Best Golf Courses in Kent — The Garden of England Guide

When golfers think about England’s great golfing counties, Surrey and Lancashire typically dominate the conversation. Kent rarely gets the credit it deserves. That’s a peculiarity worth examining, because by any objective measure, Kent’s golfing portfolio is remarkable: it has a genuine Open Championship venue in Royal St George’s, two more courses at Sandwich Bay that would be headline acts anywhere else in the country, clifftop links above the North Sea, and a run of Weald parkland courses that would be talked about in hushed tones if they were closer to the M25. The garden of England, it turns out, grows some rather fine golf.

This guide covers the full range — from world-famous links that will test your game to breaking point, through classic parkland tracks set in National Trust deer parks, to excellent pay-and-play options that won’t trouble your bank balance. If you’re planning a Kent golf trip, whether that’s a long weekend based in Canterbury or a day trip from London, this is where to start.

The Sandwich Bay Area: Kent’s Golfing Crown Jewels

No guide to Kent golf can begin anywhere other than Sandwich Bay. The stretch of dune land between the town of Sandwich and the English Channel holds three golf clubs in remarkably close proximity, and together they represent one of the finest concentrations of links golf outside Scotland.

Royal St George’s Golf Club

Royal St George’s is the only course on the Open Championship rota south of the Midlands, which alone tells you something about its stature. Since hosting its first Open in 1894, it has produced some of the game’s most celebrated moments: Darren Clarke’s emotional victory in 2011, Ben Curtis’s extraordinary debut triumph in 2003, Sandy Lyle’s historic win in 1985 — the full sweep of what links golf can produce, from patient control to astonishing improvisation.

The course itself is uncompromising in the way only a great links can be. The dune land at Sandwich is among the most dramatic in the country: massive ridges of sand create fairways that are rarely flat, where the ground game is as important as anything in the air, and where the wind — and there is almost always wind here — can make a mockery of your carefully constructed game plan. The par-four fourth, with its blind drive over a ridge to a tightly guarded green, remains one of England’s defining golf holes. The par-three eleventh, into the teeth of a prevailing south-westerly, has ended many a promising scorecard.

Royal St George’s is a private members’ club, but visitors are welcome, with some conditions. Advance booking is essential — the club asks that you contact them several months ahead, particularly for summer weekends. Handicap certificates are required (24 for men, 36 for ladies). Green fees are among the highest in England, typically in the region of £275 per round, though rates vary by season. For serious golfers, this remains one of those pilgrimage experiences that justifies the expense and organisation it demands. Walking the same turf as the Open field is genuinely moving in a way that’s difficult to articulate until you’ve done it.

Prince’s Golf Club

Prince’s sits immediately adjacent to Royal St George’s — separated by a public footpath and a difference in both atmosphere and green fee that makes it one of English golf’s best-kept secrets. Where Royal St George’s can feel reverential and slightly intimidating, Prince’s is welcoming, well-organised, and offers a links experience that is barely a step below its famous neighbour at a fraction of the cost.

The club operates three loops of nine holes — the Himalayas, Shore, and Dunes nines — which can be combined into three different 18-hole configurations. The Shore and Dunes combination is generally considered the finest pairing, offering long, open links golf with the sea visible from much of the round. The Himalayas nine is the most sheltered and plays slightly more like conventional parkland in feel, though the turf underfoot is still pure links. All three nines are beautifully maintained and the greens are consistently among the best-presented in Kent.

Green fees at Prince’s run at roughly a third to a half of Royal St George’s, depending on the configuration you play and the time of year. The club is genuinely visitor-friendly — there’s a good clubhouse, a practice ground, and staff who understand that guests have often come a long way specifically to play Sandwich Bay links golf. For many golfers, combining a round at Prince’s with an afternoon at Royal St George’s (or vice versa on day two) makes for an entirely satisfying two-day itinerary without requiring the weeks of planning that a Royal St George’s booking alone demands.

Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club (Deal)

A mile or two up the coast from Sandwich sits Royal Cinque Ports, known universally as Deal, and it is one of England’s most singular golf experiences. The club is largely private and access for visitors is more restricted than at the other Sandwich Bay courses, but for those who can arrange a game — whether through a member’s introduction or by contacting the club directly about visitor days — the reward is considerable.

