Best Golf Courses in Kent — The Garden of England Guide

When golfers name England’s great golf counties, they tend to pick Surrey and Lancashire. Kent rarely gets the credit it deserves. Yet it has a current Open venue in Royal St George’s and two more historic links beside it at Sandwich Bay. In addition, it has clifftop golf above the North Sea and a run of fine parkland courses in the Weald.

This guide covers the full range, from Open links to deer-park parkland and pay and play courses. Whether you plan a long weekend in Canterbury or a day trip from London, start here. You can also browse every Kent course in our directory or every course we list in England.

Sandwich Bay: Kent’s links heartland

Any guide to Kent golf must start at Sandwich Bay. Three clubs sit close together on the dune land between the town and the sea. Together, they form one of the best links clusters outside Scotland. Our guide to the best links golf courses in the UK puts them in a national context.

Royal St George’s

Royal St George’s was founded in 1887. In 1894, it became the first club outside Scotland to host the Open. It has now hosted the championship 15 times, most recently in 2021. As a result, it is the only Open venue in south-east England.

The course is tough and traditional. Large dunes, blind shots and the wind off the Channel make every hole a test. Visitors can play, although the club asks for a handicap certificate and books up early. Our guide to championship golf courses explains how to get a tee time at the Open venues.

Prince’s Golf Club

Prince’s sits right next to Royal St George’s. It hosted the 1932 Open, when Gene Sarazen won using his new sand iron. Today, Prince’s has 27 holes in three loops of nine: the Shore, the Dunes and the Himalayas. You can combine any two loops, so the course feels fresh on a second visit.

Royal Cinque Ports, Deal

Royal Cinque Ports, known as Deal, lies a little up the coast. It hosted the Open in 1909 and 1920. However, flooding twice stopped it hosting again, so it left the rota. Still, it remains a classic links with a famous, demanding finish.

Clifftop golf on the Isle of Thanet

North Foreland sits on the cliffs above Broadstairs, looking out over the North Sea. It is a clifftop course rather than a dune links, so the ground is less rolling. Even so, the sea views and the wind give it a true seaside feel. It suits golfers who want coastal golf without the planning that Sandwich needs.

The Weald: Kent’s parkland country

The Weald runs across the south of the county towards Sussex. Here the golf is very different, with oak woods, rolling farmland and sheltered greens. Our guide to the best parkland golf courses covers this style in more depth.

Knole Park, Sevenoaks

Knole Park Golf Club plays within Knole Park, a historic deer park beside Knole House. Fallow and sika deer roam the park, so your round comes with wildlife. The course is classic English parkland, and it suits golfers of most abilities.

Chart Hills

Chart Hills opened in 1993, as a design by Nick Faldo and Steve Smyers. It is known for big bunkers and water in play. The course reopened in 2021 after a major renovation by the same team.

Hever Castle

Hever Castle was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Today, the estate next to the castle includes a golf club. It makes a good day out, especially if your group includes non-golfers who want to see the castle and gardens.

More Weald golf

The Weald also has smaller parkland clubs around Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks. Many welcome visitors on weekdays. Meanwhile, Surrey’s heathland belt lies just to the west. Our guide to golf courses in Surrey and our heathland golf guide cover that region.

Golf on a budget in Kent

Kent is not only about famous names. The county also has pay and play courses and golf centres with ranges. Since green fees change every year, check each club’s website for current prices. Many also offer twilight rates in summer.

Getting to Kent

Kent is one of the easiest golf counties to reach from London. High-speed trains run from London St Pancras to Ashford, and services continue to the coast. By car, the M2 and A2 lead east towards Canterbury and Sandwich.

Our page on golf courses near London covers courses on the way out of the city. If you are heading on to the south coast, see golf courses near Brighton and golf courses near Portsmouth.

Where to stay

Canterbury makes a good central base, since it sits between the Sandwich links and the Weald. For a links-only trip, Sandwich or Deal are closer. Meanwhile, Sevenoaks or Tunbridge Wells suit a Weald parkland trip.

When to play

Spring: The Weald’s woods come into leaf, and the parkland courses look their best.

Summer: This is the best time for links golf, since the turf is firm and the days are long.

Autumn: The Weald turns gold, while the links stay firm and quiet.

Winter: The sandy links drain well, so they often stay playable when inland courses are wet.

Plan a Kent golf trip

A good three-day trip might start with Prince’s, then Royal St George’s, then Deal. Alternatively, mix two links days with a round in the Weald. Our UK golf breaks guide helps you plan rooms and travel. For a trip north of the Thames, our Essex golf guide covers the next county along.

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