New Members Section

1.      Introduction

Welcome to Ashdown Golfers!

We like to think we are a friendly club with an active social element mixed with a strong competitive spirit on the course. Our membership is around the 200, so enough to make competitions challenging but not too many, allowing tee slots to be readily available throughout the year. The course has been voted one of the Best in the country under 6,000 yds whilst offering many challenges with its well protected greens, tight fairways and undulating, fast putting surfaces.

Several of the annual competitions, both individual and team events, would normally start with a breakfast at 8am and shotgun start at 9am, with tee times allocated by a draw. This encourages the mixing of members – new and established alike, regardless of handicaps. Whist we have always encouraged all members - Ladies and Men alike, to participate in all our competitions, we do now have a thriving Ladies Section who run their own competitions on a Thursday and participate in County matches - more details on the Ladies activities may be found under the Ladies Section -  Ladies Section

The catering is of the highest quality and extremely good value – Sunday roasts and Christmas lunches are extremely well attended so do book early.

For those particularly keen to improve their handicaps, practise facilities are available – net, range, putting green, chipping area, and an indoor performance centre with a high-quality golf simulator – all with additional tuition provided by the Pro-shop professional staff.

Please join in and be part of a happy and relaxed club atmosphere.

2.      Club History

Originally founded in 1889 as the Ashdown Forest & Tunbridge Wells Ladies Golf Club as a short course before being extended to 18 holes in 1932. More recently, The Ashdown Golf Society, renamed Anderida Golfers was established in 1985, and at that time, was based out of the Ashdown Hotel, located adjacent to the Golf Course. In 2003, England Golf formally recognised them as a Bona Fide Golf Society. When the Ashdown Hotel closed the course was taken over by RAFGC and adopted as The West Course. A further name change in 2020 re-launched the Society as Ashdown Golfers (AG).

AG is run by a volunteer Committee elected by the members at the AGM which takes place within 3 months of the end of the financial year - Jan - Dec.

All AG members are affiliated to England Golf, enabling them to hold a   World Handicap System  (WHS) Handicap Index.  AG members are also covered by Third Party Insurance giving ‘peace of mind’ when playing golf at home and away. Key points of the insurance policy are available on the website. Information>Membership>  Insurance

3.      Who’s Who 

Elected Officers

Club Captain  – Jon Sharpe -   jonsharpe1@btinternet.com
Lady Captain - Sue Bullock -    nigsue@me.com
President – Peter de Montfort -   demon_pa@yahoo.com
Hon. Secretary – Guy Powell -  samtem_56@yahoo.com    – all issues to do with club, course, people etc (good or bad). If you want to know something, ask Guy!
Handicap Secretary – Graham Chadwick -  graham.chadwick@yahoo.co.uk   -  all issues to do with handicaps, score cards, rules etc..
Hon. Treasurer - Shaun Abbott -     ss-abbott@outlook.com
Competition Secretary – Nick Harvey -   nick.harvey5@btinternet.com    – queries regarding the rules for specific competitions, changes to Competition bookings, withdrawals etc
Club Match Secretary – Henry Grub -  henry.grub@gmail.com
Captain Elect – Roger Waller -  rogerwaller100@btinternet.com

Immediate Past Captain  – Ashley Welton -  welton.ashly@gmail.com

4.      Tee Bookings

All Tee bookings should be made via the website – if you go to the Home page there is a list of the next 20 upcoming competitions with entry active 2 weeks in advance. Entries open at 7.15am. Alternatively, go to the ‘Diary’ page for an annual view, by month. (click Ashdown West, top RHS, to avoid complication with Old Course activities). Early Tees are generally 3 ball, as are most competitions, but all other tee times are fully flexible. Ashdown Golfers have reserved Tee times on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays – please check on the start sheet when booking as exact times may vary.

Summer Tee times open at 7.30am; Winter Tee times open at 8.00am

5.      Score Cards

Unless otherwise stated score cards MUST record the number of strokes taken per hole – this is the vital data that you either enter via the Score Entry Terminal (if available) or used by Handicap Secretary to calculate your overall scores if score card images need to be sent. If you haven’t completed the hole during a Stableford competition just score through with a horizontal line (-). Cards must be signed, even if you are scoring yourself. If an image is required, please email it to the Handicap Secretary at   graham.chadwick@yahoo.co.uk . WHS requires scores to be registered on the day of competition, even if it’s over a two-day period (such as our Pro’s Pot or Monthly Medal) – our Intelligent Golf (IG) system updates WHS overnight so please check your playing handicap prior to play as this could well have changed after your last round of golf.

6.      Handicaps

With the introduction of the World Handicap System (WHS) it is important members keep up to date with their current Handicap Index. This is visible in several locations on the website –  My Golf/My Rounds  – shows all the information members require prior to playing. To view your last 20 rounds and see the 8 that are counted for WHS purposes, go to  My Golf/My Rounds  and click directly on your actual WHS Handicap index number – shaded dark blue. This shows your last rounds: those shaded yellow being the 8 that count towards the index calculation. Any issues regarding your handicap should be addressed to the Handicap Secretary.

In addition, England Golf released an app called ‘MyEG’ – available for both Android and Apple.