Deal has hosted two Open Championships, though not since 1920, and the course retains an ageless quality that makes you understand immediately why it was chosen. There are no dramatic dune ridges here; instead, the links runs along a narrower strip between the sea wall and the railway line in a more linear fashion than Royal St George’s, and the challenge comes from different sources: tight fairways, subtly contoured greens, and the ever-present coastal wind channelled along the strip. The par-three fourteenth, almost directly into the prevailing wind, is among the hardest short holes in England.

The club’s history — Royal patronage, a links in continuous use since 1892, an unchanged routing that predates almost everything in modern golf design — gives Deal a weight that newer courses cannot manufacture. If you have an opportunity to play it, take it without hesitation.

North Kent and the Thames Estuary

North Foreland Golf Club (Broadstairs)

North Foreland sits on the clifftops above Broadstairs, looking out over the North Sea towards the Goodwin Sands, and it is one of the most visitor-friendly clubs in Kent. The club actively welcomes guests, operates sensible booking systems, and charges green fees that feel reasonable given the quality of the experience on offer.

The course is classified as a clifftop seaside links rather than a pure dune links — the terrain is less billowing than Sandwich, but the sea views are if anything more constant, and the wind exposure is every bit as challenging. Several holes play directly along the cliff edge, where an errant shot doesn’t merely find rough but disappears down a very considerable drop. The par-three seventh, with the North Sea directly below and the green seemingly balanced on the cliff’s edge, is one of the most dramatic short holes in the county.

North Foreland is an excellent choice for golfers who want genuine seaside links golf without the planning overhead or the cost of Sandwich. The course rewards course management and a low trajectory, and the turf runs firm and fast in summer in a way that gives experienced links players real pleasure.

Knole Park Golf Club (Sevenoaks)

Inland and west of the links coast, Knole Park offers an entirely different proposition: classic English parkland golf inside the grounds of Knole, one of the National Trust’s most important properties and one of the largest historic houses in the country. The deer park setting is genuinely beautiful — fallow deer wander across the fairways as a matter of course, and the mature oaks and beeches that frame so many holes give the course a sense of timeless permanence.

The golf itself is solid rather than spectacular; this is not a course that will challenge scratch golfers to their limit, but it offers a thoroughly enjoyable round in surroundings that would be difficult to better anywhere in the south-east. The course sits comfortably in the upper end of public green fees, reflecting its unusual setting. Knole Park is at its best in late spring and autumn, when the deer park is at its most atmospheric and the fairways have recovered from summer traffic.

The Weald: Kent’s Parkland Heartland

The High Weald — the arc of forested ridgeline that runs from Surrey through Kent into East Sussex — contains some of the finest inland golf in the south-east, much of it surprisingly little-known outside the county itself.

Chart Hills Golf Club (Biddenden)

Chart Hills is the course in the Weald that most demands a golfer’s attention. Designed by Nick Faldo and opened in 1993, it was built during Faldo’s pomp — the period when he had won three Opens and three Masters and understood better than almost anyone alive what a difficult but fair golf course should look like.

The course is built on undulating Wealden clay, and Faldo used the natural topography to create a parkland test that is both visually striking and strategically demanding. Water features throughout the back nine in a way that keeps minds focused, and the green complexes — large, contoured, and defended by bunkering that requires thought rather than brute force — reflect Faldo’s insistence on rewarding precision. The par-five eighteenth, a sweeping closer with water on both sides of the approach zone, is one of the best finishing holes in Kent.

Green fees at Chart Hills sit in the mid-range for quality parkland golf, and the course is available to visitors throughout the week, though weekend tee times can fill quickly. The clubhouse facilities are good, and the course is consistently well-maintained. If you’re visiting the Weald with one parkland round in the itinerary, Chart Hills should be the default choice.

Hever Castle Golf Club (Edenbridge)

Hever Castle is famous for its history — Anne Boleyn grew up here, and the castle and its gardens draw visitors from across the world. Less well-known is the fact that the estate also contains two full 18-hole golf courses, both of which are open to visitors and offer a genuinely interesting day’s golf.

