Dale Hill Hotel & Golf Club

Course Type
Parkland
Designer
TBC
Par
Old Course 69; Woosnam 71 
Slope
0
Rating
4.0
Golf Professional
TBC
Green Fees
Reviews
17

Course Information

ADDRESS:
Ticehurst, Wadhurst, East Sussex, TN57DQ, United Kingdom
WHAT/THREE/WORDS:
Unknown
TELEPHONE:
01580 201249
DESCRIPTION:

Dale Hill Hotel & Golf Club, located in the rolling hills of East Sussex, offers two stunning 18-hole courses: the Ian Woosnam-designed Championship Course (par 72) and the Dale Hill Old Course (par 69). Established in 1973, the club spans over 350 acres of parkland, featuring sweeping fairways, mature woodlands, and panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The Championship Course is renowned for its strategic bunkering and elevation changes, particularly the signature par-5 16th, where a long drive is required to navigate the undulating fairway.

Dale Hill is conveniently located near the A21 and offers easy access to nearby attractions such as the historic town of Battle and the scenic Ashdown Forest.

The on-site hotel offers luxury accommodations, making it a popular destination for golf breaks and holidays.

Courses Rating

Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value
Overall Course Rating
3.3 / 5

Share your thoughts and opinions on your visit to this club and help other golfers who may be considering playing here!

These reviews represent the personal view of the individual and are not those of The Social Golfer.

Location / Map

Dale Hill Hotel & Golf Club map and location.

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Course Scorecards

Course Tee Holes Par Rating Slope
Dale Hill - Woosnam Yellow 18 71 70.4 131
Dale Hill - Old Course Yellow 18 69 66.9 117
Dale Hill - Old Course Red 18 70 71.9 130
Dale Hill - Old Course White 18 69 72.8 138
Dale Hill - Woosnam Red 18 71 71.9 130
Dale Hill - Woosnam White 18 71 72.8 138

Regulars At This Course

Sara Gladstone
36.0
Trevor Piper
28.0
Roger Akerman
12.9
Neil Reeves
36.0
john calleja
17.5
Jack Ramsay
20.0

Golf Club Reviews

'JB' John Barber
16.1
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Resort course

OK, I've glanced through the comments previously posted to get a flavour of what it SHOULD be. Now let's tell it how it was -

April 2023, neither course should be open. The Old Course was like a swamp, that said, it is an interesting course and is probably as quoted by others worth the play. The Woosnam, just 24 hours later had improved, but was still exceptionally boggy. Buggies were not permitted on the Old, but were on the Woosnam (needed for the longer walk, but could only be used on the paths (when will other clubs learn this and put paths in?)

Due to the conditions, the green staff are not cutting any of the grass as you would hope to expect - if they did, I'm sure there would be a tow truck forever there pulling them out. Some of the greens on the Old were that bad as to 'ripple' when the club head was dropped a few inches on to them. The majority of the bunkers were GUR on both courses, but those that were not had (mostly) grainy sand, which was a pleasure to play out of. Thankfully as a group, we played pick and place everywhere (except hazards) else we would have been hitting true mud balls all weekend. Greens on the Old were akin to playing 'Velcro golf', whereas the Woosnam were most definitely built to a better spec and were more enjoyable to play on.

If you want individual hole critic, read Michael Hanley's review, what I will say, that the courses, though in appalling condition are ones that I would like to play again, but never in the state they are at present.

A word on the hotel - rooms are good, food is good and prices are quite reasonable. What I find astonishing is that due to our first time of 9am on day 2, a couple of us breakfasted, then settled the bill, checked out loaded the buggy and thought we'd go back in for a coffee. The bars are all closed at this time, and the only thing open is the pro shop with the usual cold drinks. So off we go to the restaurant to get a coffee to be greeted by 'well once you leave the restaurant, there is not coming back in' - well, I'm not expecting a sit down second breakfast just a cup of coffee.... the server did in fact get a jug of coffee, but was not happy about it! A little staff training might be helpful here, I think!

Overall, impressions of the two-day break were that if the weather had been good to us over the past couple of weeks, it would have been very good, but because the course should really have been closed, it needs down grading quite a lot. Hope they learn a little from the probable negative reactions.
Date Tuesday, 18, April 2023
TSG
36.0
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Very enjoyable course

Beautifully maintained course, quickish greens, bunkers with sands, peaceful setting. Food and drink before and after very nice and reasonably priced. All staff polite and welcoming. If my golf had been better it would have been a perfect round!
Date Sunday, 29, May 2022
Lee Kyprian
23.3
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Good golf course, worth a visit

Like many clubs in April still work being done but overall in good nick. Great views and interesting holes, I liked it and will be playing there again.
Date Wednesday, 27, April 2022
Michael Hanley
18.7
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Dale Hill _Old Course : A beautiful parkland course!

