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Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club

4.9   Golfshake Golf Course Rating 142 reviews | Post Review | Website
Price Guide: £££££ | HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Course Information

Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club, East Sussex is a 36 hole Club with the 18 hole, par 72 (6537 yard) Old Course and 18 hole, par 68 (5606 yard) West course. A private, heathland golf course.

36 holes | Par Old Course 72; West Course 68 | Old Course 6537; West Course 5606 yards | Private | Heathland


View more golf courses in East Sussex

Address: Off Chapel Lane, Forest Row, East Sussex, RH18 5LR United Kingdom

Tel: 01342 822018

Golf Pro: Tim Cowley | Tel: 01342 822018

Website: http://www.royalashdown.co.uk


Golf Club Facilities

Driving range  Range
Golf club hire  Club Hire
Buggy Hire  Buggy Hire
Golf shop  Golf Shop
Changing rooms  Changing
Clubhouse  Clubhouse
Bar  Bar
Food  Dining

Old Course Dress Code

The dress code on the Old Course is that of any traditional golf club. While golfing attire is allowed in the Spike Bar, gentlemen normally wear a jacket and tie in the Dining Room.

Shirts must be tucked in at all times

Midweek Guide: £120.00 per round Old Course, £35 per round West Course *

Weekend Guide: £120.00 per round Old Course, £40 per round West Course *

  • Societies Accepted to Play
  • Society Deals Available
  • Voucher Deals Available
  • 7 Day Membership Available

* Any prices shown are guide prices, please confirm with the course prior to booking.

Tee Time Information

Midweek Guide: £120.00 per round Old Course, £35 per round West Course *

Weekend Guide: £120.00 per round Old Course, £40 per round West Course *

* Any prices shown are guide prices, please confirm with the course prior to booking.


Review Information


GOLFSHAKE RATING

4.87

Golfshake Golf Course Rating

 

AVERAGE RATING 3.9
(based on 142 reviews)

5 star
44
4 star
61
3 star
28
2 star
3
1 star
6
 

HIGHLY RATED

97%

would play again or recommend


4

The Course

3.7

Course Conditions

3.8

Value For Money

4.2

Pace of Play

3.8

Facilities & Service

4.4

Hospitality

3.8

Practice Facilities

4.2

Food & Drink

What the club says: Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club has two great courses to enjoy and it is not just us that thinks so. Golf World magazine assembled a panel of experts to decide the top 100 courses in England and, given that there are over 2,000 of them, that is no easy task.

The panel voted the Old Course #42 in the country and included our West Course in the next best 100 saying of it, "Like its sister a superb moorland-heathland with no bunkers. Some really excellent holes and, for some on the panel, should join its sister in the main list.”

Set in the heart of the Ashdown Forest, one of the things that golf lovers most appreciate about playing here is that so little has changed over the club’s 125 year history. Heather, humps, hollows, pools and streams remain nature’s defence against shooting a low score.

Situated approximately 30 miles (48 km) south of London in East Sussex, there are only four other courses in East and West Sussex that make Golf World's top 100 and none, apart from Royal Ashdown, that can boast two in the top 200 courses in England.

This beautiful golf club was founded in 1888, and within a year had opened a designated ladies’ course set in mature heathland. Today both award winning courses are available to play in the same day. Without question this is the best 36-hole golf club in Sussex — and not a sand bunker in sight!

Whereas the Old Course remains very much a classic heathland layout the West Course snakes its way through the heart of the Ashdown Forest, that spreads for over 20 square miles in this most beautiful part of Sussex, and has been named the best course under 6,000 yards in the UK by Golf World magazine.

What about after golf?

Each course has its own area of the clubhouse: The Old Course clubhouse may look somewhat austere perched half way up its hill but is a great place of fun. The West Course extension opened in 2004, with all the modern facilities, seating for up to 60 people and is open year-round.

Society Day on your calendar?

Let us help. In fact, let us take care of every last detail.

The quality of the courses, the reputation of the dining rooms and the friendly ambience of the Club make this a favourite venue for Old Boys' matches, society days, charity days, and corporate events.

Here at Royal Ashdown we especially welcome enquiries from event organisers seeking a venue that can provide two 18-hole courses for golfers to play in one day.

We’d love to host your foursome, your group or any occasion you see fit to spend the day on one of the finest tracts of golf in the British Isles. And one last things, the old temporary tee boxes on the West are all being upgraded, with completion due this year. So come next Winter they will all be in top condition.

Played this course? Tell us what you thought. Submit Review


Top 100 Golf CoursesHighly RecommendedHighly Recommended 2019Highly Recommended 2020

Reviews for Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club

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The golf courses reviews are the personal opinions of members of Golfshake who completed a review after playing the course. These opinions do not necessarily represent the views of Golfshake.com

50x50
Dave P, Crawley rated 2 out of 5

Reviewed Mar 25 2024

Quirky

Played the west course after there had been a lot of rain over last few weeks. All mats , these were ok and playable. balls were plugging in fairways but pick and place was taken. Most of the fairways were just about OK but in some run off areas it was very boggy. Unfortunately the green were Very wet and heavily sanded making then a real lottery. Some nice holes along the way and a few so so. Would like to play when conditions are good but wont be coming back in similar conditions. PS good welcome in clubhouse and bar.

