Littlehampton Golf Club

Littlehampton Golf Club: sitting alongside the River Arun, this historic south of England golf club is tucked-in behind a line of dunes, which separate the course from Littlehampton's pebbly beach. A true links most assuredly, and one with a relatively flat and easy-going character.

Although the river and sea remain largely hidden behind the dunes, both can be seen from the par-4 2nd tee. You'll also enjoy sea views from the dune-top back tees at the par-4 7th and 9th holes, arguably the best two holes on the course. Alongside the 2nd tee sit the ruins of a 19th century fort.

The layout journeys through the modest dunes, a sprinkling of gorse bushes occasionally threaten, with a water ditch also weaving its way through the middle section of the back-nine. In a quietly natural links environment, the relatively flat layout is handsomely but not onerously defended by a mix of revetted and flash-faced bunkers.

Several shortish par-4s and a relative lack of elevation change could set-up a propitious score. The generally good-width gently rolling and flatter fairways should also help. As on many older links courses, the good-size subtly sloping greens are great to putt on.

Pick of the holes: the good length par-4 7th is one of several nicely doglegging holes. Playing from a scenic elevated back-tee the hole sweeps right-to-left passed its fairway bunkering and onward to a well defended green. The also well bunkered par-3 8th is arguably the pick of Littlehampton's good collection of par-3 holes.