Dale Hill Golf Club (& Hotel), is located in Ticehurst, Sussex!

There are two 18 hole courses, ie

(1) the Old Course, often referred to as the members course, &

(2) the Woosnam, a longer tougher course designed by Ian Woosnam and named in his honour!

*****
I played the Old Course in early October 2019 in a 4BBB Seniors Team Open competition, best 2 of 4 scores counted on each hole!

The weather was bright and moderately windy! The course was very playable after yesterday's substantial rain but would not have been if it hadn't stopped raining overnight!

The event was originally intended to be staged on the Woosnam course but was switched (some weeks ago) to the Old Course because of damage caused by leatherjackets!

Personally, having played the Woosnam course a few times before, and finding a new and different type of style, I was very pleased with the switch to play the Old Course for the first time!

(Club management announced that the damage to the Woosnam course has now substantially been rectified!)


*****
Summer weekday visitors green fees are £various, ie £45 list, £35 peak, £22.50 County Card, £20 Members Guest, £25 Twilight, etc!

My competition entry fee of £40, included coffee and bacon roll, 18 holes, a two course post match meal, coffee and prizes! A great vfm package!

The buggy hire was £30, ie £15 each! There is a £20 special rate for the two competitions held on the Woosnam course in 2020 if pre-booked!

*****
The Old Course
The course occupies a former dairy farm, opened in 1973!

The original layout of the course was modified in 1995 - 1997, ie new 9th and 17th holes, to accommodate the construction of the Woosnam course!

*****
It is a par 69, 5,856 yards off the white tees, 5,512 yards off the yellow tees and a par 70 off the ladies red tees!

The SSSs are 68, 66 and 70 respectively!

The par 69 comprises 5 par 3s, 11 par 4s and 2 par 5s!

The course is an undulating walk in places, some significant uphill slopes! I had the help of a buggy which means I can't make a proper assessment of it as a walking course!


*****
The greens are small to moderate in size, undulating and multi tiered, are receptive after recent rain, are beautifully maintained! They are not as fast as Cherry Lodge, putts need striking rather than caressing!

Three of the greens on the back 9 have no bunkers!


*****
The 5 par 3s are a very interesting mix of holes!

The 9th and 17th are moderate length 140ish yarders, the 9th is 141 yards (index 18) uphill tee shot carry over a front left deep bunker to a large green! Avoiding also 2 right hand bunkers!

The 17th is a tricky 144 yards (index 17) tee shot over 2 ponds halfway, to a small green with a pot bunker front right!

The 2nd is a 216 yards (index 8) downhill left to right, bunkers front left and right! Par is great, bogey is good!

The 7th is a 202 yards (index 14) downhill left to right, large bunker short left, with a large pond wide right! Par is OK!

The 15th is a 177 yards (index 11) tee shot across a tree lined ravine to a high level tiered green, bunker short front right! The most daunting looking par 3 tee shot!

The very difficult 2nd and 7th holes could be 'easier' for a natural controlled drawer of the ball!


*****
The 11 par 4s are a very wide variety of challenging holes! Only 4 are on the front 9!

The course opens with a 338 yards, index 10, 'dive bomb' tee shot down to a sharp left to right dogleg, trouble down the right, with a double fairway target option either side of a row of trees!

The 3rd is a short 297 yards, index 16, with an uphill approach to a 2 tiered green, bunkers front right and left!

The 5th is a tough 393 yards, index 2, uphill left to right dogleg to a raised green, pot bunkers front right and left!

The 6th is a 380 yards, index 6, downhill tee shot, a fairway bunker left, and an approach over a roadway and ditch, to a large tiered green, with a front right bunker to carry!

The back 9 opens with 5 consecutive par 4s, holes 10 to 14!

The 10th is a short 301 yards, index 15, slightly uphill, with an approach over a pond to an unbunkered green!

The 11th is a 365 yards index 7, right to left dogleg, with a blind tee shot along a tree line on the left, with a downhill approach to a green with bunkers front right and left!

The 12th is a long 445 yards, index 5, downhill right to left dogleg to a green with bunkers front right and left! This is a genuine bogey hole for most club golfers! Longer hitters may seek to shorten the hole by cutting the corner of the dogleg!

