Golf in Kent
Kent has Royal St George's, Royal Cinque Ports, and Littlestone — three of England's finest links courses.
Find golf lessons and experience days across the Garden of England.
About Golf in Kent
Kent is best known as the Garden of England, but among golfers it means something else: Royal St George's, the Open Championship, and one of the finest collections of links golf anywhere in England. The county's coastal strip runs from Ramsgate to Dungeness, and the golf courses along it combine natural links terrain with some of the most historic turf in the game.
Kent's Top UK Golf Courses
Royal St George's — Rank #7
Royal St George's at Sandwich is one of England's most celebrated golf venues, ranked 7th in the UK and a permanent fixture on the Open Championship rota. First opened in 1887, it sits among the dunes and sandhills of Sandwich Bay — a wilderness of swirling winds, blind carries, and cavernous bunkers. Darren Clarke won the Open here in 2011. The course is a serious examination of links technique and one of England's truly bucket-list experiences.
Royal Cinque Ports — Rank #39
Royal Cinque Ports at Deal sits next door to Sandwich on the same stretch of Kent coast. It has hosted the Open Championship twice (1909 and 1920) and is considered by many to be the more purely natural of the two Sandwich area clubs. The front nine runs along the sea; the back nine turns inland across firmer, faster ground.
Prince's Golf Club — Rank #67
Prince's at Sandwich Bay is a three-nine layout — Shore, Dunes, and Himalayas — that can be played in various combinations. Less well-known than its neighbours but no less serious as a golf examination, Prince's is accessible to visitors and consistently underrated in discussions of Kent golf.
Littlestone — Rank #96
Littlestone Golf Club, laid out near New Romney on the Romney Marsh, is one of England's more overlooked links courses. The turf is firm and fast, the sea views are constant, and the course demands the full range of links shots.
Golf Lessons in Kent
Beginner Coaching
Kent has strong teaching infrastructure across the county, from Maidstone and Canterbury to the Medway towns and the coastal strip. Group sessions run £25–£45 per person; private PGA coaching £55–£90.
Links Coaching
A links playing lesson in Kent — ideally at one of the coastal clubs — teaches skills that most golf courses in England don't demand: how to manage wind, keep the ball below the gusts, use the ground as part of your game. For golfers who only ever play parkland, it opens up a different way of thinking about the sport.
Experience Days
Sandwich Bay experience days — typically involving a round at one of the three clubs, lunch, and a coaching session — start from around £150 and can reach £350+ for a full Royal St George's package.
Budget Guide
| Budget | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Under £50 | Group lesson or introductory round at a county club |
| £50–£100 | Private PGA lesson or round at a quality Kent course |
| £100–£200 | Experience day with lesson and 18 holes |
| £200+ | Round at Royal St George's, Prince's, or Cinque Ports |
Top Clubs Near Kent
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See also: best golf experience days UK, links golf guide UK, golf in Brighton.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Golf Courses Near Kent
Explore top-rated courses within easy reach of Kent.