7.      Weekly Competitions

AG has always been a club that enjoys a competitive spirit, reflected by the significant number of competitions played each year, 150 plus. Most are Qualifiers, thus offering the opportunity to both work on your handicap and win prizes every week.

AG regular competitions comprise the following:

Tuesday League
Thursday Club
Thursday Ladies
Weekend Pro’s Pot (may be played either on Saturday or Sunday)

In general, there is a £3 entry fee which supports prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd places and a separate 2s competition - should a hole-in-one be recorded (as part of a qualifying Competition) this will scoop all the 2s monies - albeit a rather rare occurrence! Most are played as Stableford scoring but some might be Stroke Play, so check on the ‘upcoming competitions’ page beforehand.

For the Ladies Thursday competitions, t hese competitions also involve prize monies with 2/3 for 1st place and 1/3 for second place. The entry fee is £3.

Competition entry payments are electronic (cashless) to be paid in the Pro Shop, prior to playing.

Results are usually posted within 24 hours of the completion of the competition – an email is automatically generated by the system which links to the results pages. All League tables will have been updated. 

When playing off the grass tees male members have a choice of playing off either the White or Yellow tees in all our ‘regular’ competitions – this choice is purely personal, but it might affect your playing handicap so please check this prior to play.

8.      Annual Competitions

There are around a dozen annual competitions not least, the Club Championship which consists of two separate competitions – Spring and Autumn Cup; Winter and Summer scrambles; Easter Eclectic, Captain’s Day and more.  For more details refer to the ‘Annual Competitions’ section. Some competitions also accumulate points towards the Order Of Merit Trophy, run annually, so please take part in as many as possible. 

The Ladies have an annual competition called the Hutchinson Hack as well as having an Order of Merit competition. 

9.      Bar Cards

On joining, each Member is allocated an individual bar account with an associated bar card. The card may be used to purchase anything from the bar, with a 10% discount applying to food and beverages. You can top the card up by credit card at the bar or, if you have associated the account with a debit card, this can be done automatically, via the web site –  ‘my golf>my account’

10.     Pro Shop Account

As a member you may open a Pro Shop Account (this is separate to your bar card) – all you need to do is pop into the Pro shop, provide your email address and it’s done. Virtually all prize monies are paid directly into this account which may then be used for anything within the shop, including lessons, practise balls etc. 

11.     Etiquette

Prior to Playing

Most tee times will have been booked well in advance so if, for whatever reason, you are unable to play, please either withdraw your booking from the start sheet, advise your playing partners or if neither is possible, please let the pro-shop know. By doing this promptly, other players have the chance to book vacated slots, especially during busy periods. If it’s a Club competition, it is essential you let the Competition Organiser know at the earliest moment.

Tee times can be busy, especially in the mornings, so please ensure you have enough time before your tee slot – ideally, you should be waiting by the tee as the preceding group tee off.

To ensure maximum utilisation of tee slots, members no longer intending to play should be urged to withdraw from the start sheet as a matter of course. This allows other members not yet booked in to enter the competition. Letting partners know is also recommended. The on line message facility is widely used for this.

Courtesy on the Course

‘Play when ready’ is standard practise on the course, albeit ensuring that it is safe to do so, with both your playing partners and those playing ahead of your in mind.

The fairways are narrow and the rough ‘can be tough’, so if you think you may have trouble finding your ball, especially off the tee, it is much quicker to hit a provisional ball than having to walk back to the tee if the ball is not found within the short time limit allowed.

Search time is now only 3 minutes – please ensure you and your playing partners adhere to the timing.

Although not a specific ruling, players should avoid distracting behaviour or standing directly behind a player as they make their stroke when on the general area of the course.

Priority on the Course

In the absence of special rules, 2 ball matches should have precedence of and be entitled to pass any 3 or 4 ball matches. Any match playing a full round is entitled to pass a match playing a partial round. If a match fails to keep pace with the group in front and loses more than one clear hole, it should allow the following match to pass. Out of respect to other golfers this should apply to social rounds as well.

Ramblers, Vehicles, Dog Walkers etc

Under recent ‘right to roam’ legislation, walkers etc have a right to be on the West Course – many are not golfers and do not understand the dangers involved in walking down the fairways – or indeed the potential from a stray shot!

25(b) – an extract from Ashdown Forest Bye Law – ‘No person shall wilfully obstruct or interfere with any persons lawfully playing golf on, or concerned in the maintenance of, the Course licensed by the Lord of the Manor and Conservators to the Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club.

There are access roads crossing the 3rd, 4th, 7th, 9th, 10th and 14th fairways which are frequently used by vehicles – please take care.

12.    Captain’s Charity Stream

AG tradition requires that all members, who hit their Golf Ball into the stream in front of the 18th green, are politely requested to put a £1 in the jar situated on the bar in the Clubhouse, with all proceeds going towards the chosen Captain’s charity.

13.    Dress Code

As a general rule, our dress code is quite relaxed – shorts, short white socks etc are fine for summer wear on and off the course, with jeans (not torn or tattered) acceptable in the Club House. Please just be sensible and respect others – no combat trousers for instance. Note: The Old Course is stricter both on and off the course.

14.    Contact Details

When contacting the course dial the main number - 01342 822018 and the automated system will advise the following:

Tee Bookings – Press 2

Pro Shop - Press 3

Bar – Press 4