Guards Polo Club · Cowdray Park · Southern clubs · May to September
Polo: the sport that lets you walk on the pitch
At half time in a polo match the crowd is invited onto the ground to tread the divots back in. It is the only sport in Britain that does this, it is genuinely the highlight of the afternoon for a lot of people, and it tells you most of what you need to know about how the day works.
Is when everybody walks out onto the pitch and stamps the turf back down. Champagne in hand, in whatever shoes you arrived in, which is the moment people discover that heels and a polo ground do not get along.
It is a picnic with a match attached
Understanding that is the difference between a good afternoon and a confused one.
At many fixtures
Cars park along the boundary and people set up beside them. It is part of the tradition.
At half time
Everybody onto the pitch. Wear something that copes with grass.
Around two hours
Short, and the day around it is considerably longer.
Club by club
A big final and a Sunday club fixture are not the same occasion. Check what yours is.
Where we take polo groups
The main southern venues within reach of Kent, and what each involves.
| Club | From north Kent | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Guards Polo Club, Windsor Great Park | 1h 15m – 2h | The best known. Big finals draw large crowds |
| Cowdray Park, Midhurst | 1h 45m – 2h 30m | West Sussex, and the Gold Cup |
| Ham Polo Club, Richmond | 50m – 1h 30m | The closest to London, and the most accessible |
| Sussex and Surrey clubs | 1h – 2h | Smaller Sunday fixtures, and far more relaxed |
| Any other fixture | On request | Tell us the club and we will quote it |
What to bring
Polo is an outdoor afternoon on grass, and the kit list follows from that.
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Shoes that work on grass | You will be walking on the pitch at half time. Heels sink |
| A picnic, if tailgating is permitted | Check with the club. Where it is allowed it is the whole point |
| Something to sit on | Rugs and folding chairs. Much of the boundary is open ground |
| A layer for later | Afternoons on open ground cool quickly once the sun drops |
| Whatever the dress code asks | Which varies enormously between a Sunday fixture and a Gold Cup final |
Planning a polo day
Check what kind of fixture it is
This is the thing that varies most. A Sunday club match at a smaller ground is a relaxed picnic on the boundary where nobody is looking at your shoes. A Gold Cup final or a big day at Guards is a considerably more formal occasion with a published dress code and a very different crowd. They are both polo and they are not the same day out.
Tailgating changes the vehicle you want
Where a club permits cars along the boundary with picnics set up beside them, the practical question becomes how much you are carrying rather than how many people you are. Hampers, rugs, chairs, cool boxes and glassware take up considerably more room than passengers do. Tell us what is coming and we will size for the load.
Nobody should be driving
Polo afternoons involve several hours, a bar or a hamper, and a leisurely finish. It is precisely the sort of occasion where a designated driver ends up watching everyone else enjoy a summer afternoon. The fare split across a group of eight is modest against the cost of the day itself.
The shoes are a genuine issue
We mention this on almost every polo booking because it is the single most common regret. Divot stomping means walking out onto grass that eight ponies have just galloped over, and heels do not survive it. Bring something else for that ten minutes and change back afterwards; a great many regulars do exactly that.
Polo questions
Fixtures, picnics and divots.
What is divot stomping?
At half time spectators are invited onto the pitch to tread the turf back down. It is the only sport in Britain that does this and it is a highlight of the afternoon for many people.
Which clubs do you cover?
Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park, Cowdray Park in West Sussex, Ham near Richmond and the smaller Sussex and Surrey clubs. Tell us any other fixture and we will quote it.
Is there a dress code?
It varies enormously. A Sunday club fixture is relaxed; a Gold Cup final or a big day at Guards has a published code. Check what your specific fixture requires.
Can we bring a picnic?
At many fixtures, yes, and where tailgating along the boundary is permitted it is a large part of the tradition. Check with the club, and tell us what you are carrying so we size the vehicle.
What should we wear on our feet?
Something that works on grass. Divot stomping means walking on ground that ponies have just galloped over, and heels sink. Many regulars bring a second pair for that ten minutes.
How long does a match last?
Around two hours for four to six chukkas, though the afternoon around it is considerably longer, which is rather the point.
How far are the clubs from Kent?
Between about fifty minutes to Ham and two and a half hours to Cowdray, depending on where you start and which fixture.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking, including any waiting while the afternoon runs on.
The summer season
Country and equestrian occasions.