About Royal St George's
Royal St George's is England's answer to the great Scottish links: a sprawling, sun-bleached test of seaside golf on the Kent coast that has produced some of The Open Championship's most dramatic finishes.
Founded in 1887 by Dr Laidlaw Purves on the Sandwich links, Royal St George's became the first English course to host The Open Championship in 1894 and has been synonymous with the highest level of the game ever since. The layout is defined by huge natural dunes, unpredictable bounces and an exposure to the North Sea wind that can transform the scoring entirely from one day to the next. Access for visitors is strictly limited, and the club's status as one of England's most exclusive private clubs means that an invitation to play here carries genuine weight.
- Clubhouse, Sandwich CT13 9PB, UK
Royal St George's
The Kent coast is not the first place most golfers think of when they consider English links golf, but Sandwich Bay contains a concentration of classic seaside courses that rivals anything outside Scotland. Royal St George's is the centrepiece, a course of genuine antiquity and Open Championship pedigree that sits on some of the most naturally productive linksland in England. The terrain here is raw and exposed, the dunes higher than at many English links, and the wind off the North Sea is rarely negligible. The course runs through and alongside great ridges of sand and marram grass, and the ground game is as important as the aerial game on a layout where the ball seldom sits up and the greens reward those who use the run-on rather than fight the conditions.
Dr Laidlaw Purves, a Scottish surgeon, reportedly spotted the Sandwich links from the tower of a local church while searching for a location to replicate the great Scottish coastal courses. What he found was a stretch of natural linksland that required relatively little alteration to produce a championship layout, and the bones of what Purves identified in 1887 remain very much in evidence today. Subsequent work by various hands has refined the course without transforming it, and the result is a layout with a genuinely antiquated feel: bumpy, sometimes awkward, occasionally unfair by modern standards, but consistently compelling and deeply atmospheric. The wide fairways and absence of trees mean the sky dominates throughout.
The surrounding area makes Sandwich an appealing destination for a full golf trip. Royal Cinque Ports at Deal is a few miles south, and Prince's Golf Club adjoins Royal St George's to the north, sharing the same stretch of links. The three courses together represent a weekend of links golf that, in terms of historical depth and sheer quality, is hard to match anywhere in England. The town of Sandwich provides an atmospheric base with several good restaurants and the quiet, unhurried character of a place that has stepped sideways from the main current of contemporary life.
What Golfers Say About Royal St George's
A selection of recent visitor reviews from Google.
Ignacio Magnanini4 months agoWhat a truly remarkable experience. From the moment we arrived, everything about Royal St George’s felt special — the history, the atmosphere, the people, and of course, the course itself. The reception was outstanding. There’s a dedicated staff member whose sole role is to welcome visitors — guiding you to the pro shop, showing you the locker rooms, and even walking you to the buggy stop that takes you to the practice area. The welcome gifts were a lovely touch, and the sense of tradition and respect for the game is felt in every detail. The pro shop team was excellent too. A young Welsh guy, who started just six months ago, stood out for his warmth and enthusiasm — a great conversationalist, clearly proud of the club, and yes, a very good salesman too! 😄 We played on a tough, windy day, but the course was immaculate — a masterpiece of links golf. Every hole demands precision and creativity. The layout is pure genius: rolling dunes, hidden fairways, and fast, firm greens. It’s the kind of place that both humbles and inspires you. Royal St George’s is steeped in history. Founded in 1887, it has hosted The Open Championship 15 times, more than any other English course. It’s where Tiger Woods famously lost his ball in the rough in 2003, and where Collin Morikawa lifted the Claret Jug in 2021. It remains a regular host for major events and a proud venue of the R&A and PGA tours — a true cathedral of golf. After the round, we explored the clubhouse, which is magnificent. If you want to dine in the main dining room, jackets, ties, trousers, and formal shoes are required — a reminder of the club’s proud traditions. There’s also a more relaxed dining room, which serves a simpler but equally good menu and stays open until 4 p.m. (the main one closes at 3 p.m.). Because of timing, we ate in the relaxed one, and the food was excellent. Karen, who looked after us, was wonderful — kind, professional, and took the time to show us around the different rooms of the clubhouse. Each room tells a story, full of trophies, portraits, and memories that define over a century of golfing greatness. Though it’s a formal and traditional club, the members are warm, polite, and genuinely welcoming. The combination of elegance and friendliness makes the experience unforgettable. Without question, Royal St George’s is a very special place — one of those rare clubs that truly embody the spirit of golf. We’ll definitely be back, and we’ll keep recommending it as one of the greatest golfing experiences anywhere. Thank you to everyone at Royal St George’s for an unforgettable day.
Catherine Doel5 months agoI was lucky enough to play 4 rounds in 2 days and in that time we had every type of weather. I know the course reasonably well, but I will never know those greens. You either need a PhD in putting or a caddie! Definitely book a caddie, they are all experts.
Ian Cottrell8 months agoI attended the Amateur Championship for 3 days this week. What a course! Great set up by the R & A and the event was a credit to both them and the club. I'd love to play it one day, but it's a bit out of my price range!
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