SANDWICH & DEAL GOLF HOLIDAYS
Reviews of the best golf courses for golfbreaks in Kent.

One of the ultimate examinations of your links golfing skills - and some might add sense of humour too!  The links at Royal St. George's can be a brutal place; there is nary a flat spot on any Fairway so one needs to accept the bounce of the ball without cursing (one's luck).  It is an exceptional piece of land for golfing: where mighty rolling dunes conceal the Fairways and Greens, in places it's hard to know where to aim!  One thing is for sure: a day at Royal St. George's is unforgettable - not least for the fantastic luncheon in the wonderful old Clubhouse that is included in the Green-fee (well worth donning a jacket and tie for!).

The course at Deal (as it is also commonly known) could possibly be described as a fair test of links golf (if such a thing exists?).  Rest assured that it has all the hallmarks of a true links: contorted Fairways, deep bunkers, a stream, thick rough, a blind shot or two and firm Greens with plenty of borrow; yet somehow one seems to get what one deserves and there are no 'sneaky' hazards.  The course is a classic out-and-back design, albeit it with plenty of 'cross-holes', so every angle of wind will need to be allowed for at some stage in your round.  A lovely place to play golf on the Kent coast and a very welcoming atmosphere too in the traditional Clubhouse.

Prince's Golf Club adjoins Royal St. George's but has more maneagable dunes that ripple across the landscape rather than tower over it. The Club has three loops of nine-holes: Shore, Dunes and Himalayas all of which provide some of the most entertaining links golf in England and the perfect spot for cutting your links teeth.  The Shore and the Dunes nines stretch out infront of the modern Clubhouse, while the Himalayas loops around it.  The latter (as the name suggests) has slightly larger dunes than the other two nines, particularly over the closing holes.

Other courses to consider:

Walmer & Kingsdown - A hilly James Braid option that rewards you with some lovely Channel views for the effort of scaling the hills.

North Foreland - A combination of open holes and a more wooded valley section.  Like Walmer & Kingsdown, the course offers some great views out to sea.