1 Night, 2 Rounds
If you are after a Hampshire golf break where everything is in one place, Old Thorns makes life easy. You have got a well-regarded Peter Alliss & Dave Thmoas design, plenty of room for groups, a strong spa and enough dining options to keep the whole trip on site without anyone feeling short-changed.
Set across 400 acres of rolling Hampshire countryside near Liphook, Old Thorns has been doing things properly for over four decades. The story begins at the opening event, when Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, Bill Rogers and Isao Aoki played the inaugural round across its fairways. That is the kind of heritage that gives a course a clear identity from day one and Peter Alliss's design has carried it well ever since.
It feels like a proper resort escape as soon as you arrive, with rolling Hampshire countryside around you and enough on site to settle in for a couple of nights without needing to head back out. The 4-star hotel, the Good Spa Guide five-bubble spa, the variety of dining options and the self-catering residences give it genuine appeal for groups, couples and solo travellers alike.
Who is this for?
Golfers looking for a proper Hampshire golf break with serious architectural heritage, strong on-site facilities and the kind of resort setup that means you never need to leave.
Who is it best for?
Mid-handicappers who want a well-conditioned parkland test with character and variety, plus anyone who values having a quality spa, multiple dining options and comfortable accommodation all under one roof. Society groups will find the organisation and capacity here hard to beat in the south of England.
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1 Night, 2 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
3 Nights, 4 Rounds
From the elevated tees, the Hampshire countryside opens out in front of you in a way that focuses the mind before you have even taken the club back. The layout threads through tree-lined corridors, drops into valleys and rises again, offering a different visual and strategic challenge on almost every hole. Lakes and creeks come into play at various points, introducing genuine risk-reward decisions that reward the patient golfer and punish the overambitious one. The greens are well-defended and require reading with care, particularly on the trickier downhill putts where the pace can catch you out if you are not paying attention.
It is a layout that has stood the test of time and the design still gives the course a clear identity today. As a parkland layout, it is a solid option for much of the year, particularly for golfers looking for a more sheltered round than some of the region's more exposed tracks. The tree cover provides useful protection on windier days, and the turf holds up well through the cooler months.
For many groups, that balance is the big selling point. It is a course that better players can enjoy for the strategy, while mid-handicappers still feel they have a fair chance if they keep it in play. There are holes where you can take on the water gaining an advantage and holes where the smarter play is to take your medicine and leave yourself a full shot in. That variety keeps the round interesting from the first tee to the last green.
Practice facilities have been upgraded with Toptracer technology on the driving range, where you can compete against friends on virtual courses from around the world, track your shot data or simply warm up properly before heading to the first tee. For societies, the well-organised golf operation, the option of multiple rounds and the resort facilities beyond the 18th green make this a strong group destination in Hampshire. If your society is weighing up options in the south of England, Old Thorns is worth putting near the top of the shortlist.
Signature hole- No. 5: Par 4, 357 yards, SI 14
From the elevated tee, Old Thorns' 5th hole gives spectacular views over the beautiful Hampshire Countryside. However, there is a much greater reason for the hole's signature hole status. The par 4 also provides much in the way of risk reward and at 357 yards from the tee, it is tempting to drive the green. Though, with a narrow fairway this may stir a thought in your mind as to whether to play a safe iron down the fairway. A magnificent hole, leaving a great feeling of anticipation before a shot is even played!
| Par | 72 |
|---|---|
| Designed by | Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas |
| Opened for play | 1982 |
| White | 6,461 yards | SSS 71 |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | 6,016 yards | SSS 69 |
| Ladies | 5,380 yards | SSS 72 |
Old Thorns offers 150 hotel rooms across its 4-star property and the range of accommodation styles means there is something to suit most types of visit.
For a straightforward golf break, the hotel rooms do the job well. They are comfortable, modern and easy for a one or two-night stay, especially if you want the convenience of having breakfast, the bar and the golf facilities all close by. Rooms are well-maintained and designed for guests who want a clean, contemporary base after a full day on the course or in the spa. Think good beds, proper showers and enough space to actually unpack and settle in rather than living out of a bag for the weekend.
For those who want more room to breathe, the residences and apartments are the real draw. These self-catering options are positioned on the estate with views across the golf course and several of them overlook the 9th and 10th tees, so you can watch the action from your own terrace with a coffee in hand before you head out yourself. That kind of setup works particularly well for groups who want a base to come back to between rounds, or for couples who want the flexibility of self-catering without giving up the resort experience around them.
The apartments are spacious and well-equipped, with enough room to spread out properly. If you are organising a society trip or a group weekend, that extra living space can make a real difference. It gives you somewhere to gather before dinner, somewhere to debrief after the round and somewhere that feels like your own corner of the resort rather than just a corridor of hotel rooms. For longer stays, the self-catering setup also means you are not tied to restaurant hours for every meal, which suits groups who want to manage their own schedule.
