About Royal Cinque Ports
Royal Cinque Ports at Deal is one of England's great links courses, a pure stretch of Kent coastal golf that has hosted The Open Championship and tested the best players in the world.
Founded in 1892 at Deal in Kent, Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club is one of the most historically significant links courses in England. The Open Championship came here in 1909 and 1920, and the Amateur Championship has been played here on several occasions. The course runs alongside the North Sea coast south of Sandwich, fully exposed to the prevailing winds, with the narrowest point of the links at the 14th green placing the shore just yards from play. As a private club, visitor access is generally arranged through a member introduction or via a golfer's own club secretary.
- Golf Rd, Deal CT14 6RF, UK
Royal Cinque Ports
Kent's coastline south of Sandwich holds a concentration of great links golf that is hard to match anywhere in England, and Royal Cinque Ports at Deal is the most exposed and elemental of the trio. Founded in 1892, the club was established on a stretch of shingle and links ground that runs south from Sandwich Bay towards Deal town, with the North Sea forming the eastern boundary of the course. The routing is pure: the holes run out towards the shore and back, with the wind the defining variable and the sea never far from view. When a north-easterly is blowing across the English Channel, Royal Cinque Ports becomes one of the most demanding courses in England.
The club's championship history is woven into the fabric of the layout. The Open came to Deal in 1909 and 1920, and the Amateur Championship has been played here multiple times over more than a century. The 14th hole, where the green sits at the narrowest point of the links with the sea just yards to the right, is the most vivid reminder of how exposed this stretch of coast truly is. In championship conditions, with the tide in and the wind off the water, it is one of the most demanding par fours in English golf.
Royal Cinque Ports sits comfortably alongside Royal St George's and Prince's as part of the Sandwich Bay links complex, and golfers visiting the area typically aim to play all three. Each course has its own character, but Cinque Ports perhaps retains the most raw and traditional links atmosphere of the group. The town of Deal, with its seafront and historic buildings, provides a fitting backdrop to a course that has changed very little since the game's great champions contested the Claret Jug on its fairways.
Opening Hours
- Monday8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- SundayClosed
What Golfers Say About Royal Cinque Ports
A selection of recent visitor reviews from Google.
Ignacio Magnanini4 months agoAnother truly memorable experience. The club is beautiful and steeped in history — you can feel its heritage in every corner. From the moment we arrived, every member and staff member was kind, attentive, and welcoming. We parked in the guests’ area and headed to the pro shop, where Jordan Golley greeted us and gave us a clear overview of the course, the club dynamics, and everything we needed to know. The pro shop is lovely and well stocked, with that perfect traditional English touch. The facilities are excellent — traditional locker rooms, spotless showers, and a charming clubhouse that feels timeless. We pre-ordered our lunch before teeing off, as our starting time was 12:30 and the kitchen closes at 4:45 p.m. (a good tip for first-time visitors). Then came the round itself — what a course! Royal Cinque Ports is an impressive and historic championship links, beautifully designed and always a challenge. It’s hosted The Open Championship twice (1909 and 1920) and has been a qualifying venue many times since. The layout is demanding yet fair, with many blind tee shots, rolling fairways, and ever-present winds that make each shot a test of skill and imagination. It’s the kind of course that keeps you fully engaged from the first drive to the last putt. At the 9th hole, there’s a small halfway bar — an absolute must-stop. We grabbed a cold beer and a sausage there, the perfect quick break after battling through the first nine holes. It’s a classic touch that adds to the charm and spirit of links golf. We played just the two of us and completed the round in about three and a half hours — fast, enjoyable golf on a truly world-class course. Back at the clubhouse, our hot sandwiches and pints were waiting for us — absolutely perfect after the round. We ended up chatting with some of the local members until around 7 p.m., enjoying the warm, friendly atmosphere before taking a shower and heading out. (The bar and clubhouse close at 8 p.m.) It was a wonderful experience from start to finish, one we’ll definitely repeat and recommend when we’re back in Argentina. A huge thank you to everyone at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club for making our visit so special!
Chris Partridge7 months agoA lovely links golf course on the east coast of Kent with very friendly staff. The course has had significant investment in it and the work on the club house is ongoing. A good but fair test of your golf game but quite a hefty price to pay for the privilege.
Ben Connel5 months agoI had a wonderful experience as a visitor even with 30-40 mph winds. Staff were very friendly and accommodating upon my arrival and my caddie was most excellent. I really appreciated the latter sharing some of the history and unique features of the course throughout the round.
Frequently Asked Questions
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