The King’s Course is the longer and more testing of the two — a parkland layout with water on several holes and a course that plays to its length in a way that the shorter Queen’s Course does not. The Queen’s Course is more forgiving and is an excellent choice for golfers who want the experience of playing within historic grounds without the punishment of a course set up for single-figure players. Both courses share the same clubhouse facilities, and the combination of golf with a visit to the castle and gardens makes Hever an unusual full-day proposition that non-golfing travel companions might actually appreciate.

Wilderness Golf Club (Seal, near Sevenoaks)

Wilderness is a private members’ club, but it is worth noting for the quality of what it offers: a beautifully maintained parkland course in the valley below the North Downs, with a routing that makes excellent use of its undulating terrain. Visitor access is possible through member introductions or on specific visitor days. For those who can arrange it, Wilderness represents the kind of unhurried, well-presented private club experience that is increasingly rare in the commuter belt.

Lamberhurst Golf Club

Lamberhurst is perhaps the most charming of the Weald’s parkland courses — a course that has been here since 1890 and wears its age lightly. The terrain is classic Kentish Weald: gently rolling, heavily treed, with a stream that comes into play on several holes. Green fees are very reasonable, the welcome is warm, and the course offers a genuinely pleasant round without pretension. It is exactly the kind of local club that England’s golfing landscape depends on, and it deserves more visitors than it typically receives.

Pay-and-Play and Accessible Golf in Kent

Beckenham Place Park

Strictly speaking, Beckenham Place Park sits on the London/Kent border — the A214 road forms roughly the boundary — but for anyone travelling from central London, it functions as a Kent destination and is worth mentioning here because it has become one of the most talked-about public golf facilities in the south-east in recent years.

Following a significant renovation completed in 2019, the nine-hole public course at Beckenham Place Park was transformed from a neglected layout into an award-winning sustainable golf experience. The course is maintained using minimal intervention methods, encouraging wildflowers and natural rough, and the result is a round that feels genuinely different from standard public golf. Green fees are accessible — typically under £20 — and the course is walk-friendly and welcoming to beginners and families as well as more experienced players.

Cherry Lodge Golf Club (Biggin Hill)

Cherry Lodge is a members’ club near Biggin Hill that operates a visitor policy rather more relaxed than many comparable clubs. The course is a decent parkland layout with good views across the North Downs, and green fees are reasonable for a day when you want a solid round without a lengthy drive into the county. It’s a useful option for golfers based in south London who want to escape into the Kentish landscape without committing to a full trip to Sandwich or the Weald.

Green Fees at a Glance

Kent’s golf spans a wide price range, which is one of the county’s genuine virtues as a destination:

Pay-and-play / public courses (Beckenham Place Park, Lamberhurst visitors): approximately £15–£30
Visitor-friendly club courses (North Foreland, Prince’s Golf Club, Chart Hills, Hever Castle): approximately £50–£120, depending on configuration and season
Private clubs with visitor access (Wilderness, Royal Cinque Ports): variable, typically £80–£150 when access is arranged
Royal St George’s: approximately £275 per round, with seasonal variation

The gap between a public round at Beckenham Place Park and a round at Royal St George’s is almost exactly the same as the gap between a family car and a prestige sports car. Both serve their purpose admirably. Most golfers will find their sweet spot somewhere in the middle of that range.

Getting to Kent for Golf

Kent is among the most accessible English counties from London, which makes it viable for day trips as well as longer breaks.

By train: The high-speed HS1 service from London St Pancras reaches Ashford International in around 36 minutes and Folkestone Central in approximately 52 minutes. From Ashford, Sandwich is a further 20 minutes by car — making the entire journey from central London to the first tee at Royal St George’s achievable in under 90 minutes with good connections. Sevenoaks (for Knole Park, Wilderness, and the Weald) is 28 minutes from London Bridge.

By car: The A2 is the traditional route to East Kent, running through Canterbury to Dover and branching to Sandwich. The M20 provides a faster spine for the middle of the county, with exits for Ashford and the A28 to Canterbury. For the Weald, the M25 to Junction 5 (Sevenoaks) is the natural approach. Traffic on the A2 corridor can be heavy during bank holidays and summer weekends — an early departure from London rewards golfers considerably.

