Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club

• Contact
• Visitors

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

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Golf Club Facilities

  Range

  Club Hire

  Buggy Hire

  Golf Shop

  Changing

  Clubhouse

  Bar

  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

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

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

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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Stuart B rated 1 out of 5

Reviewed Aug 9 2021

Could be good but...

Promised so much but course did not cope well with the rain. Greens were mainly awful, very patchy and difficult to putt on. Such a shame. Clubhouse staff were very good though. Would like to play again but would need assurances about the condition of the course.

(Round played: Jul 2021 - Score: 102 Handicap: 27.2)

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Derek L rated 3 out of 5

Reviewed Jul 25 2021

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Alex, Oxford rated 1 out of 5

Reviewed Jun 24 2021

Bad condition

Played the west course in an open tournament, it's an absolute dog track. Both greens and fairways lacked any kind of grass cover, was a lottery if you hot the fairway whether you would get a good lie or a scabby one. Pick and place within in 6 inches is irrelevant if there's nowhere good to place within that radius!

Same condition as most munis, wouldn't pay more than £15.

However will say nice clubhouse and staff.

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Richard G/Surrey rated 4 out of 5

Reviewed Mar 24 2021

Worth a visit

We played the Old course on the last day before lockdown 2.0 in early November. It was our first visit and I will definitely be back one day, hopefully to play the West course as well. We had a friendly welcome and despite lots of rain in previous weeks, we were blessed with fabulous weather, adding to the already stunning scenery. The course itself held up very well in the wet conditions; only on two holes was it actually an issue and then only minor really, so a good off season option as many courses were waterlogged that week. Definitely glad there was no wind on the day though, that would've really increased the test. Some of the holes were pretty straightforward but enough interest with hills, heather and trees. Will be a fairly challenging walk for some. Would recommend.

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Graeme W rated 4 out of 5

Reviewed Sep 6 2020

Short, but tricky

Although a short course, there are many challenging holes requiring good shot placement.

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Steve B rated 4 out of 5

Reviewed Jul 31 2020

lovely challenging course

tough course long carries and greens interesting. great course would love to play again to make the most of it!

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Russell H rated 5 out of 5

Reviewed Jul 5 2020

Fabulous old course without any bunkers but plenty of heather and varied terrain.

Simply stunning views and plenty of challenging holes. Don't be put off by the Royal - very welcoming indeed and if you play the West as well its one of the best 36 holes anywhere.

(Round played: Mar 2020 - Score: 93 Handicap: 16)

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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