Prince’s Golf Club Course Review

80 years ago Gene Sarazen, indisputably one of the greatest figures in the game of golf, strode the fairways of Prince’s in Kent en route to winning the 1932 Open.  Over his career Sarazen won seven Major titles, achieved the first career ‘Grand Slam’, and represented the United States at six Ryder Cups.  As associations go, his name is a good one to have on a clubhouse board.

And it’s the old clubhouse, perhaps the site of Sarazen’s celebrations, which now serves as the splendidly refurbished The Lodge at Prince’s.  Constructed inside the boundaries of the old clubhouse walls, the building incorporates a similar balcony to that where Gene Sarazen would’ve collected the famous Claret Jug. For anyone desiring a taste of authentic links golf just a couple of hours from London, these new accommodations offer an ideal, not to mention comfortable, way to spend a night or two on the Kent coast and enjoy this famous stretch of golfing country.

Following significant investment the Prince’s course is also in glorious condition. The work on each of the three loops of nine – The Shore, The Dunes and The Himalayas – has sharpened the definition of bunkering and tees, improved the quality of turf on the fairways and revamped the walkways between holes.  Today Prince’s is everything you’d expect from a venue managed by Troon Golf, the world leader in upscale golf course management, and the club is more than worthy of its location next door to last year’s Open venue, Royal St. George’s.

Playing the Course

As with every links course, at Prince’s the wind determines the nature of the course you play on any given day.  The day of our visit blessed us with colossal ego boosting drives on the opening few holes and a humbling reality check later in the round. It’s a rarity to reach a par five with a driver and a wedge, but it’s an equally scarce occurrence that one needs that same driver to reach a 200 yard par three!  In short, the wind was brisk.

The Shore

Starting by the thatch-topped weather hut, the introduction to life on the links at Prince’s comes from a strong par four. The key is to miss the fairway bunker on the right, and then be cautious of a perverse bounce with your approach. Anything played short of the green here puts faith in you finding a nice spot in the furrows.

Onto the par five second which veers gently to the left, continuously hugging the out of bounds line that follows the coast. Into the wind, this start is tough, but with the wind following there’s an opportunity to take quick advantage.  And, trust me, you’ll need to.

The third, a mid length par three, starts to test your nerve. Invariably, the ideal line to the flag flirts somewhere between the prevailing breeze and the cavernous bunker guarding the front left side of the green. It’s a richly rewarding par if you can make one, but a potential danger to the scorecard, too.

The fourth is, in my opinion, the finest hole on the course. Avoiding trouble requires a drive in the right half of the fairway, as dense grass covered shallows lie in wait for an errant drive to the left. To follow, there’s a healthy selection of bunkers protecting the green from all but the most well struck approach.

The fifth now plays as a slight left-to-right dogleg up towards the glorious new The Lodge at Princes. The menace of the hole always seems to be from the gentle camber that encourages balls to bounce right, be it from the fairway or up by the green. The putting surface is a test in itself and hitting it in regulation is no guarantee of a par, as you can easily be faced with a putt of 50 or more feet.

The sixth tee is at the furthest point of the course, and while the ‘level’ looking fairway may make the hole appear relatively benign, the approach is particularly demanding. Raised to the left, and hidden behind the wispy rough, anything other than plumb centre of the green will make a par exceedingly hard work.  Visually, the steep greenside run off to the right is daunting. The hole looks an alluring opportunity from the tee, and with a couple of good shots, it is, but as with a lot of links golf, mediocrity is often harshly punished.

The seventh is, quite simply, long. Even from the ladies tees, this par five measures over 500 yards, and despite the prevailing wind being in favour, it’s difficult to envisage many amateur golfers getting home in two.  Perhaps this is the point where the difficulty of Prince’s is emphasised most. Generally speaking, par fives present an opportunity to perk up the scorecard, and while I am sure Prince’s seventh hole gives up the occasional birdie, a five here seems very well earned.

The same can be said for a par on the tricky eighth hole, where the key is undoubtedly in finding the right portion of the green from the tee. Short side yourself here, and it’s nigh impossible to make par.

