Highcliffe Castle Golf Club in Christchurch - Dorset

Highcliffe Castle Golf Club

The key to a good score on this 18 hole golf course is matching par on as many as the eight par threes as possible and to hope for the odd birdie on the fours.

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Hole 1 - Par 4 309 Yards S.I. 9
The opening hole is a relatively straight forward Par 4. Two fairway bunkers, approximately 155 yards from the tee, may pose a problem for the average player. But for the more accomplished player the shot really is a fairway wood or long iron from the tee to lay up short of the bunker in the middle of the fairway leaving a short pitch to a small green, which is surrounded by a bank about three foot high.

Hole 2 - Par 3 167 Yards S.I. 13
After a gentle opening hole this is a tough Par 3 with a long and narrow green, can play anything from a short to a long iron, depending on whether the pin is on the front or back of the green. With bunkers left and right an accurate shot is needed. An added difficulty is judging the wind direction as it tends to swirl around making club selection very difficult. Also trees on the right await any shots that are pushed.

Hole 3 - Par 4 427 Yards S.I. 1
The toughest hole on the course as well as the longest. A slight dogleg to the right and uphill. This is a tough tee shot because there is a tall oak tree in the middle of the fairway at about 132 yards from the tee which may pose a problem for most players. Try and hit your tee shot down the left side of the fairway to give the best angle to the green as anything right will be in the tall pine trees which will block your second shot to the green.

Hole 4 - Par 4 367 Yards S.I. 5
At 367 yards this is one of the longest holes on the course. A drive down the left side of the fairway will give you the best angle to approach the green. Stay out of the trees on the right. For the longer hitters the smart play is to hit a 3 wood of the tee as a driver may get you into trouble as there is a bank which crosses the fairway about 277 yards from the tee.

Hole 5 - Par 4 345 Yards S.I. 11
This hole has had 15 yards added recently by extending the tee back further into the woods, making it a more demanding tee shot as the bunker on the right of the fairway is now in play for the longer hitters. Trees left may also present a problem.

Hole 6 - Par 4 283 Yards S.I.17
A tempting short Par 4 as it is reachable for longer hitters. The smart play is to hit a fairway wood or long iron from the tee down the right well away from the trees down the left to give the best angle into the green but leaves a tricky short iron shot to the two-tiered green. Hitting a driver is risky as the fairway is very narrow in front of the green and a holly tree on the right blocks the line to the green.

Hole 7 - Par 3 184 Yards S.I. 7
A very challenging hole, a long iron is normally required if the flag is on the back as it is a long two tiered green with bunkers left and right and trees all down the right. Under club and you might leave a long putt.

Hole 8 - Par 3 245 Yards S.I. 3
A very demanding long Par 3, surrounded by two large bunkers, it is out of reach for the average player. But a generous fairway gives them a chance to pitch it close and save par. The longer hitters can play anything from a driver to a long iron, depending on which direction the wind is blowing in. Be careful of the Out Of Bounds on the right. Par is a very good score on this hole.

Hole 9 - Par 3 139 Yards S.I. 15
This hole always plays longer than the yardage, usually into the prevailing wind, it is a two tier green, if the flag is on the top tier be sure to take an extra club. If you are on the wrong level it will leave a very difficult putt. There are two pot bunkers either side of the green that will catch any miss-directed shots, go long and you will have a difficult chip shot up a step bank because the back of the green is raised.

Hole 10 - Par 4 318 Yards S.I. 6
A tough start to the back nine, very narrow fairway, nothing except an accurate short will do here! There are two large bunkers guarding the green, which may be reachable from the tee for the longer hitters, so the play may be to lay up short. Keep out of the trees on the right as these may restrict your shot to the green.

Hole 11 - Par 3 142 Yards S.I. 16
A relatively short par 3, but don't be fooled, what it lacks in distance it makes up for in difficulty. It is a semi-blind tee shot as there is a large bunker in front restricting view of the green from the tee making club selection tricky on this hole. The green is very narrow with bunkers all round.

Hole 12 - Par 3 242 Yards S.I. 2
One of the toughest holes on the course, again two large bunkers guarding the green with a narrow entrance. The shot is to try and chase the ball through this narrow entrance and on to the raised green. Be happy with a Par on this hole.

Hole 13 - Par 364 Yards S.I. 4
The tee shot is a demanding one between the two fairway bunkers left and right at approximately 185 yards from the tee, which may be difficult to carry for most players. These fairway bunkers are punishing because getting home from there is virtually impossible. For the bigger hitters it is a narrow fairway with pine trees either side. The second shot needs to be an accurate one as a slightly pulled shot will end up in the trees on the left of the green. The green slops from back to front if you are past the pin beware of a quick down hill putt.

Hole 14 - Par 4 324 Yards S.I. 10
Not the longest of the par 4's but a demanding hole requiring two accurate hots to a testing green which in summer can be quite firm and fast running. Any tee shot right will be in the trees or out of bounds over the road. Be careful to avoid the fairway bunker on the right at about 203 yards from the tee. A safe shot is to play down the left avoiding the bushes leaving a short iron to the green. Another fairway bunker on the left is in play for the longer hitters at about 266 yards from the tee. The second shot can be a tricky one if the pin is positioned at the back right as the green is very narrow there and is very firm and fast in the summer so the smart shot is to land the ball on the front of the green as it will run down to the hole.

Hole 15 - Par 3 182 Yards S.I. 14
This hole used to be a par 4 and was shortened to make a very strong par 3. The back of the tee has been lengthened recently adding a few extra yards. Will play a medium to long iron for the longer hitters. Only bunker on the hole is on the right but is well short of the green. The smart shot here in the summer is to land it short of the green and it will run on as it is slightly down hill. Again as with a lot of the holes on the course it is surrounded by a bank.

Hole 16 - Par 4 292 Yards S.I. 12
A reachable Par 4 for the longer hitters but this is a risky strategy as it is Out Of Bounds (OOB) on the right if you are on or over the public footpath. Fairway bunkers are left and right and the perfect drive is to be down the left side of the fairway with fairway wood or a long iron leaving a short pitch to the green. Be careful not to go long as you will be in the trees.

Hole 17 - Par 3 119 Yards S.I. 18
This is our signature hole and the shortest on the course, but don't underestimate it. It is a blind tee short over gorse bushes, with a bunker in front of the green which will catch any shots that are short, so selecting the right club from the tee is important. The small green is surrounded by a bank, making it difficult to get up and down if you miss it on the wrong side.

Hole 18 - Par 4 349 Yards S.I. 8
The finishing hole, a straight tee shot avoiding the trees left and right and the fairway bunkers come into play for the longer hitters at about 260 yards from the tee. The one on the right was added in recent years. Be careful not to go over the green here as the tarmac in front of the clubhouse is Out Of Bounds (OOB).

The Highcliffe Castle Golf course is just a three minute drive from the Hotel. From the Hotel on Bure Lane, turn onto Highcliffe Road (A337) - the Highcliffe Castle Golf Club is just one mile along the road.