Mad Swans Brings Golf, Eco Cabins And Social Play To The South Downs

Mad Swans has opened its second countryside hospitality destination, Mad Swans in the South Downs, following the launch of its debut site in the Mendips.

Located on the Surrey-Hampshire border and surrounded by rolling countryside, the new site brings together 12-hole golf, padel, pickleball, a driving range, putting, darts, shuffleboard, restaurants, event spaces and eco-cabin accommodation. The destination is within reach of London, Guildford and Farnham, with London Waterloo around 55 minutes away by train.

The South Downs site builds on Mad Swans’ approach to combining golf, social play, food, drink and overnight stays within a countryside setting. The concept is intended to offer indoor and outdoor social spaces for guests of different ages and levels of experience, while adapting the format to the South Downs National Park landscape.

The venture is led by Joel Cadbury and Ollie Vigors, the duo behind Beaverbrook and the Bel & Dragon. The food offer includes creative input from chef and strategic investor Ollie Dabbous, with menu design by Group Head Chef Steve Rooney.

The golf course has been designed by Mackenzie & Ebert, the course architects whose work includes projects at Royal Portrush, Royal St George’s and Turnberry, as well as advisory roles at several Open Championship venues.

Golf And Social Play

In keeping with the Mad Swans format, the course allows guests to play 6, 12 or 18 holes, offering a shorter and more flexible version of golf while retaining a level of challenge.

The course has been shaped around the surrounding landscape, with rolling countryside views and newly created greens. Water is a defining feature of the layout, including the fifth hole, where an island green creates a focal point for players and spectators.

Investment has also gone into the course’s long-term playability, including new tee complexes, bunkers, irrigation systems and drainage improvements. The works are intended to support year-round use of a site previously described as wet.

Sustainability has been part of the redesign. Materials found on site have been repurposed where possible, including eucalyptus used for tee markers and ash trees affected by dieback disease, which have been reworked into course furniture and signage. Existing topsoil and sand have also been redistributed across the course to reduce importation.

The course includes ecological measures such as beehives, habitat piles and wetland fringes around ponds. Water harvesting systems have been introduced to supplement irrigation, while grass species have been selected for drought and disease tolerance. Husqvarna robotic mowers are also used across the course to support turf maintenance while reducing emissions and disruption.

Alongside golf, Mad Swans in the South Downs includes one padel court and one pickleball court, with coaching available for individual and group sessions.

The Putt Patch offers a new mini-golf layout for the South Downs site, designed to be accessible for first-time players while still offering a fresh challenge for more experienced golfers.

The Swing Barn is a covered, all-weather driving range where each bay functions as a private social space. Bays include sofa seating, unlimited balls and Toptracer golf games, with drinks and food available to order while guests play.

Indoor games include darts with augmented reality technology and shuffleboard, also updated through AR.

Food And Drink

Food is positioned as a central part of the Mad Swans experience. The main restaurant, The Potting Shed, serves countryside-style dishes using produce from local suppliers. Menu examples include roasted suckling pig with roasted apple, fennel slaw and sage jus, and crispy Cornish squid with chipotle aioli and lime.

A second restaurant, The Hangout, serves house-made pizzas from £12, alongside ice creams, desserts and cocktails.

The indoor and outdoor spaces are designed for group dining and socialising. A veranda provides views across the Putt Patch and towards the Lodge, allowing parents, friends and spectators to remain close to the activity spaces.

Eco-Cabin Stays

Mad Swans’ eco cabins are set within the South Downs landscape and designed for simple countryside stays. The double cabins look out across the surrounding countryside and are intended to sit closely within the natural setting.

The cabins include large windows, queen-sized beds, drop-down cinema-style projectors, walk-in showers, radio players and refreshment facilities. Interiors use a palette of greens and blues, with red accents. Amenities are supplied by British brand Bramley.

Cabins are available from 1 June, with further additions planned in the months ahead. Selected cabins are fully accessible.

Woodland Tipi: Weddings And Events

At Mad Swans in the South Downs, Mad Swans introduces the Woodland Tipi, a new setting for weddings, celebrations and private events. Set within the surrounding landscape, the space brings a more relaxed, nature-led approach to hosting, with the flexibility to tailor each event to the guest.

The woodland setting allows for everything from intimate gatherings to large celebrations. Food, drink and entertainment are integrated into the wider Mad Swans experience, while still offering privacy. With on-site accommodation, a range of activities and spaces to explore, the South Downs site offers a destination that can move from ceremony through to late-night celebrations, as well as the days before and after the event.

For The Whole Family

Whether guests are 8 or 80, Mad Swans has been developed to welcome a wide range of ages and sporting abilities, with an emphasis on time outdoors, away from screens and with one another. Whether trying padel, pickleball or golf for the first time, picking up tips from the coaches on site, or settling in for an afternoon in the games room, there is plenty to keep families occupied.

The Hangout’s ice cream bar also adds a family-friendly element to the wider food and drink offer.

Sustainability And Community

Sustainability continues to be a focus for Mad Swans, with energy-efficient practices, recycling, EV charging and eco-bikes planned for Mad Swans in the South Downs. Biodiversity is supported through rewilding, tree planting, beehives and wildflower meadow restoration. Plans for self-sufficiency are also being developed.

Mad Swans in the South Downs is now open, with guests able to check current availability through the Mad Swans website.

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