With COVID concerns rapidly declining, the opportunities to travel internationally have improved, now is the time to dust off your passport and travel to an overseas golf destination with your buddies. A good place to start is England’s county of Kent, southeast of London, where you will discover world-class golf, classic cathedrals, historic castles, and delicious food at quaint pubs.
Kent boasts three championship links courses, which have all hosted past (British) Open Championships – Royal St. George’s, Royal Cinque Ports, and Prince’s Golf Club. A fourth course – Littlestone Golf Club – is also a championship links course which has served as a qualifier for The Open. 
In addition to great golf, Kent is known as the Garden of England, because of its locally grown fruit and vegetables. It’s also the home to Britain’s oldest brewer — Shepherd Neame Brewery in Faversham.
Start your journey at the Hever Castle Golf Club in Edenbridge which is just down the road from the historic Hever Castle. Built in 1270, Hever Castle was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII. Golf at the Hever Castle did not start until the 1920s and the course was created for the personal enjoyment of American owners, the Astor family.
You can also spend the night at Hever Castle and tour their majestic gardens. Next stop is Maidestone, where you can play the nine-hole Leeds Castle Golf Club. Spend the night at the Stable Courtyard Bed & Breakfast at Leeds Castle, known as “the loveliest castle in the world.” The castle and its vast moat sit adjacent to three holes of the Leeds Castle Golf Club. The view of Leeds Castle from the 5th tee provides one of the most stunning backdrops in golf. For dinner, visit the Castle View Restaurant, which provides spectacular views of the adjacent Leeds Castle at night. The food is beyond compare!
After golf at Leeds Castle, head south to coastal Kent, on the English Channel. There, you’ll find four true championship links courses — the Littlestone Golf Club near Romney Marsh; Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, located near Deal; and two side-by-side courses in Sandwich, Royal St. George’s Golf Club and Prince’s Golf Club.
Littlestone, a qualifying venue for the Open Championship, has pot bunkers in the fairway and many multi-tiered greens.
Royal St. George’s, the site of The Open Championship on 15 occasions, most recently in 2021, offers stunning views over Pegwell Bay and the adjacent English Channel. The tallest and deepest bunker in Great Britain is located on the 4th hole at Royal St. George’s. We suggest employing a local caddie, which adds to the overall experience.
Prince’s hosted the 2013 British Amateur and boasts 27 holes of championship links golf in three nine-hole loops: The Shore, The Dunes and The Himalayas. The most famous of Prince’s many revetted bunkers is the now-famous Sarazen Bunker, which sits near the 9th green of The Himalayas.
The Lodge at Prince’s offers unobstructed views of the English Channel. It overlooks both Prince’s and Royal St. George’s and is just a few miles from Royal Cinque Ports GC.
Take the opportunity to drive into the nearby town of Sandwich and visit one of Kent’s top pubs, the George & Dragon. This ancient pub first opened for business in 1446 and is a traditional pub with an open fireplace, and low beams, featuring many local ales, and great food.
Before departing The Lodge at Prince’s, reserve a personal guided tour through The Gallery, located at The Lodge. The Gallery is a small museum which contains old letters, pictures, trophies, clubs, and memorabilia connected to golf at Prince’s.
While in Kent, make time to visit the Canterbury Cathedral, one of the oldest Christian structures in England, in the medieval city of Canterbury that oozes charm and quaintness.
In addition to staying in Hever Castle and adjacent to Leeds Castle, spend an evening in a seaside town like Whitstable and sleep in an old-style seaside hotel such as The Marine Hotel in Whitstable. It is clean, comfortable, and quiet. The views out to sea, while enjoying a delicious Full English Breakfast, are memorable.
Now that you know where to go and where to stay in Kent, what more incentive do you need to visit Kent for golf and more? Check out golfinkent.co.uk for more information.
