South Downs golf club is above par for wildlife
August 11, 2025
A golf club in the National Park is proving that golf and nature can thrive together.
From restoring ancient woodland and boosting rare butterfly populations to installing solar power and creating wildlife habitats, Corhampton Golf Club is taking a lead in nature-friendly land stewardship.
Initiatives have included creating chalk scrapes to support rare species like the small blue butterfly (pictured), as well as expanding wildflower meadows and long-grass habitats. The Hampshire club is now restoring Shepherds Copse, a native ancient woodland.
Work to create new wildflower meadows was supported by the National Park’s Bee Lines campaign, which is looking to create new “highways” for bees and butterflies to be able to move through the landscape. Since launching six years ago, more than 160 football pitches of new wildflower patches have been created across the South Downs.
Corhampton’s Course Manager Iestyn Carpenter said: “We’re showing that you can have a top-quality golf course that also acts as a conservation corridor, a learning space, and a community hub.
“Sustainability isn’t a bolt-on – it’s part of how we manage the course, the land, and our relationships.”
Thanks to partnerships with local ecologists and organisations like the Bishop’s Waltham Men’s Shed – who build wildlife boxes from recycled materials – Corhampton now supports over 50 bird species, alongside growing bat, bee, and butterfly populations.
Sustainability practices on-site also include electric vehicles, robotic mowers, rainwater harvesting, and solar energy.
Over the past two years the South Downs Trust, the official charity for the National Park, has provided grants to Lewes Golf Club, East Brighton Golf Course and West Hove Golf Club to help with nature-friendly mowing equipment.
“Being in the South Downs is a privilege, and we treat it as an important responsibility,” added Rob Bailey, Course Management Chair.
“Every step we take is about long-term value – for wildlife, for golfers, and for the generations to come.”