Basing yourself in Kent: For multi-day golf trips, Canterbury is the most convenient central base — well-positioned for both the Sandwich coast and the Weald, with excellent accommodation options and good restaurants that don’t feel like they’re pricing themselves for Open Championship week. Folkestone has become an increasingly interesting option following investment in its harbour area, and it puts you within easy reach of the coast courses. For a longer trip, the Hever area in the western Weald is worth considering for those prioritising parkland golf.

Best Time to Play in Kent

Spring (April–May): The parkland courses are at their most attractive — the Weald’s oak and beech woods are coming into leaf, the fairways have recovered from winter and are beginning to firm up, and green fees at several clubs are at their lower seasonal rates. The links at Sandwich can still be cold and very windy in April, but for hardy golfers this is part of the appeal.

Summer (June–August): The optimal period for links golf in Kent. Royal St George’s, Prince’s, and North Foreland all play at their finest when the turf has dried out and firmed up — the ball runs further, approach shots can be played along the ground, and the courses begin to reward the skills that links golf has always prized: trajectory control, ground game, and patience. Book well ahead for Sandwich Bay in summer.

Autumn (September–October): Perhaps the most underrated time of year for Weald parkland golf. The autumn colours in the High Weald are spectacular, courses are less busy than in summer, and the ground conditions remain good through October in most years. Green fees at several clubs are reduced from summer peak rates.

Winter (November–March): Kent’s links courses remain playable through winter in most years — the sandy soil at Sandwich drains exceptionally well — though temporary greens are sometimes in use and coastal weather can be brutal. The parkland courses are more susceptible to closure on heavy clay soils; always check conditions before making a long journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can visitors play Royal St George’s without a member introduction?

Yes, but it requires advance planning. Royal St George’s accepts visitor bookings directly through the club, but demand is high and availability for prime times is limited. The club recommends contacting them six to twelve months in advance for peak summer weekends. A valid handicap certificate is required, and the dress code is traditional. The club’s website outlines the current visitor policy and fee structure.

Is Prince’s Golf Club a good alternative to Royal St George’s for visitors?

Absolutely — and for many visiting golfers it is the better experience, simply because the welcome is warmer and the pressure of playing one of the world’s most famous courses is absent. Prince’s offers authentic Sandwich Bay links golf at a significantly lower price point, with three nine-hole configurations that keep the experience varied across multiple days. Many golfers who visit the area play both courses and find them complementary rather than directly comparable.

Which Kent course is best for a beginner or high-handicapper?

Hever Castle’s Queen’s Course is an excellent choice — interesting enough to hold a keen golfer’s attention, forgiving enough for those still developing their game, and set in grounds that make the day enjoyable regardless of scorecard. Beckenham Place Park is another strong option for golfers who want an accessible, pressure-free environment. The links courses at Sandwich are actively challenging for any handicap level and may be better saved until you’re comfortable with the basic demands of links play.

How far is Sandwich from London?

By car via the A2, the journey from central London to Sandwich is approximately 75 to 85 miles, typically taking between 90 minutes and two hours depending on traffic. By train from St Pancras to Sandwich station (via Folkestone), the journey takes around 90 minutes with a change at Folkestone Central. An early train or an off-peak departure is strongly recommended to avoid traffic delays on the A2 approaches to the Medway crossing.

Plan Your Kent Golf Trip

Kent rewards golfers who take the time to look beyond the obvious. Yes, Royal St George’s is the headline — and if you can secure a tee time, go, because it is every bit as good as its reputation — but the county’s real depth lies in the combination of Prince’s, North Foreland, Chart Hills, and the Weald clubs that offer outstanding golf without the organisation and expense that the Royal St George’s experience demands.

A well-planned three-day trip might look like this: Day one at Prince’s Golf Club to acclimatise to Sandwich Bay links; day two at Royal St George’s if you’ve been able to book; day three at Chart Hills or Hever Castle to compare with the quite different challenges of Wealden parkland. That’s three genuinely excellent rounds of golf, a range of environments that showcases Kent’s full variety, and a trip that would be difficult to better in any English county.