Corhampton Golf Club
In 1988 members took the important decision to buy more land so that the course could be reshaped and extended to measure approximately 6500 yards. The course would have two loops of nine holes, with a large practice area and an extended car park. The new holes were to be numbered 12, 13, 14 and 15, leaving the celebrated 16th “valley” hole -one of the outstanding holes in Hampshire – unchanged.
“New” Holes 12th to 15th
First Used 1992
Sid Griffiths – captain, 1984
This is part of the transcription of a conversation Sid had with Graham Lawrence on 16 December 2005.
I used to own part of Preshaw Farm on the Preshaw estate. Austin Molden, who was a tenant on the farm, had sown the crops. Unfortunately he died before the crops could be harvested and Peter Rowsell had the rights to enter my farm and take away the crops. A few years later Gerald Horn and Peter Rowsell bought Hazleholt Farm which is where the new holes now are. Gerald Horn’s sons used to cut the hedges around my riding school at Soberton. I spoke to Peter Rowsell and asked him if he would sell the land to the club. He said he would sell it at the price he had bought it – £105,000. I introduced Peter to Gordon Jackson and the deal went through. Peter allowed cars to be parked on his land across the road from the club house during centenary week. The club later bought the land to the east of the new holes from Mr Chappell to protect its boundary.
If you look to the left of the fifteenth tee behind the hedge there is a magnificent house. It was owned by a gentleman. I asked him if we could use his drive to get to the new holes so that we did not need to drive over the existing part of the course with all the construction equipment, lorries, machinery, materials etc.. He agreed on condition that we gave him half an acre back in the corner and planted some trees The only disruption to the old course during the creation of the new holes was a small trench for the sprinklers to the new holes.
12th Hole being formed viewed from the tee looking South. Photo by Mike Goodall 1990
14th Hole being formed viewed from the tee looking West. Photo by Mike Goodall 1990
15th Hole being formed viewed from the fairway looking East. Photo by Mike Goodall 1990
