Tilgate Forest Golf Centre

Agree with the last review. Truly awful state compared to how it used to be. Played yesterday (bank holiday) and the course was almost empty. A reflection on the condition I expect.

Anyhow, if you want to play a fairly tight, interesting layout - in very pleasant surroundings - then this is worth a punt. Just be warned about the greens, bunkers and tee boxes.

Shame.

Truly saddened by the state this wonderful course has been allowed to get into. When this was owned by Crawley Council it was well kept but now tee boxes are now almost bald, mainly covered in sand and greens are in a dreadful state. It would appear no upkeep is being done even down to watering. A very sad state of affairs. When complaining to staff the just shrug their shoulders no interest

Going back to play Tilgate tomorrow just to see how it's holding up after the recent spell of rain. Really looking forward to it.
But just a word of warning if you are planning on playing here in the forseeable future.
I played here last Summer, course was in immaculate condition as usual but playing the 8th I was aware of some young lads sitting down to the left of the fairway in the trees. Played a cracking 2nd shot over the ravine and left myself a simple wedge on (it's a par 5). As I put my club away and started walking down the fairway, the little scrotes who were sitting there rushed out onto the fairway, picked my ball up and rode off on their bikes.
OK it was only a ball. And I dropped another, wedged on and birdied the hole. But if I could have caught the little gits I would have throttled them. Just something to watch out for if you are playing here.
Other than that, enjoy your game. It's a great course.

What is going on at this course. It seems that Glendale Golf are not interested in keeping this gem of a course up to past standards.
The Teeboxes are a Joke and require ripping up and starting again. They are a Hazzard to the player, especally the 10th which resembles a Battlefield after the artillary have finished their job.
Come on Glendale get your act together. Unless you start investing in this course you will be responsible for the ruination of what should be your Flagship Course.

I played 6th July on the same day as a round at The Phoenix (Cottesmore) which I have also reviewed. This is a cleverly designed course with the only straight holes being the rather uninteresting par 3's.
The extended dry spell made the course more difficult as the generally narrow fairways were harder to find and any risk & reward shots were simply too risky to contemplate.
The greens were not at their best but improved as the round went on. In the absence of automatic watering the greenkeepers are clearly doing their best. Tees were poor but they have to tolerate burrowing animals as it is common land.
The £20 green fee is reduced by £5 by internet booking but the reduction was still available for me in the pro's shop.
This course will be slow at busy times because there any many chances to lose balls but I was let through by two 4-balls without problem.
In spite of the problems (in my view mainly the fault of the weather) this course is worth a visit as it will challenge your skills and patience.

I played this course on a balmy summers evening in June 09 - having just watchhed the BMW at Wentworth. My overall impression was that this course had more potential than any I can remember. The tree lined fairways are fantasic and require a lot of control tee to green. The setting is extremely picturesque. Not quite Wentworth perhaps but not a million miles away in terms of its setting and only £10 rather than £190!!!!! The greens however do require a lot more work as they were very slow and in general the course would welcome some TLC. However with a touch more attention this course has the potential, in my opinion to be one of the best in the South of England.
Glendale golf.....this could be a real gem, just spend more time on the greens and tidy up the bunkers etc....

I played this course on a balmy summers evening in June 09 - having just watchhed the BMW at Wentworth. My overall impression was that this course had more potential than any I can remember. The tree lined fairways are fantasic and require a lot of control tee to green. The setting is extremely picturesque. Not quite Wentworth perhaps but not a million miles away in terms of its setting and only £10 rather than £190!!!!! The greens however do require a lot more work as they were very slow and in general the course would welcome some TLC. However with a touch more attention this course has the potential, in my opinion to be one of the best in the South of England.
Glendale golf.....this could be a real gem, just spend more time on the greens and tidy up the bunkers etc....

I understand why people say it's a tricky course to review!
As a venue for a round it's pretty good. The course is in reasonable shape, I can't comment on the drainage problems that blight the course; it was fine today.
But what did annoy me (and has been mentioned by others) is the lack of etiquette on the course from the other golfers. I played alone, something which by all accounts isn't 'allowed' normally, and was held up by a two ball for four holes. They in turn were held up by a four ball, so they gave up after 9 holes. I caught the four ball up in one hole and followed them for 6 holes before giving up and walking off after over four and half hours.
Course marshall? Nowhere to be seen. If you've plenty of time give it a go, if you're after a 'quick' round it's one to avoid.

