy collecting all sorts of interesting furnishings! It was spacious and
modern with a champagne bar, sports bar and numerous function rooms. It is a
busy wedding venue but is large enough for golfers and wedding guests to
co-exist without any problems.
The reception staff and restaurant staff were all very
friendly and helpful. We had the carvery for dinner which was extensive and
tasty and the kitchen was really helpful in providing vegetarian flans and
gluten free rolls to go with the soup.
The rooms were clean, spacious and well-appointed and the
bed was very comfortable. Our three rooms were all located together which was
very nice. Breakfast was delicious too, with a large selection.
We didn’t all have enough time to use the swimming pool but
the facilities looked wonderful and a couple of ladies from our group enjoyed
spa treatments which were also very good.
We had a brilliant stay and plan to return for 2 nights the
next time. We would definitely recommend Old Thorns to
others.