The 13th is 349 yards index 13, tee shot to a tree lined ridge, leading to a short downhill approach to a bunkerless green! Right or left leaves a blockout!

The 14th is 376 yards, index 1, (our first hole in a shotgun start), a tee shot carry over a ravine, to an upsloping dogleg fairway, heavily tree lined along the right to the dogleg! An uphill approach to a tiered green, pot bunker front right! A truly tough index 1 hole! A bogey would have been a great score!

The 16th at 390 yards index 3, is an uphill right to left dogleg, about a 200 yards carry to clear the corner, and a long approach to the bunkerless green! A bogey is very good!

The 18th, a short 331 yards, index 9, a right to left dogleg, with a tight left line carry over 3 closely grouped left side fairway pot bunkers! A drive centre right should lead to a par or birdie opportunity!

*****
The two par 5s are on the front 9! Both are dogleg holes but one is infinitely more of a challenge!

Firstly, the 4th, 471 yards, index 12, is an inviting scenic downhill tee shot to a significant dogleg left of a copse of tall trees, to a moderately sized green protected by a large bunker front left! Reachable in regulation with a good drive and layup!

Secondly, and the more difficult, the 8th, 540 yards, index 4, a significantly uphill right to left dogleg, with the most challenging tee shot on the course, with a 200 yards carry to the corner of the dogleg, against a fairway sloping right to left towards trees or the rough! OOB right is all the length of the tee shot! I almost went OOB, blocked myself out, a couple of poor ball-strikes and a missed hole-able putt ended in a blob 8! My worst hole of the round! Even after the blocked out drive a bogey 6 was possible!


The Round
Our team score was only 71 points, way off the top three prize winners!

It was a shotgun start, we started at the index 1 14th hole!

Individually I got a gross 85, +16 (8 pars, 5 bogeys, 4 double bogeys, and a triple bogey), +3 above handicap; 33pts! 2 blobs!

My total putts was 33, (ie 5 singles, 11 doubles and 2 triples)! Very good but could have been a couple better!

Customer Service
The club members and officers organising the competition were excellent hosts!

The post match 2 course meal was excellent!




Date Thursday, 03, October 2019
Ian Smith
13.2
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Dale Hill

Played here yesterday, the pro shop staff were really friendly. My playing partner was slightly delayed but it wasn't a problem. Was told to tee off any time we were ready.
A couple of the greens had slight water damage but they were still quick.
The course is very picturesque, the rough was tough as it was still wet from the heavy
rain the night before.
I would play here again for sure.
Date Monday, 14, May 2018
Nev Smith
23.2
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Great views

Woosnam Course - This is probably a review I should have saved until having played it in better conditions, because this was as wet a course as I've played for some time. Which is a shame, because there was lots to be positive about once you looked past the condition of the course.

The 1st hole on the Woosnam course is 581 yards from the yellows, so certainly not a hole that warms you up gently. In summer I imagine it would play a lot shorter than that, but hey, this is March and we've had a lot of rain.

After the first 4 holes I was wondering whether it was worth my 80 minute drive to get here, but I think the holes get a bit more interesting after that. The dog leg 6th is where the views of the surrounding hills opens up, and it was probably my favourite hole too. Find the fairway, and you get a view of the green down and left. The 9th is a great risk and reward hole, where the hole dog legs right over a ravine. The ideal tee shot will go down the RH side of the fairway, which is also where all of the trouble is if you miss. The 10th is probably the pick of a number of lovely par 3's.

The downside to all of this was the course conditions. Everywhere was wet underfoot, and even on the tees it was hard to find somewhere to tee the ball where you didn't feel your feet sinking into the turf. The bunkers were frequently under water, and those that weren't had almost no sand underneath the ball. The greens were in need of a cut, but clearly the weather had made sure that that couldn't happen.

Mostly the fairways were generous, and I think that it's a course that players of any ability could enjoy. That said, I don't think that there were too many holes which could be described as easy.

If you have issues with climbs then you probably want to consider getting a buggy, because this course will test your calf muscles.

I think I want to say that this is a good course that I played on a bad day, and I certainly wouldn't say no to giving it another go once the warmer weather got here.
Date Tuesday, 13, March 2018
Steve Duffy
20.4
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Great holes, fine course

Woosnam course, looks like it may have struggled with the winter. The ground was very bobbly, always some clumps of mud behind your ball. Otherwise, jolly lovely! A good range of holes, so no boredom and always a new challenge. Greens are as hard as you want to make them. A good read and all is well but easy to be punished for being lackadaisical.

