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Golf Clubs in Sussex

For all you inspired golf lovers out there, we thought we would put together a selection of some of the best golf clubs Sussex has to offer.

In case you didn’t know already, both East and West Sussex provide some truly sublime golfing experiences, all of which are blessed with stunning views, great terrains and well-kept greens and club houses.

Read below and see for yourself. Where will you visit next?

Mannings Heath Golf & Wine Estate

Superbly located in 500 acres of rolling Sussex downland, Mannings Heath has two championship courses at the forefront of ‘must play’ golf hot spots in the UK.

The Waterfall Course - was established in 1905 and is the jewel in the crown of Sussex golf. Set amongst acres of mature deciduous woodland and streams with patchwork fairways.

The Kingfisher Course - Opened in 1996, the beautiful par 70 Kingfisher Course is set in an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ and offers breathtaking panoramic views over the treetops and across the South Downs.

Reviews:
“Great course, green difficult to read. Staff and members are very friendly. The 18th on Waterfall is one of the best I have played.”

“Lovely looking course, decent food, decent value, excellent staff especially Wendy and Annabel behind the bar.

Tel: 0871 873 3388
https://www.manningsheath.com/

Slinfold Golf & Country Club

The 18-hole main course is an attractive layout that challenges both the advanced single-figure handicap player as well as the golfing novice, with numerous strategically positioned bunkers and water features.

The 9-hole short course is the perfect warm-up prior to hitting the main course. With holes ranging from 60 yards up to 150 yards, it’s also great for honing the short game or simply to spend a fun hour with friends and family. This course is also available on a complimentary basis to Health Club members.

THEY EVEN HAVE A DRIVING RANGE TOO. GREAT FOR KIDS!

Reviews:
“Fantastic course, some challenging holes with a fair amount of water to negotiate. Very pretty surroundings.”

“Good course suited for all handicap levels. Not the longest of courses but the well-planned holes make it a challenging course.”

Tel: 01403 791154
https://www.slinfoldclub.co.uk/

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Rockwood Golf Centre

Owned by Horsham District Council and managed by The Country Club Group, this impressive Pay & Play facility offers an excellent 18-hole course and a 9-hole Pitch & Putt course as well as an attractive Golf Centre incorporating The Sussex Barn function venue. Located just off the A24 Horsham bypass, the course is found in a picturesque setting and has the benefit of being close to Horsham town center.  

Reviews:

“I've played here so many times now I feel like a member! Considering it’s not a members club this is very well maintained. Seems to improve every year.”  

“This course is in amazing condition, greens are kept tip top and has something for all types of golfers and courses in general in great condition and they are always making improvements all the time, especially as this is a Public Course.”  

Tel: 01403 252123

https://rookwoodgolf.co.uk/    

Willingdon  

Measuring 6,158 yards from the competition tees. golfers of all abilities face a stiff but fair challenge at Willingdon. At all times of the year players will find a perfectly manicured course with slick greens that are the envy of many other clubs. The unique layout of the course ensures that play can be commenced at either the 1st, 9th or 15th holes which are all conveniently located near to the clubhouse.  

Reviews:

“The greens were like glass, a real challenge putting. Probably in the best condition I have seen. Friendly clubhouse staff with excellent food prepared by Rachel.”  

“Good course in great condition, quite a hilly course with some challenging par 3's”  

Tel: 01323 410981

www.willingdongolfclub.co.uk/    

East Sussex National (East)  

Both their championship courses were designed by Robert E Cupp, one of Jack Nicklaus’s course architects. The East Course was specifically designed with championship golf in mind. Measuring 7138 yards from the gold tees, this is a formidable test of golf.    

Unlike the West, the East has two loops of nine holes bringing you back to the Clubhouse after each nine. The West Course was formerly known as ‘The Members Course’ and is often regarded as the more scenic of the two courses but is certainly tighter and more undulating. Surprisingly at 7154 yards it is slightly longer than the East.  

Reviews:

“Beautiful course green still needs time to recover from work being done. Short course off of the visitors tee at 6000 yards”  

“My first time here, wonderfully impressive visually. Good practice facilities and very friendly welcome from the staff and members. Course in fine condition, an interesting mixture of holes, nothing easy. The greens are quite small but offer perfect surfaces for putting. I'll definitely visit again.”  

Tel: 01825 880088

www.eastsussexnational.co.uk/    

Rye  

Rye is a private Club and has limited opportunity to welcome visitors without a Member’s introduction. All play is in two ball formats with foursomes preferred in the morning. No three or four ball golf is played.  

