Royal Ashdown Forest
Royal Ashdown Forest has played since 1888 across the heather and bracken of the Sussex high weald, and in over a century it has never had a single bunker. The Old Course is a par 72 heathland test of about 6,537 yards where humps, hollows and streams do all the defending, half an hour south of London.
Photo: Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Founded in 1888, Royal Ashdown Forest is one of England's oldest and most distinctive clubs, set in the protected forest that inspired the Hundred Acre Wood of Winnie the Pooh. By the rules of the forest conservators no sand may be dug, so the Old Course has no bunkers at all, and yet it remains a genuine test of heathland golf.
The defenses are entirely natural, heather, gorse, steep falls of ground and the streams that cross the course. The Old Course is a par 72 of about 6,537 yards that rewards position and punishes the wayward without a grain of sand, a fascinating counterpoint to the bunkered heathland of nearby Surrey. Visitors are welcome and it makes an unusual and rewarding addition to a southern England golf trip.
Royal Ashdown Forest at a glance
- Opened
- 1888
- Designer
- Original 1888 layout
- Type
- Heathland, no bunkers
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,537 yds
- Green fee
- About £75 to £120
Opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club and leading course databases. The club was founded in 1888 and the Old Course is a par 72 of about 6,537 yards with no bunkers, the forest conservators forbidding the digging of sand. Visitor green fees on the Old Course were about £75 to £120 per round (indicative, 2026); rates change by season, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Old Course plays through open heathland with wide views across the weald, and the absence of bunkers changes the way you think. The trouble is the ground itself, the heather and bracken off the fairway, the streams that must be carried and the steep slopes that gather a slightly errant shot and feed it away from the target.
The short holes are excellent and the par 4s use the contours cleverly, asking for position off the tee to open the angle in. The famous Island hole, played across a stream to a green ringed by trouble, shows how much defense a designer can find without a single grain of sand.
It is golf from another age, walked on springy heathland turf with skylarks overhead, and the no sand conceit never feels like a gimmick. For the architecture minded golfer it is one of the most thought provoking rounds in the south of England.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Visitors welcome most days by arrangement; 36 hole members club |
| Green fee | About £75 to £120 per round on the Old Course (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Book through the golf club in advance; check for competition days |
| On the day | Walking heathland; trolleys available; smart casual dress |
| Getting there | Forest Row in East Sussex, about an hour south of central London |
| Best months | April to October, with the heather in colour in late summer |
Access and fees verified June 2026; rates and visitor access change by season, so always confirm directly with the golf club before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Most visiting golfers base themselves around Forest Row, East Grinstead or the wider Ashdown Forest, a leafy corner of the weald with country hotels and inns within easy reach of the course. A base here keeps you close to the golf and to the wider heathland of the south.
For a golf focused trip, pair Royal Ashdown Forest with the great Surrey heathland courses a short drive north. It is an ideal region to build a classic English heathland tour around.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Royal Ashdown Forest.
Build a Sussex golf trip
We book the tee times, pair Royal Ashdown Forest with the great Surrey and Sussex heathland and arrange the lodging around the golf. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Royal Ashdown Forest questions
When did Royal Ashdown Forest open?
Royal Ashdown Forest was founded in 1888 and is one of the oldest golf clubs in England, set in the Ashdown Forest of East Sussex.
Why does Royal Ashdown Forest have no bunkers?
The rules of the Ashdown Forest conservators forbid digging sand, so the Old Course has never had a single bunker; heather, streams and slopes provide the defense instead.
What is the par and length of the Old Course?
The Old Course is a par 72 of about 6,537 yards of natural heathland.
Can visitors play Royal Ashdown Forest?
Yes. Visitors are welcome most days by arrangement; book through the golf club in advance and check for competition days.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.