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50x50
Ralph P rated 4.5 out of 5

Reviewed Mar 23 2024

First time round here on a charity day. Excellent course if a little damp at present due to incessant recent rain. Bit boggy in the lower areas but otherwise perfectly playable. Struggled to get the pace of the greens but they were receptive. Hospitality from the club was excellent in all respects as was the food both before and after the round. Will head back in summer to play when dryer as the layout and views from certain areas are brilliant.

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Marek L rated 3 out of 5

Reviewed Jan 20 2024

Windy 9 of first 12 holes, striaiht into it. However Par 3 11th 3wood to Pin high! Couldn't hit anything off tee and approach shots were not much better. Chipping ok and putting average. Course having a lot of drains put in but does not affect the play. Greens were hard due to frost. No bunkers so no issues there and all tees were from the winter astroturf

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Marek L rated 3.5 out of 5

Reviewed Oct 14 2023

Improving with new drainage system

rough was lush and wet. But, fairways were generous. Some signs of issues on greens but didnt affect the game. Plenty of signs to show drainage is improving with some exposed ditches in play and plaenty of sanded tracks. However none affected the play at all. How this slope index is so low, I have no idea. Should be at least in the 120's!!

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Nigel R rated 4 out of 5

Reviewed Jul 14 2023

Challenge

Nice and flat but lots of bracken as can be expected. Friendly course well worth a visit

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Marek L rated 4.5 out of 5

Reviewed Jun 5 2023

Short but demanding

No bunkers but plenty of gorse and run off areas. Plenty of hidden valleys and ditches. Greens were fast and some growth meant a little bumpy on certain greens. How this is only 110 course slope off the Yellows can anly be because of distance. It is a much tougher course than the Course index indicates.

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Nikki L rated 4 out of 5

Reviewed May 25 2023

Trip down memory lane

Haven't played the West course at Royal Ashdown for 13 years but was so pleased to find it exactly how I remembered.Really slick greens with plenty of subtle run offs.Loads of gorse to punish stray shots as well as the rough being up due to the wet weather and sunshine we've been experiencing.Pro shop is well stocked and the pro there was really friendly.
Definitely won't be leaving it so long next time.

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Mark W rated 3.5 out of 5

Reviewed May 27 2022

Tight and challenging course

Course was in great condition, greens fast, rough knee length in places so needed to keep it tight and on the fairways, but a really enjoyable game! Need boards on the tees though showing hole layout, length, stroke index etc., as the marker stones were extremely difficult to find and overgrown in places.

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Matthew B rated 2.5 out of 5

Reviewed Apr 27 2022

Great course fairways were a bit divot ridden and some dead patches greens were hit and miss some had dead patches some were slow some were lightning quick hard to stay consistent

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John R rated 4 out of 5

Reviewed Apr 14 2022

Easy to find and and sufficient parking. Club house is being renovated at the moment but facilities are good. Food and staff were excellent. I played the Old Course which is tough. For high handicappers and short drivers the challenge is hard because of loads of heather and in some cases narrow fairways. The greens were also very fast. It is an undulating course and in generally very good condition. Nobody said golf was easy but this course is challenging.

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Bill B rated 3 out of 5

Reviewed Mar 15 2022

Good Course, unfortunately played after heavy rain.

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Andy T rated 4 out of 5

Reviewed Jan 26 2022

Memory Lane - Lovely Course

This course is very dear to me in terms of sentimental value as my family had been head greenkeepers there for over 60 years but strangely since I've been playing it's only my second time playing. A natural course (no bunkers) is both challenging and unforgiving in places. It is reasonably short but you have to get your numbers right. The greens and fairways were in reasonable order. We were there as part of a group of 12 so a deal was struck. The hospitality was excellent and very friendly and I was able to re-capture so old times as well. Highly recommended and next time I would dearly love to play the old course,

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A Golfer rated 4 out of 5

Reviewed Jan 6 2022

Immaculate greens

Steeped in history, lovely course very well laid out and immaculate greens.

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Danny S rated 5 out of 5

Reviewed Sep 6 2021

(Round played: Jul 2021 - Score: 98 Handicap: 16.3)

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Andrew S rated 1 out of 5

Reviewed Aug 9 2021

Royal Ashdown West Course

What a shocker! Probably the worst condition golf course I’ve ever played in 35 years of playing the game.
Such a poor reflection on the Club and the Royal Ashdown Old course.

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The golf courses reviews are the personal opinions of members of Golfshake who completed a review after playing the course. These opinions do not necessarily represent the views of Golfshake.com





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