There are a few nooks and crannies across the UK and Ireland that are home to some of the best golf courses these shores have to offer. The “Great Triumvirate”, made up of Royal St Georges, Royal Cinque Ports and Prince’s Golf Club, are tucked away on a secluded patch of heaven sent links land on the Kent Coastline and, while not everyone can afford to shell out the money to play one of the Royal offerings from this neck of the woods, there are few venues across the UK that offer the same value for money as Prince’s Golf Club.
Princes, which is now managed by Troon Golf, came to be at the start of the 19th century when it was decided that another links should be formed next door to the world famous Royal St Georges and in 1907 the 18 hole layout was opened for play as a club that would welcome all comers, be they men, women or juniors.
Prince’s has an interesting and varied history but in its current form it offers one of the finest and best value for money golf experiences available in the whole of the UK.
Prince’s enjoyed its proudest moment in 1932 when it hosted the Open Championship (Gene Sarazen won the tournament and there are reminders of “The Squire” and the course’s Open history to be found around the course and clubhouse) but, unfortunately, just a few years later it was all but destroyed during World War II.
Sir Guy Campbell and John Morrison were the men made responsible for restoring Prince’s to its former glory and, amazingly, they were able to save no less than 17 of the original greens and incorporate them into the 27 holes that now await golfers heading to the South Eastern shores of England.
The Lodge at Prince’s enjoys an enviable location with the golf course on one side and the coastline on the other.
Out of the three loops of nine at Prince’s, the Dunes and Shore nines are regarded as the “Championship Course” – the Himalayas Course lays slightly further inland but is equally as enjoyable as the others – but irrespective of which combination you choose to play, the test of golf you will face is as authentic a links challenge as you will face.
Rippled fairways weave their way between deep, punishing bunkers, small dunes and banks of long, wispy links rough, leading to raised greens that are subtle in their undulations, and all the while golfers must contend with the stiff breeze that rolls in from Sandwich Bay.
Golf is certainly the main attraction at Prince’s, but the other parts of a golf break – think 19th hole, delicious dinners and evenings lubricated by a well deserved drink or two – complement the action on the fairways perfectly here.
The Lodge at Prince’s is fairly new on the scene but has garnered considerable praise from visiting golfers since it first started welcoming guests in May 2012. The Lodge, which sits overlooking the Bay of Sandwich, boasting views of the golf courses (Including neighbouring Royal St George’s), English Channel and out towards the White Cliffs of Ramsgate offers modern, en-suite accommodations just a stone’s throw from the 1st tee.
The Lodge at Prince’s offers comfortable and convenient accommodations, fine dining and an excellent place to socialise in the evening. With a good bar and a full sized snooker table on site, groups of golfers can carry the competitive fun over from the course, long into the night.
The Lodge’s Restaurant, the Brasserie on the Bay, has recently won 2 AA Rosettes, which isn’t entirely surprising considering the rave reviews it has been receiving from visiting golfers and locals alike. Serving traditional, native cuisine, the freshness of which is ensured by sending out local foragers to hunt down the finest local produce, The Brasserie on the Bay is an ideal place to enjoy an evening meal and indeed a hearty breakfast in the mornings.
Alternatively, guests can make the short journey into Deal or Sandwich to mingle with the locals. Deal is your quintessential seaside town and Sandwich is as charming a place as you could wish to visit, lined with age old houses and medieval buildings. Choose either and a night that kicks off with a traditional fish and chip dinner can be capped off with a few stops in the local pubs. With plenty of excellent bed and breakfast accommodation options also available, those who prefer to be based in town are well catered for.
Being a traditional links, Prince’s enjoys a sandy based location and as such it drains perfectly all year round which means, as we had into a soggier time of the year, it’s an excellent option for those still hitting the fairways in the depths if winter and with a warm welcome awaiting all, much as it did it when Prince’s Golf Club first opened one hundred years ago, now is the time to take advantage of the excellent value for money on offer at this former Open Championship links gem.