All round, good fun.
Date Monday, 27, March 2017
Bill Nowell
22.1
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Old course

I think the old course is a better round than the woosnam !
Date Sunday, 24, July 2016
TSG
36.0
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Two Great Courses

I have played both the old course and the Woosnam.Both are in top condition and great value if you manage to get a deal, of which there are some at this time of year. Whilst the Woosnam is more challenging, most people, myself included prefer the old course. The club house is one of the best and the staff are the friendliest I have met anywhere. Play the Woosnam for the test and the Old for the pleasure but play them both. You will not not be disappointed.
Date Monday, 12, October 2015
Andy (fingers crossed) Flynn
13.5
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

play and enjoy this golf course

lovely golf course, some very nice views.
Unfortunately, I played it when very wet, but despite this, it played well, all be it with rather bobbly greens.
Clubhouse is nice, with friendly and helpful staff, food is a bit more expensive than you'd want.
The golf course is lined by cart paths, so they are used all year round, but they stay on the paths, so a few long walks to your golf ball. The golf cart was free with the round of golf, and it was 1 each if you wished. I chose to walk the course and it was an enjoyable walk.
didn't use any practice facilities, but I saw them and looked solid.
I am so going back there in the summer
Date Sunday, 14, December 2014
Roger Dickson
19.9
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Overnight stay

£119 each for 4 of us was excellent value for 18 holes on Woosnam course, followed by evening meal (excellent) overnight accommodation, breakfast (excellent) and a 2nd round on the challenging Woosnam course. Thoroughly recommend for a golfing break. There is a 2nd 18 hole course on site, we didn't play it but heard good reports.
Date Tuesday, 08, April 2014
TSG
36.0
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Lovely course well worth the visit

Very pretty parkland setting, large open fairways, was a very hot day on my visit so not much shade. Course very well maintained greens very fast and testing! Paid £25 for round mid week.
Date Friday, 06, September 2013
Ruth Brand
24.5
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Great course - try it

I have played at Dale Hill quite a few times on the Woosnam. It's a great course - wide fairways but testing. Tough par 5's for ladies but do-able. Quite pricey but well worth a visit - and if your game isn't up to par, the views are worth it!
Date Saturday, 25, February 2012
Trevor Sandford
36.0
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

A bit squishy after rain but a great variety of good holes.

I played the best round of my life so i am biased but this was an excellent course to play. A bit squishy after last night's rain but still played well - and a really good "walk the Woosie" winter deal too.
Date Friday, 30, December 2011
John West
36.0
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Dale Hill - two great courses shame about the weather

Played here on an overnight package Friday 17th/Saturday 18th June.

Venue and accomodation are excellent.

Dale Hill Course - short at 5500 yards off yellows but many tree lined fairways. Tight driving holes in middle of round. Really nice course. Held up well in torential rain all day which made course play long.

Ian Woosnam course - newer course just over 6000 yards off yellows. Have to have buggies, no carrying or trolleys allowed. More open although there are some very tight holes. Some really great looking holes especially some of the par 3s. Par 4 9th dog leg right over valley is great as is the treelined 17th which is a left to right sloping fairway that runs down dogleg right to protected green reminded me of 11th at Augusta, only difference being that that runs right to left. Played mighty long in rain drenched Saturday but held up well.

Great courses. Venue great. Cost well excellent as it was through work and I did not pay for a thing all weekend.....lucky me on that but weather could have been better.
Date Sunday, 19, June 2011
Charlie Sturgeon
36.0
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

Dale Hill (Ian Woosnam Course)

An absolutely cracking course and definately well worth a visit!!
Fairways and greens were in excellent condition.
A great array of challenging holes to keep you thinking especially the par 5 11th and the par 3 16th which is 140 yards uphill to a raised green.
The course features a great mix of individual holes and has some great views over the high weald.
Cost was £45 (weekend) which included a complusory buggy.


Date Saturday, 07, November 2009
Neil Reeves
36.0
Clubhouse/Hospitality
Quality of Course
Practice Facilities
Value for Money

The rather Posh One

Quite Expensive,if you dont get a deal with a member,2 Courses here the Old Course and the Woosenam Course,Have played both and prefer the Old course,The woosey course is more open and still maturing.Amazing club house and facilities,plus hotel too,course is mainatained to a high standard.too many mowers around sometimes..if you get my meaning!!all in all one to play in Kent
Date Monday, 22, June 2009