Royal St George's Golf Club *****

Sandwich, CT13 9PB

Nearest main town: Sandwich

 

In 1894 the Open Championship moved out of Scotland for the first time. It headed south to a links course that was barely seven years old, but had already built up a reputation as a test every bit the equal of those north of the border.

Royal St George's hosted the first Open to be held in England and since then it has welcomed the world's greatest tournament on twelve occasions, probably the most exciting being in 1993 when Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Payne Stewart and Bernhard Langer conspired to make it one of the best Open Championships in recent memory.

Norman won the day with an outstanding final round of 64, taming a course that is full of awkward twists and turns, each liable to derail an overconfident approach. Take the bunker on the 4th, for example, a towering, cavernous hole that gawps at you off the tee like some giant open-mouthed alligator. It is named Reg Glading's bunker after the poor soul who got gobbled up by it in the Amateur Championship. The 5th hole is a 421-yard dogleg that was driven by John Daly in a practice round in 1993; this is followed by a par-3 with a tight, thin green.

The back nine is equally treacherous, opening with a stiff par-4 that is uphill all the way to a green that is buffeted by the wind and sits like an impregnable fortress. Suez is the par-5 14th, a straightforward enough challenge if it wasn't for the fact that out-of-bounds borders the right-hand side off the tee.

Of course, the added bonus of a trip to Sandwich is that Royal St George's need not be your only port of call. The course is sandwiched, if you'll excuse the pun, between two other links, the creditable Princes, and the excellent Royal Cinque Ports.

 

Secretary: Mr G. Watts

Tel: 01304 613090 Fax: 01304 611245

Professional: Mr A. Brooks

Tel: 01304 615236 Fax: 01304 615236

Playing: Midweek: round £70.00; day £ 100.00. round n/a; day n/a.

Facilities: Bar: 11 am-11 pm. Food: Lunch from 12pm-2.30pm. Dinner from 7pm-9.30pm.

Comments: Probably the best in the world...Don't forget your bucket and spade - you can get lost in the bunkers. . . In the footsteps of heroes - what a course...History, tradition, windy, interesting and the chance to pretend you are playing in the Open...Always enjoy tackling this giant...Untouched by human hands, the natural way to play golf. . .Open venue at reasonable price - if only they were all like this...Warmth of welcome unsur­passed...Didn't want to leave.

 

Austin Lodge Golf Club **

Eynsford, Swanley, DA4 0HU

Nearest main town: Swanley

 

Secretary: Mr S. Bevan

Tel: 01322 863000 Fax: 01322 862406

Professional: Mr P. Edwards

Playing: Midweek: round £16.00; day £28.00. Weekend: round £25.00; day n/a.

Facilities: Bar: 11 am-11 pm. Food: Breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7am-7pm. Bar snacks.

Comments: Long and hilly, a buggy may be required...Idyllic setting ... Well drained...Very challenging and quite difficult ... Demanding course, tranquil setting, requiring all the shots...Picturesque surroundings, very challenging...Quiet, long course offering value and interest...Good welcome.