ROYAL ST GEORGE'S - 19 POINTS
The bunker on the 4th at Royal St George’s is said to be the highest in England.
There are some who say that Royal St George's is a little less than a true classic Open course. They say the bounces can be a little random and Ben Curtis' Open victory back in the day cast a bit of a shadow on the course's pedigree. Well, I can safely say that is a load of rubbish. This is links golf at its very very best and for me close to unbeatable.
The welcome, as is almost always the way at these old links courses, was great. Yes, there is a gentleman wearing a blazer and a tie but he was very welcoming and determined to make sure we enjoyed our day. The pro shop was well stocked and the catering spot on.
The course is a brilliant one. It's perfectly playable with pretty wide fairways and many quirks to keep you entertained all the way round. The bunkers though are among the hardest I have played, on more than one occasion our group had to play out sideways or backwards - a real penalty.
A few highlights to look out for if you make it down. The bunker at the 4th is the line for the drive but is said to be the highest in England. When you are over the top the hole demands a long second in to an angled green, a tough hole for sure. The 5th is good fun, a shorter par 4 which takes you down to the bay for the first time and you know that you have really arrived on a links course.
The 7th is a par 5 which plays with the wind and gives a birdie chance. Another fun hole is the short 12th, probably the hole with the most rippled fairway in golf. It's not long but you'll be lucky to have a level lie. The 13th adjoins the Princes course next door and then you make the turn towards home.
14 is the second, and final, par 5. With out of bounds on the right hand side it is a hole to be respectful of but can definitely yield birdies. Dustin Johnson came a cropped here in the 2011 Open as recounted here!
The 17th is a par 3 now made notorious by Thomas Bjorn's experience in the 2003 Open when he took 3 to get out of a bunker and finished runner-up to Curtis.
We played the course twice on the same day (there's a green fee 'deal') and it was well worth it. It really made for a great experience, the anticipation over a very good lunch of doing it all again was brilliant. All-in-all I would recommend making the trip to Kent as you will have a great links golf experience with a warm welcome. If I was going to choose anywhere to play links golf in England, Royal St Georges would be right at the top of my list.
BOOKING THE COURSE
Royal St George's is a relatively easy tee time to get. It's open to visitors Monday, Tuesday and Thursday - with singles or two-balls only able to play on Monday and Thursday - and while some times are reserved for members there is plenty of access. However, there is a catch. They really don't like 3 or 4 balls here. You can get out as a single or two ball at the drop of a hat (including four people playing two balls in a foursome) but for a fourball you need to go for a two hour window on a Tuesday afternoon! Green fees range from £165 in the winter to £330 in the summer (in 2024).
TOUR TIPS
It would be criminal to come here and not also play at Royal Cinque Ports. It's a fantastic course and one which would grace any tour - really friendly and a brilliant challenge. We also played at Prince’s just along the road - 27 holes of lovely links golf recently wonderfully renovated. On the way from London we played at Chart Hills which was a parkland course but a perfectly pleasant warm up for what was to come.
WHERE TO STAY
There are plenty of accommodation options in Kent depending on what you are looking for. If you want busy nightlife, Margate or Canterbury may be the best options. However, if you want to be close to the golf with some good pubs and restaurants around then look no further than Sandwich or Deal.
Prince’s Golf Club has a lodge and apartments which cater really well for golf parties of all sizes, and there are some good package deals available - details here. Close by in Sandwich you will find the Bell Hotel which is maybe a little old-school but is well positioned and dates back to Tudor times if you like a little history.
Deal has the advantage of being on the coast, and has a little more in the way of attractions. The Royal Hotel and Dunkerley’s are both well located on the front and The King’s Head is a nice pub with rooms.
WHERE TO EAT
Sandwich -
The Lodge at Prince’s has the two rosette Brasserie on the Bay, which is well worth trying whether you’re staying at the lodges or not.
Luigi’s has good, affordable Italian food.
Namaste is next door and serves good Indian Food with a twist.
The George and Dragon serves traditional pub food and now under new ownership.
Deal -
81 Beach Street is excellent. Ideally located on the seafront.
The Zetland Arms is in a great location, with traditional pub food.
Victuals and Co is very good but it’s hard to get a table.
Thanks to local, Rob, for the help with these!
CONTACT DETAILS
The Royal St. George's Golf Club
Sandwich
Kent CT13 9PB
Phone: +44 (0) 1304 613090
E-mail: office@royalstgeorges.com
Website: https://www.royalstgeorges.com/
