Five nights on the Goodwood Estate, with four rounds of classic downland and parkland golf at the western end of the South Downs.

This tour brings together three James Braid and Jack White classics in the South Downs National Park, where the chalk hills roll out towards Winchester. It pairs Braid’s downland at Goodwood and Hockley with the polo-estate parkland of Cowdray Park, and it is based at Goodwood, home to some of the most famous sporting weekends in England.

Tour Highlights

• 4 Golf Courses
• 1 Resort
• 5 Nights

What is downland golf?

The word “down” comes from the Old English dūn, meaning hill, and downland golf is played over the rolling chalk hills of southern England. Chalk drains superbly, so the turf stays firm and fast even after rain, and the ball runs out in a way more often associated with links golf. Expect real changes in elevation, greens perched on ridges, wind on the high ground and some of the finest views in English golf.

The Courses

Goodwood: The Downs

James Braid laid out the Downs course in 1914, and it has since been sympathetically modernised by Mackenzie & Ebert. Half the course plays across the top of the Downs, with dramatic changes in elevation and views to Chichester Cathedral, the Solent and the Isle of Wight. The Downs is a members’ course, so visitors play it by staying at The Goodwood Hotel, which is why this tour is based on the estate.

Goodwood: The Park

Designed by Donald Steel, the Park course winds around Goodwood House beneath centuries-old cedars. It is a gentler, more sheltered contrast to the Downs and a relaxed way to finish the trip.

Cowdray Park Golf Club

Set on the 16,500-acre Cowdray Estate near Midhurst, the course was laid out by Jack White in 1906 and reshaped by Tom Simpson. Recent investment has brought new bunkers and much-improved greens, and you play beside the polo lawns and the Tudor ruins of Cowdray House.

Hockley Golf Club

Hockley began as a nine-hole course built as a silver wedding present, and James Braid re-routed and lengthened it in 1920. After a gentle climb up a valley, the round settles onto a high chalk plateau where the wind is a factor on every shot. On a clear day you can see the Isle of Wight from the 14th fairway.

Optional extra: Mannings Heath

Just north of the Downs near Horsham, Mannings Heath has the same sweeping changes in elevation. Its Waterfall course winds through woodland and across streams, and the estate’s own vineyard offers tours, tastings and lunch, which non-golfers will enjoy just as much.

Where to stay

The Goodwood Hotel on the Goodwood Estate near Chichester. Staying here gives you access to the Downs course, with Cowdray Park about 25 minutes away and Hockley about 50.

Suggested itinerary: 5 nights, 4 rounds

• Day 1: Arrive at Goodwood. Heathrow and Gatwick are both around 90 minutes away.
• Day 2: Goodwood: The Downs, then lunch at The Kennels and an afternoon in Chichester.
• Day 3: Cowdray Park, a walk round the Cowdray Ruins and, in season, an afternoon at the polo.
• Day 4: Hockley, followed by Winchester Cathedral and the Great Hall.
• Day 5: Goodwood: The Park, then lunch on the estate.
• Day 6: Depart, or head east for our South Downs (East) tour.

Good to know

• Goodwood’s big event weeks, the Festival of Speed and Glorious Goodwood in July and the Revival in September, bring heavy demand for rooms. Plan around them, or build one into your trip.
• For non-golfers there is Goodwood House, Chichester, the Cowdray Ruins, polo at Midhurst, Petworth House and Winchester.
• Combine with South Downs (East) for seven rounds along the whole length of the South Downs National Park.