insideKENT Magazine Issue 29 - August 2014 | Page 104

DAYSOUT

Prince's Golf Club's 8th Hole of The Dunes © Kevin Murray

A golfer’s paradise
in the Garden of England
Kent is probably best known as the Garden of England, but for those with
a love of plus fours and fairways, it is undoubtedly recognised as a golfer’s
paradise. This is hardly surprising given the fact that the county maintains
a rich tradition of golf that dates back further than a century, plus it is home
to over 100 spectacular courses.
The county's east coast boasts a trail of some
of England’s foremost championship links, each
affording dramatic, panoramic seascapes over
the English Channel and the celebrated White
Cliffs of Dover. Kent also offers an array of
downland courses set in the heart of the county’
s
picturesque landscape, including hidden gems
designed by revered golf course architects, James
Braid and Harry Colt.

Natural clusters of courses can be found around
Kent’s main towns of Canterbury, Maidstone,
Sevenoaks and Sandwich – each of which pr vide
o
a backdrop of varied culture, including buildings
of historic interest, bustling seaside towns and
magnificent gardens. Add to this a broad
spectrum of accommodation, gastronomic
restaurants, a dry, temperate climate, close
proximity to London and easy access from
Europe, and it's not difficult to establish just why
Kent is deemed one of England’s premier golfing
destinations.

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Thanks to its Open Championship heritage, Royal
St. George’s Golf Club in Sandwich is often a
golfer’s first port of call. Testament to the quality
of its links, Royal St. George’s has hosted the
prestigious major 13 times – the first in 1894,
and most recently in 2011 – marking the first
time that it had ever been played outside of
Scotland.