The Best Golf Courses Within 15 Miles of Chichester

If you’re a golfer visiting the Chichester area you have an abundance of excellent courses to choose from within 15 miles, each offering unique challenges and beautiful scenery. 

The fact that it is located so near the coast but within a short drive of some of the best heathland courses in Surrey means that you’re never far from a range of different styles of courses.

Below is my guide to the best golf courses within a 20-minute drive of Chichester, ranked according to my preferences. If you’re a local your opinion may differ to mine, but I don’t think you can argue with my number 1!

I’ve included the course’s history, designer, style of golf, the signature hole, and current guest green fee for each section.

 

1. West Sussex Golf Club

• History: Established in 1930, West Sussex is considered one of the premier heathland courses in England and is regularly ranked among the World’s Top 100 courses. Known for its natural beauty and strategic design, the course has earned a reputation as one of the best inland layouts in the country.
• Designer: Guy Campbell and Cecil Hutchison designed the course to incorporate the stunning heathland landscape.
• Type of Golf: Heathland. It features fast, undulating fairways, heather-covered rough, and well-placed bunkers.
• Signature Hole: The 6th hole, a par-3 that plays over a picturesque valley lined with heather, is as challenging as it is visually stunning.
• Guest Green Fee: £95 for visitors.
• Website: West Sussex Golf Club

 

2. Golf at Goodwood

• History: Located on the historic Goodwood Estate, golf has been part of the estate’s offerings since the late 19th century. The championship-level Downs Course is the highlight, providing a challenging yet scenic golfing experience.
• Designer: Designed by James Braid in 1914, the Downs Course features tricky elevation changes and panoramic views.
• Type of Golf: Parkland, with an open, rolling landscape that provides stunning views over the South Downs.
• Signature Hole: The 12th hole on the Downs Course, a downhill par-3 with a sloping green surrounded by bunkers, requires a precise shot to avoid trouble.
• Guest Green Fee: £125 for the Downs Course.
• Website: Golf at Goodwood

 

3. Hayling Golf Club

• History: Established in 1883, Hayling Golf Club is one of the oldest links courses in the region. Situated on Hayling Island, the course offers breathtaking views of the Solent and Isle of Wight.
• Designer: Originally laid out by Tom Dunn, the course was later modified by five-time Open Champion J.H. Taylor.
• Type of Golf: Links, with firm fairways, deep bunkers, and challenging coastal winds.
• Signature Hole: The 6th hole, a hugely demanding par 4 that requires a well-placed tee-shot followed by a long approach over a waste area to a viciously sloping green.
• Guest Green Fee: £110.
• Website: Hayling Golf Club

 

4. Cowdray Park Golf Club

 

• History: Golf has been played on the Cowdray Estate since 1904. The course offers a blend of historical charm and modern golf, with its well-maintained fairways and scenic views.
• Designer: Originally designed by Herbert Fowler, the layout is known for its strategic bunkering and undulating terrain.
• Type of Golf: Parkland, with tree-lined fairways and panoramic views of the estate.
• Signature Hole: The 8th and 16th, simply for the fact they share a green and it is full of devilish slopes that wouldn’t be out of place on the Old Course at St Andrews.
• Guest Green Fee: £55 during the week, £65 on weekends.
• Website: Cowdray Park Golf Club

 

5. Rowlands Castle Golf Club

• History: Founded in 1902, Rowlands Castle offers a traditional parkland layout that tests golfers with tree-lined fairways and subtle elevation changes.
• Designer: Designed by Harry Colt, it shares its heritage with Wentworth and Sunningdale and is a great example of the pin-perfect placement his courses demand.
• Type of Golf: Parkland. It features mature tree-lined fairways, tiny greens, and some gentle elevation changes.
• Signature Hole: The 10th hole, a long par-4 that requires a long, accurate drive and a well-struck approach to a small and well-guarded green.
• Guest Green Fee: £60.
• Website: Rowlands Castle Golf Club

 

6. Littlehampton Golf Club

• History: Littlehampton is one of Sussex’s oldest courses, founded in 1889. It’s the only links course in the county, offering an authentic seaside golf experience no more than 15 minutes from Chichester city centre.
• Designer: FG Hawtree and J H Taylor remodeled the course in 1926
• Type of Golf: Links, with sandy soil, natural dunes, and challenging winds.
• Signature Hole: The 8th for me is the standout par-3 on the course. It’s nicely bunkered and has the most wonderful green complex with a multitude of fascinating pin locations.
• Guest Green Fee: £65 during the week, £75 on weekends.
• Website: Littlehampton Golf Club

 

7. Ham Manor Golf Club

• History: Established in 1926, Ham Manor is located within the grounds of a historic manor house, offering a picturesque parkland course with some coastal influences.
• Designer: Like Rowlands Castle, this was also designed by Harry Colt, one of golf’s most respected architects.
• Type of Golf: Parkland. The course features a mix of open fairways and tighter, tree-lined holes.
• Signature Hole: The 10th, the most challenging par 4 on the course. Out of bounds down the left, your drive needs to be down the right side of the fairway, and long enough to be past the copse so that you’re not left with a blind approach to the green.
• Guest Green Fee: £55 during the week, £65 on weekends.
• Website: Ham Manor Golf Club

 

8. Waterlooville Golf Club

• History: Waterlooville Golf Club has been around since 1907, it’s one of the most popular courses just on the other side of the West Sussex and Hampshire border.
• Designer: Sir Henry Cotton added his touch to the course in 1976, it’s known for its fairway bunkers and smooth greens.
• Type of Golf: Parkland. Expect tree-lined fairways and a good variety of holes.
• Signature Hole: The 16th, a 566-yard par 5 hole requiring a precise drive to carry a pond, a second shot over a stream, and an accurate approach to a small, shallow green.
• Guest Green Fee: £50 during the week, £60 on weekends.
• Website: Waterlooville Golf Club

 

9. Bognor Regis Golf Club

• History: Established in 1892, Bognor Regis Golf Club is a mature parkland course, offering a solid test with some coastal breezes.
• Designer: Like its neighbour Goodwood, James Braid originally designed the course, integrating natural features and a strategic layout.
• Type of Golf: Parkland. The course is relatively flat, with mature trees lining many of the fairways.
• Signature Hole: The 18th hole, a strong par 4 to finish that is lined by out of bounds down the right side and a downhill approach to a green that runs from back to front.
• Guest Green Fee: £50 during the week, £60 on weekends.
• Website: Bognor Regis Golf Club

 

10. Chichester Golf Club

• History: Chichester Golf Club offers two 18-hole courses, the Cathedral Course and the Tower Course, along with a 9-hole par-3 course and a FootGolf course. It’s a versatile destination for golfers and a great place to learn as a newbie.
• Type of Golf: Parkland. The courses feature wide fairways and large greens, providing a more forgiving layout compared to some of the more challenging courses in the area.
• Signature Hole: The 18th on the Cathedral Course is a memorable par-5, requiring a strong finish to avoid the water hazard near the green.
• Guest Green Fee: £36 during the week, £42 on the weekends
• Website: Chichester Golf Club

 

If you spread the net a little wider there are a number of incredible golf courses along the south coast, especially as you head past the New Forest towards courses like Broadstone and Parkstone.

With this area of the UK benefitting from some of the best weather conditions (or as good as it gets in the UK), most courses you’ll find will be in excellent condition year round.