The dining offer at Old Thorns is one of the things that separates it from golf resorts that treat the restaurant as an afterthought.
Kings Restaurant is the best fit for a sit-down evening meal. It is the flagship dining room, the place you head for a proper dinner after a day on the course, with a menu built around well-executed cooking and a room that has enough warmth and atmosphere to make a group dinner feel like a proper occasion rather than a functional necessity.
The Atrium Cocktail Bar is the spot for pre-dinner drinks or a nightcap, with a light-filled setting that works just as well for a quiet gin and tonic as it does for a livelier group gathering. The Sports Bar is more your pace if the plan is post-round drinks, live sport and something easy to share with the group. It is the natural 19th hole and it does that job well.
Oties Cafe handles the lighter end of the day, from morning coffee and breakfast through to mid-afternoon snacks and Afternoon Tea adds a properly British touch for those who want to slow the day down entirely.
The spa at Old Thorns carries a five-bubble certification from the Good Spa Guide, which is a meaningful independent endorsement and one of the better ratings you will find at a golf resort in the south of England. The facilities are built around a 20-metre swimming pool, hydrotherapy relaxation areas, sauna, steam room, ice fountain and heated beds. It is the sort of setup that works equally well for recovery after a long round of golf or as a destination in its own right for non-golfing partners.
The relaxation lounges add a thoughtful touch. The Garden Lounge is bright and airy, while the Ocean Lounge is darker and more cocoon-like, with ambient lighting, reclining loungers and blankets that make it a genuinely good place to switch off. Guests on spa days and breaks also have access to the spa terrace, which looks out across the golf course and is a pleasant spot to wind down on a warm afternoon.
Beyond the spa, the health club offers a full fitness programme with classes, personal training and gym facilities. For groups with mixed interests, that combination of spa and health club means Old Thorns works just as well for a recovery-focused break as it does for a golf trip. Non-golfers are well looked after here, which takes the pressure off when you are trying to sell a golf weekend to a partner who would rather not spend two days watching you chunk it out of the rough.
Old Thorns is located close to Hindhead in Hampshire, just off the A3, less than 30 minutes from the M25.
Address: Griggs Green, Liphook, Hampshire, GU30 7PE
Martyn
✓23 May 2026
Very adequate
Kenneth
✓22 May 2026
The only complaint if any was that the main restaurant had same menu every day so after the first night we had meals in the sports bar which was great .
Mark
✓19 May 2026
Jonathan
✓16 May 2026
Chris
✓12 May 2026
It is the best one stop golf/spa resort within a reasonable distance of London. Old Thorns staff are very welcoming, polite and knowledgable.
Neil
✓9 May 2026
Deborah
✓5 May 2026
Rooms are spacious and comfortable, a little outdated but I understand a full refurb is due.
Jane
✓4 May 2026
Perfect facilities for a weekend golf trip
Mark
✓28 Apr 2026
We could not fault the hotel and staff. Everything was to a high standard. The Sunday carvery was fantastic.
Sean
✓27 Apr 2026
Top place to stay, play and spa, exceeded expectations from start to finish, we had an amazing time there 10/10
Martyn
✓23 May 2026
Multiple 4 balls made it very slow
Kenneth
✓22 May 2026
Some of the holes were very challenging but a great course
Mark
✓19 May 2026
Jonathan
✓16 May 2026
Chris
✓12 May 2026
Old Thorns is an interesting golf course with some wonderful holes. Hole 5 is breathtaking and the 18th is a great hole to finish on. The course is well managed and in very good condition considering the amount of traffic it sees over a year.Old Thorns is the best one stop shop for larger groups staying overnight, the rooms are very clean and comfortable, the restaurant serves great breakfast and evening meals and the bars all have their own ambience that will suit most groups.
Neil
✓9 May 2026
Deborah
✓5 May 2026
It's a challenging course and buggies are strongly recommended. Long walks o most holes from green to the next tee. Very undulating greens makes putting a challenge but good conditions and fairways are lovely. Buggies expensive at £50
Jane
✓4 May 2026
Love the course, there’s a challenge on every hole, no two holes are the same, it’s a good energetic walk too! Couldn’t fault it.
Mark
✓28 Apr 2026
The course was in fantastic condition, made better by the glorious weather. Each hole enjoying its own unique challenge. The slight downside was the speed of the greens - very quick and possibly borderline for those who are new to the course.
Sean
✓27 Apr 2026
Decent layout, have to plot your way around, definitely not blasting driver of every tee, the greens were hard and very quick, spend time on the putting green to get the feel 10/10