The final hole on the Shore loop is a long par four played down the rolling bumpy fairway. The approach is played towards a sizeable green in front of the clubhouse which provides a grand finish to a thoroughly enjoyable nine.

The Dunes

The opening hole on the Dunes Course is a long par four dogleg left that absolutely insists on a precise tee shot, followed by an equally demanding and accurate approach. Given that the hog’s back green refuses anything slightly left or right, it is, in my opinion, the most daunting hole on the course.

Much like the third hole on the Shore Course, the second on the Dunes is another testing mid-length par three where the bunkers hold sway. Getting it right affords an opportunity, but missing the green will guarantee a tricky recovery.

It always seems trite to say that avoiding trouble is the key to playing a hole well, but in the case of the par five third that couldn’t be more true as you make your way to the comparatively even and forgiving green.  En route, the landing area from the tee is a minefield of bunkers and undulations. For the second, a brook running down the right hand side is very much in play. All this said, stop your knees shaking and this can be a ‘pick up’ hole with some confident hitting.

Somewhat against your better judgement, the target on the fourth is a large bunker in the middle of the fairway. As you approach the green, the rise in elevation becomes clear, as does the trouble from more awaiting bunkers. It’s a tough hole, as is the dog leg fifth which encourages a shot aimed at the left half of the green, rewarding anything in this area by feeding it towards the hole.

This point on the Dunes feels like the summit of the round, as you then aim your drive back towards the distant clubhouse on the subsequent par five. A good drive here will present you with a decision. Play it as a three shot par five, or opt for the ‘Hollywood’ play in two. Going for broke is where the difficulty comes, as your ideal line requires a carry over some encroaching rough, whilst a fairway splitting left-to-right approach is likely to fall away if even a couple of yards short.

There’s some relief on the seventh, where this short par four may offer some respite for your round. Straight, and fairly inviting, even the green offers fewer breaks than most.

Many golfing connoisseurs argue that the best par threes are often well short of 200 yards, but if ever there were evidence that a long par three can be great too, the eighth is it. Measuring just over 200yards, the raised green is tough to hit, guarded by a front bunker, but I’d say it’s a prerequisite for anyone with ambitions of making par. This is a gorgeous hole but one not to be trifled with.

The final hole looks a fairly uncomplicated par four, but there are some minor hazards that will punish any recklessness around the green. There’s nothing as crass as cavernous bunkers here, it’s all humps, hollows and breaking putts.

Himalayas

Regrettably my experience at Princes didn’t, on this occasion, extend to venturing out on to the Himalayas loop of nine. That said, I have been fortunate enough to play it on a previous visit, and can certainly say that the course is a worthy member of this triumvirate of nines.  A fine assembly of holes that include doglegs in both directions, two outstanding par threes, a brutally long par five, and, as you quickly come to expect at Prince’s, a veritable treat of linksland panoramas.

The Lodge at Prince’s

As I touched on earlier, Prince’s Golf Club has recently opened the refurbished The Lodge at Prince’s, and the on-site accommodations are more than equal to the links outside.  The Lodge boasts 38 bedrooms, all with en-suite facilities, together with a number of suites and apartments that will no doubt set a new benchmark for golf accommodation in the region. As well as views of the white cliffs of Ramsgate, you’ll also find contemporary dining at ‘The Brasserie on the Bay’, together with a lounge, bar, snooker room and terrace.

There’s no denying that Prince’s has visibly pulled its already enviable socks up and is positioning itself among the country’s elite golfing destinations.

Recommendations

I’m sure Prince’s would be the first to acknowledge that a visit to this corner of the Kent coast wouldn’t be complete without considering one or two of the other magnificent championship courses in the area;  Royal Cinque Ports, Royal St. Georges and North Foreland.  In the past the region has lacked appropriate options for the ‘play & stay’ break, so too many visits will have ended prematurely.  Thankfully The Lodge at Prince’s provide a very satisfying solution for parties of all sizes looking to visit this corner of English golfing country.  And starting your tour with any or all of The Shore, The Dunes and The Himalayas is the perfect welcome.