Mmm, tricky one. The course in itself I like. I have played here on numerous occasions through summer and a very cold winter. The course looks lovely, the pro shop is very well equiped and the staff are friendly enough. The course can be tricky if you are not on form as the woodland goes fairly deep in and is not very forgiving. Fairways can be narrow and the groung can be marshy in places as the drainage leaves a little to be desired. (We were up to out ankles in water on the 1st after a drive which landed in the centre of the fairway). However, Tilgate does offer a certain charm. Mist rising through the trees, deer in the woods, a very picturesque setting. The holes are very much secluded from each other too so you really feel you are on your own out there which is nice. I would say it is one to play as it is the only course I have played with such character and the green fees are pretty good too.

Played here on the 10/6/07. I was told by the guys i was playing with that this is a fun and testing course. On the way to the course, it felt like we were on our way to a trading estate. Built up, council houses etc. It then opened up into a nice little secluded course.
Although not very long and a par 72, the holes are tight and i think i only used my driver on about 3 or 4 holes. Although i had a superb front 9 at only 1 over par, the wheels came off a little on the back nine.
If you're playing well and hitting straight you will do well as you don't need to be long. If you are not hitting straight, it will be a hard round.
The condition was not bad, about as good as you could expect for a busy public course. As for the time it took, we were pretty lucky to zip through and this was on a sunday afternoon?!?!
Defo worth a game there..

I play at this very frequently, every Saturday at least, and as I am still at school, when we have time off, I am normally down the golf course playing a round or using the other facilities. The course in the winter is not the best in thoughts of the surface water and mud dependant on the rain, but this has dramatically improved. New drainage has been brought in and this is evident when you compare the state of the course in the middle of winter compared to three to four years ago. Some areas of the course are not boggy at all, and there are areas that drain faster than others. The condition of the course in the summer is fabulous. The fairways roll for miles and the greens are unbelievably true. I am a 16 handicapper, and often struggle to navigate my way around the several doglegs on the course, 10 overall. The fairways are very tight, protected by both heavy rough and trees. Bad shots equals extra shots and lost balls usually. One of the best public courses in the United Kingdom, and because of this, purchased a one year junior membership at £150. Otherwises, £10 a round, £12 at weekends. For adults, a membership is £600, but is very good for its price, costing £18 a round, £22 at weekends. The facilities are not the best but they are adequate. A refurbished bar and restuarant provides a relaxing finish to your round. Other facilities include a practice green, a floodlit driving range, a fully equipped pro shop and a 9 nine hole par 3 course, good for short game practice with a few long holes as well, namely the third at 200 yards and the 5th at 186. Defintely a course worth playing.

Thank you for your comments regarding the course, We do appreciate the course suffers during wet winters and the subject of increased drainage needs to be addressed, the course is built on sussex clay so its drainage properties are poor. We try to keep the course open as much as possible so people who wish to play can. In 2000, we had over £50,000 worth of drainage done on the course which has helped, but since September 06 we have had over 500mm of rain fall, therefore this year is much wetter than most. Having said that, the recovery properties of Tilgate are impressive and the course will be back to its best as soon as we have a dry period - Work can then be done to get the course to the high standards people expect.

Played here midweek January 07 (£8.50 using a 2 FORE 1 voucher).
This course has a major drainage problem.There was surface water & boggy patches all over the place .Probably the worst i've ever seen on a course .I thought it was dangerous (my partner slipped over twice)& unplayable (my chip to the 1st green landed just short & stopped in the mud).Walking to your ball on the fairway you had to carefully plot a route or walk up the tree line.If you're going to play here in the next few months leave your golf shoes at home & take some wellies.
As i was travelling from some distance i checked about the course condition beforehand & was told there were a couple of temporary tees .However ,the reality was 18 mats (we played off the grass tees anyway) & no mention of the swamp-like conditions.
The greens were the slowest i've putted on all winter.
Despite all this ,if this was a private club & had some TLC & better bunker positioning this could get close to some of the top Surrey courses.It's got a great tree-lined setting & there are loads of good holes(inparticular, holes 2, 5-7 ,10-14 & 17).
Also, off the backs this is a tough course.
Would i play here in the Summer - possibly. In the Winter - definitely not.
Kevin B.

Well i'm back at tilgate and still loving it the irrigation has got much better and from 1st of november i believe that the slowness will be sorted out as alll 2balls will be made into 4 balls i am not the greatest golfer playing of 5 official but this course puts all the private courses i play. i was there today and thought to myself this course has improved so much i have even booked a tee time for tomorow i believe that any golfers that want a challenge then play here evn i struggled to break 80 which is unusual as my average is about 75 please go and play its fantastic

This is a fairly young course hacked out of a pre-existing pine forest. As such, it is a very pleasant setting, save for the two or three holes that run alongside the M23.
Unfortunately, the drainage is the worst I have ever encountered. When I played (on 2 April 2006), it had rained the night before and most of the course was waterlogged. The fairways were virtually unplayable, save for a few on slopes steep enough to ensure proper drainage. The bunkers had become ponds. Admittedly, the greens weren't too bad - once you eventually reached them! I gave up on scoring after the fifth hole; and a playing partner who usually shoots in the 90s shot 114!
Another issue is that nearly every hole longer than a par 3 is a dog-leg. Some people didn't mind that, though personally I prefer to see the pin I'm aiming for!
Having said all this, I'd certainly recommend Tilgate Forest - but only if it hasn't rained in the last few days!

