The golf
Par 70, 6,325 yards
Cowdray’s lovely downland layout enjoyed a seven-figure investment in 2023/24, with the upgrade work overseen by William Swan of Swan Golf Designs. It ranks among the best courses in Sussex and is located less than 20 minutes from what many consider the finest course in the county at West Sussex Golf Club in Pulborough, one of just two Sussex courses in the Golf Monthly UK&I Top 100 along with Rye Golf Club.
The most notable element of the upgrade project has been the bunkering, with all bunkers reconstructed and reshaped to create bold new visuals that enhance both aesthetics and strategy. The project has also seen the recreation of the long-lost double green shared between the 7th and 14th holes.
The bunkering has formed a major part of the renovation project as seen here around the 18th green
(Image credit: James Hogg)
The opening quartet at Cowdray demands your ‘A’ game from the off, with the tough, dogleg-left, uphill par-4 4th also requiring a long drive up the right for a good look at the green. The back nine starts with another challenging par 4 to a steep-fronted green before a tiddler of a par 3 that’s supremely well-protected by sand. The other shared green on the 8th/16th is a rollercoaster affair that will test your putting skills to the full should you find the wrong quadrant. The five-hole par-3 course by the entrance is a great place to hone your wedge play.
The 9th green with the double green on the 8th/16th in the background
(Image credit: James Hogg)
The accommodation
The Golf Lodge is the handiest accommodation option for golfers. It’s the former clubhouse, which was converted into four ensuite double rooms and two suites when the new clubhouse was built. The separate ‘Bothy’ close by serves as a romantic getaway with its roll-top bath and lovely views over Cowdray Park.
There are six rooms/suites in the Golf Lodge, which used to be the Cowdray clubhouse
(Image credit: Cowdray)
The Lodge can sleep 16 across its seven rooms, with breakfast in the clubhouse included in every stay. You can stay in other luxury cottages and houses on the Cowdray Estate, too, or even Cowdray House itself, with its 22 bedrooms and indoor and outdoor pools, if you’re looking for that exclusive-use, houseparty-style visit.
Challens Yard, with its outdoor hot-tub, is one of several other luxury properties you can stay in at Cowdray
(Image credit: Cowdray)
Best deal
At the time of publication in December 2024, a one-night,…
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