Ian Woosnam Course

The Ian Woosnam Course is Dale Hill Hotel & Golf Club’s modern championship layout in the High Weald of East Sussex near Ticehurst. The course covers almost 200 acres of rolling hills, valleys and historic woodland with wide views across the countryside. It complements the 1973 Old Course by offering a longer, more sculpted experience built to USGA specifications.

Construction began in 1995 and the course opened in 1997. It was designed by Ian Woosnam, winner of the 1991 Masters and later a Ryder Cup captain. Its creation transformed Dale Hill into a genuine thirty-six-hole complex. Building the new course even required changes to parts of the Old Course, including redesigned ninth and seventeenth holes. Since 2005 Leaderboard Golf has invested heavily in drainage to improve year-round playability.

The course plays to par 71 and starts with a 602-yard par five. Long rough, quick greens and broad fairways create a course that can be approached in different ways. The greens were built to USGA specification, supporting consistent putting surfaces and strong drainage. Woosnam intended the layout to be demanding enough to test professionals while still being accessible to amateurs. Length, elevation and rough place particular importance on controlling the ball from tee to green.

The resort includes two eighteen-hole courses, a driving range, two putting greens, a practice bunker and a substantial buggy fleet. The hotel adds restaurants, lounge space, leisure facilities, pool, gym and event areas, supporting full stay-and-play packages. Buggies are available on the Woosnam Course throughout the year subject to conditions. Rates, winter wheel policies, buggy access and operating hours are dynamic and should be checked directly.

Dale Hill lies in the historic “1066 country” landscape of the High Weald. Together the two courses occupy more than 350 acres of undulating hills and woodland. The Woosnam Course uses this scale to create broad panoramic views, particularly once the course opens out around the fifth hole, while more wooded sections provide stronger enclosure. Elevation changes and long sightlines give the course a distinctly Sussex character.

The course also hosts Dale Hill club and county matches, including home fixtures in competitions such as the Wellesley Wealth Trophy and Cyril Blake Cup during 2026. Its larger significance comes from the direct association with Ian Woosnam and the contrast with the older Dale Hill Course. Opened in 1997, it represents a modern generation of High Weald golf while retaining the sweeping landscape and historic woodland that define the estate.