Reviews:

“Very challenging round of Golf. The fairways are firm, the greens run well and in general a nice way to continue to challenge your game. The facilities are great, and the overall experience is really pleasant.”  

“One of the best, amazing condition, great views, great practice facilities and really tough, not many pat 68 courses measure 6300 yards and since it's a links with serious wind it plays a lot longer than that. Definitely worth making a visit down to Rye.”  

Tel: 01797 225241

www.ryegolfclub.co.uk/    

Worthing (Lower)  

Worthing Lower (Championship) Course is the most interesting of all the Downland Links courses and the best test of golf. The course is excellent, especially around the magnificent series of holes coming before the turn in a picturesque valley known as Deep Bottom that rises towards Cissbury Ring, the site of an old Roman Fort.  

Reviews:

“Played the Lower course with a Member and had a fantastic game. The course was in excellent condition for February with great greens and no waterlogged fairways etc.   A great clubhouse with attentive and friendly staff. The food was also excellent!”

“Very good course in Sussex countryside, very friendly members in bar”  

Tel: 01903 260801

https://www.worthinggolf.com/    

Sedlescombe  

Two golf courses, seven putting greens and a floodlit driving range coupled with a boutique hotel restaurant and bar offer golfers and starters the perfect opportunity to play and relax in this beautiful part of East Sussex.  

Reviews:

“We play the course at once or twice a week at 7am and always enjoy the round. The course is very well maintained and set in beautiful parkland surroundings. Each hole has its own set of challenges and since we started playing in March, we have both felt the benefit of playing regularly as our scores have improved. Overall, I would rate the course as excellent and recommend it 100%. After our round we relax in the bar.”  

“Great course really well kept and as someone who is new to golf this is my favorite course yet. Quiet and peaceful to play, a narrowish back 9 but that made it interesting. Nice big club, good pro shop and lots of practice facilities. “    

Tel: 01424 871700

http://sedlescombegolfclub.co.uk/    

Royal Ashdown Forest (Old)  

Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club has two great courses to enjoy and it is not just the locals 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.  

Reviews:

“Lovely short course. Tricky holes and different each one. Greens are a good pace and not "damp" but enough to leave craters when hitting from high. Not a lot of run but what do you expect at this time of year. Overall well worth a visit....especially with the offer of 18 holes plus food for ?5 less than the Green Fee!!!”  

“Very old school with bags of charm. Great clubhouse and a warm welcome. Course is a good challenge and plenty of undulations to make it a good exercise too!”  

Tel: 01342 822018

https://www.royalashdown.co.uk/    

Ham Manor  

The course dates back to 1936 when Henry Cotton, Jimmy Adams, R.A.Whitcombe and Alfred Padgham played a superb exhibition match to mark the official opening. When the golf course designers moved on to the site in 1936, they found a wealth of natural features despite the basic flatness of the area. There are two or three small but significant changes in level and some marvelous sweeping contours in the terrain as it moves from open countryside through trees, bushes and shrubs.    

Reviews:

“A stunning golf course which I was lucky enough to get on thanks to a friend who is a member here.”  

“Captain Charity match course very much improved from last year. Quick greens. I would recommend a game at Ham Manor.”  

Tel: 01903 783288

www.hammanor.co.uk/    

Cooden Beach  

The Club opened for play on 14 June 1912 and was designed by W. Herbert Fowler. Cooden Beach was once described by James Braid, five-times winner of the British Open, as 'a good sporting course'. It is a good test of golf for players of all abilities, combining the fun of links-style golf with constantly changing battles with the wind blowing in from Beachy Head.    

Reviews:

“I played Cooden Beach on a warm late October day - it was 18 degrees & sunny. Course was in very good order - tee boxes, putting green, fairways, green aprons all well-groomed. Flew round in under 3 hours, enjoyed the course and its challenge. Lots of trouble (ditches/water) if you put the ball in the wrong place. Staff were very accommodating. My only criticism would be the pace of the greens - they were far too slow. Otherwise I would be happy to play here again.”  

“Visit to Cooden Beach was a great experience. Course in very good condition considering the recent snow and bad weather. Greens looking in great shape. Really testing course and some great views on the East Sussex countryside. Comfortable clubhouse but disappointed with not being able to even get a sandwich from a closed kitchen after 18 holes.”  

Tel: 01424 842040

www.coodenbeachgc.com/      

We hope you find these tips helpful. As always, please feel free to contact us with any questions regarding the sale of your property, local knowledge or home improvement needs.

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