I play this course regularly and i have never been held apart from today when there was a society playing 3 ball texas scramble which i thought was quicker it took me 4 hours to do front nine then they all stopped for food which was good i completed the back nine in 2 hours but still a long day but apart from that i love the course i can't w8 to play agen i wud recommend to all sorts of golfers but gd if u can drive straght

I have played here regularly for the last six months and am always impressed with the layout of the course. The majority of the holes are tree-lined and the par fives are excellent. However, the course is massively let down by the quality of the greens and fairways, and poor course management. Given a little investment, and some lengthening of the par threes this course could be as good as anything in the area. However, for the green fee it is still an excellent course, just don't be disappointed if you miss a few putts.

The course is still up to it's excellent previous best, with fine care being taken of the fairways and the greens in very good condition. This trip, a Sunday afternoon, was more than a little disappointing from a course management perspective.
It took over 3 hours to get round the first 9, largely due to a very slow 4 two or three in front, and a very slow 2, both of whom took over four shots per 100yds. This resulted in a queue at every tee of approx 8 people (from three groups). There was no sign of the course rangers who apparently are there to manage this sort of thing.
The second 9 took a further two hours, largely helped by the retirement of the group of three members in front of us, who must be very annoyed this morning.
The other major disappoinment was the lack of planning for the weather on the part of the course management. There were no drinks or food in the pro shop, no starters cart or halway house, and although we did briefly see it driving round on one hole in the distance, it was never available to us, and to top it all off they do not allow spikes in the bar to get a drink, even clean soft ones! There really is no excuse for running out of drinks, cold drinks I can undertsand as keeping the fridge stocked must be tricky, but the sell by date on most soft drinks should enable a substantial stock to be maintained.
There must have been some very dehydrated and hungry golfers out there, not exactly responsible in the 25 degree heat we were enjoying.
Still a great course, and obviously has a good groundsman, perhaps just needs a little better facilities management.

I played this course on Saturday just gone. I know I probably don't have much to compare it with, but it is a fabulous course, in my opinion.
The weather was glorious which probably helped with some peoples opinions of the irrigation.
Make sure you can tee off straight or take a whole bunch of balls!
At only £20.40 (a bizarre price) for a weekend tee, it is great value. The greens were in superb condition, particularly impressive was the lack of bobbles and pitch marks you so often get on "cheap" courses.
Go play, defintely go, oh and by the way...go!

This course was my regular course for over 2 years and I've only stopped playing it cos I moved up north. Been back last week and it's a fantastic course, if you're accurate!!! If not, leave the Pro V1's at home and bring out the Donnay's! The trees will eat you up if you aren't careful but I can honestly say that it's by far the best coourse I've played, and it puts to shame many of the private clubs around. The only problems I've known there are the bad irrigation (being sorted so I hear!) and the slow play/people who don't know the etiqueete of the game. The latter means it can be quite a drawn out round but in the summer it's a fantastic place. I particularly reccomend a twilight round there in the summer, less people, more wildlife (had a few deers in my path on occasion) and the greens tend to soften up when it gets a little damp in the evening. Second hole's a corker and the 12th can be a killer! Can't beat 17 though.

I hadn't played Tilgate for a few years so forgot just how good it is. Both in layout and condition Tilgate puts a lot of private courses to shame, especially as it is only £15 on a weekday.
Even with the weather as good as it had been, the condition was exceptional considering the amount of play that takes place on the course.
If you haven't been, play it tomorrow. If you have been - go back!

played today, greens superb, i haven't played on better this year. play it, you'll luv it.

Played on Sunday 9th March 2003 in a three ball
Enjoyable tree lined course which requires accurate but not long driving. The condition of the course was not great- very waterlogged fairways, fringes and greens. Had some really good looking holes especially the last four, although the par 3s were a bit diasppointing.
The most annoying thing was the length of time it took to go round.- 5 hours!!!
The driving range is a superb asset and perfect to get warmed up with just before you hit the first tee.
I'll be back in the summers to play when the fairways have dried up.

best public course in the country i suspect. i played it when it was raining but i really enjoyed it. one of the toughest courses i have ever played. the tree lined fairways meant that the dog legs played long and if u dont hit round the corner u can find yourself hitting 6 iron through to 3 wood
clubhouse is a bit of a shed but hey nothing is perfect. the only other criticism is the condition of the course is not ideal but are u going to get that on a pay and play.
play this course b4 u die.