Skilfully carved out of ancient Sussex heathland in 1904, Piltdown Golf Club enjoys a colourful history, a stunning location, and a devoted following among golfers young and old. Visitors are drawn again and again to our challenging heather-lined 18 hole course, excellent practice facilities and welcoming period clubhouse.

We are proud of the fact that Piltdown is a members’ club that offers a sense of belonging to something special. At Piltdown we embrace the traditions and history of the game of golf, whilst still being forward thinking and modern in our attitude.

Before 1904 Piltdown Common was a mass of gorse, bracken and heather, punctuated here and there by areas of grass and an occasional tree – a walk on Ashdown Forest or the Chailey Commons gives a pretty good idea of what it must have been like.  It was quite a feat of imagination to see a possible golf course here.  However, the Munsters did see it, and the professional at Royal Ashdown, Jack Rowe, was paid the princely sum of £1 (plus expenses) to design 18 holes.  The tenant farmer, George Varnum, who lived in what is now the clubhouse, set about the work with a couple of helpers.  The greens were the existing grass patches and the fairways were virtually no more than mown heather.  At first only ten holes were in play, all on the northern side of Shortbridge Road; later the great JH Taylor (five time Open Champion) improved the design of seven holes over the road, and on this side created the current 4th, an impressive 200-yard par-three with a long carry over heather – now regarded as our “signature hole”.

There are no sand bunkers at Piltdown, but there is evidence in contemporary accounts and drawings that there were some in the early days.  Possibly during WW1 their maintenance needed more manpower than was available.  Without them the heather became the main defence, and much effort has been expended on maintaining it, and regenerating it where it was failing.

Over the last few years many trees have been cleared from the course returning it to its natural form, letting in more light and air, improving the chances of heather surviving, and opening up views of the course and the countryside, including the beautiful Piltdown Pond.  All the greens have been relaid on much better drainage, and some during this process have been redesigned with added interest.

From the golf club website