A new 12-hole golf venue featuring a driving range, padel and pickleball courts and modern hospitality with eco-cabin stays is to open in the South Downs this June.
‘Mad Swans in the South Downs’, on the Surrey-Hampshire border, surrounded by rolling countryside, is a venture led by Joel Cadbury and Ollie Vigors, who launched the debut Mad Swans site in the Mendips last year.
The South Downs site builds on Mad Swans’ playful approach, reimagining golf, indoor and outdoor social spaces as vibrant, inclusive hubs where play transcends age and experience.
With 12-hole golf, padel, pickleball, the Swing Barn, darts, shuffleboard, the Woodlands Tipi, two restaurants and eco-cabin stays to enjoy, the experience remains unmistakably Mad Swans, thoughtfully adapted to its new landscape to offer brand new challenges and a new way to play.
A countryside golf destination, the course is designed by Mackenzie & Ebert, while the clubhouse is described as a lively neighbourhood space with fresh design, great food and an open-armed welcome to all. The venture has seen creative input from multi-Michelin starred chef and strategic investor, Ollie Dabbous and menu design by Group Head Chef Steve Rooney.
The 12-hole course offers a quicker, more flexible way to play that fits around today’s lifestyle.
Thoughtfully crafted to allow guests to play six, 12 or 18 holes, it delivers a format that is both accessible and engaging without compromising on challenge. Shaped by the natural landscape, the South Downs course embraces rolling countryside and expansive views, and feels both distinctive and highly memorable to play. Brand new greens have been carefully crafted with bold, characterful design, creating a series of holes that are as enjoyable to play as they are visually striking, with several set to become real talking points.
Differing from the Mendips course, water plays a defining role throughout, most notably at the fifth hole, where a standout island green offers a new challenge and a natural focal point for both players and spectators.
Extensive investment has gone into the course’s long-term playability, with entirely new tee complexes, bunkers, irrigation systems and a full overhaul of drainage. This has transformed what was previously known as a wet site into a course that can be enjoyed year-round.
Sustainability and sensitivity to the surrounding environment have been central to the redesign. Materials found on site have been repurposed wherever possible. From eucalyptus used to create unique tee markers to ash trees affected by dieback disease, reworked into course furniture and signage. Existing topsoil and sand have been redistributed across the course to minimise importation, while wood from the site has been reused throughout.
The course also integrates a number of ecological enhancements, including beehives, habitat piles and newly created wetland fringes around ponds to support biodiversity. Water harvesting systems have been introduced to supplement irrigation, and grass species have been carefully selected for their drought and disease tolerance, ensuring the course remains both resilient and environmentally considered. Robotic mowers are also used across the course, supporting consistent, high-quality turf maintenance while reducing emissions and minimising disruption to both the landscape and wildlife.
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