Back in 1911 Renishaw Hall owner Sir George Sitwell decided that he would create a golf course on his estate. His plan; 9 holes played within the parkland of the hall, and 9 holes running alongside the River Roth. The 16th century hostelry would be converted into a clubhouse and later extended with the addition of a new wing. Wind the clocks forward to today and the well-established course and beautifully characteristic clubhouse have really come into their own and stand out as one of the areas classic courses. The member’s certainly have a lot to thank Sir Richard Sitwell for.
It’s not always been easy sailing for the club though, in recent years they’ve had a lot to contend with. In fact the last time County Golfer visited the club it was starting to recover from a major flood, that had left the whole of the back 9 under water. Now though, fully recovered, myself and Lefty would be playing Renishaw at its best and with the sun shining on us, we set out on the perilous navigation across the A6135 (you have to be quick and have nerves of steel!) with Spence in tow, to see what Renishaw had to offer.
The old cliché of a game of two halves is never more relevant than here, the front 9 is hilly and tight, a driver requires real accuracy (not my current strength), especially this time of year too. As with most courses in the autumn, if you land in the trees there’s a blanket of leaves on the ground waiting to conceal your ball. Irons were definitely the order of the day, for the opening 9 at least.
The opening hole has been used for the front cover of the clubs officially brochure, and it is easy to see why. It feels as though it’s the only golf hole for miles around, with mature trees to either side and below the elevated tee. “I could drive this” was my initial thought, but club secretary Andy Smith convinced me otherwise, “yes it’s drivable, if you’re very accurate with your drive, if you miss the fairway though you are in trouble”, simply put, he was right. An iron down the fairway and a simple chip onto the green for a par/birdie builds your confidence nicely.
Being a fair weather golfer; when the sky is a brilliant deep blue, I’m down to a t-shirt and playing a course as mature and beautiful as Renishaw, then I’m in my element. The gold autumnal trees only add to the picturesque nature of the course. I love to see big mature trees on the golf course, though I’d rather it be from a reasonable distance, close up is not so good, which is where I kept finding myself. The greens staff have done a fantastic job of maintaining the course, so when you’re off line it makes your life tough, but not impossible. A yard off the fairway and you’ll be fine, then if you are under a tree you can still find your ball with ease, and it will still be playable. No one likes missing the fairway by two yards and never seeing their ball again, it takes the fun out of the game for anyone that’s not playing scratch. It’s a fine balance that’s needed and I think Renishaw have hit it perfectly, it’s an example of how rough should be.
The 9th hole is the course’s signature hole, and it’s a sight to behold, as with the majority of the front my driver stayed firmly in my bag, even though it was a straight 304 yard up hill par 4. You just can’t afford to be left or right, or even short for that matter. Left and you’ll vanish into infinity with a 0% chance of finding your ball. Right is a little better, it’s a big wooded area that’s virtually unplayable. The only thing to do is to land on the right hand side of a narrow fairway that slopes to the left. Now I’m fully aware that my description of this hole makes it sound like torture to play, but it’s really not. It’s an absolute cracker, you just have to wind down the power and hit 2 accurate iron shots. It’s a beautiful challenge! (Unless you get it wrong of course, in which case it might be a nightmare!).
One final comment on the back 9, there is a vicious rumour that there are no bunkers on the front 9, this is not correct! Spence will vouch for the fact that there are at least 3, and that’s how many he ended up in!
The back 9 couldn’t be any different if it tried, the front 9 is open and has 6 par 4s and 3 par 3s, where as the back 9 is open and has 4 par 5s. This makes it a good all round test of your game.
For me one of the outstanding features of the course are the greens, they are immaculate, smooth, true and fast, the sort of conditions that you’d expect to find on tour courses. They’re an absolute pleasure to putt on, and with very little variation between each green, once you’ve tuned in to them, you can really putt with confidence.
Once back in the 16th century clubhouse, reflecting on our round, we we’re caught up in the banter of the members that had just finished playing a fiddle. The camaraderie and the atmosphere amongst the members really goes to show why they have such a strong membership.
All in all, it’s a great all round course, great challenge of golf, great clubhouse and great members. Give it a visit; you’ll be glad you did.
Situated close to Alfreton and the A38 and setin an idyllic setting of peace and quiet, Alfreton Golf club is a hidden gem.
We arrived at 9.15 on a sunny September Friday morning to see a couple of four balls finishing their round and nipping into the changing rooms.By the time we had a quick chat to pro Nev Hallam. they were back out all suited and booted ready for a day’s work. “That’s good enough for me too” I thought.
“Let’s get a coffee” said Brian but the clubhouse was closed until ten, so off we went. (I was a touch miffed because my idea of golf is bacon cob and coffee before the off.)However, the way I played,I’m stopping the cob and coffee lark because it must affect my game in a bad way!
I’ve been determined this year to improve my game.I talk to so many who tell me they play off 8. I know I’ll never get there but you have to have dreams. But for once in my life I would like to go round in 15 over and smash my handicap.The only other option is just to do nine holes. That should bring it under 100!
The first thing I’ve done is ditch the driver as I’m far too wayward with it. I’ve become quite attached to my three iron as it’s getting me fair distance and a little bit better accuracy on occasions.For instance on the steep uphill seventh ( or is it the 9th?) I went straight up and over the hill something I have rarely done with a driver because I get too excited and, wanting distance, I fluff it every time.
My next quest was to keep my head down. I’m sick of people keep shouting “head up”. If I hear that again I’m sure someone will have “head off”.
So into the first at Alfreton. Which is er…well as we have played over the years here generally been opposite the clubhouse main entrance. Reading the scorecard later we realised the first is now behind the clubhouse giving four par four holes in a row so please add two to every hole you read here, the first is the third, fourth sixth etc which makes the clubhouse the twenty first!If you are playing the full 18 you will go to some holes twice but play off different tees and share the fairway with someone playing the other hole. At this point deduct two from the first number you thought of and just play golf on this lovely course. Sun shining, head down and away. I went towards the trees and Brian went deep into them.“I went in the ditch last time” he said.Being a straightforward hole at off the white tee, this should be a relatively simple par but once on the green I had to contend with the downward slope. The greens were in beautiful condition and fast. That’s my excuse for gliding past the hole leaving me an uphill putt which I left short. So, teeing off good – now my puttings gone awol.Isn’t golf great? Brian had decided to relive old times and try to get in the ditch again but missed it! (Just) Bizarrely I won that hole!
Playing hole two off the elevated tee we got off well. My second shot though was a bit wild. I was connecting well but not as accurate as I would like, as my second shot sailed past the first tee and a chip over (through) the trees which by some miracle landed on the green.Brian had slightly over hit his second to the back of the green and had a tricky uphill put to win.He did.
Alfreton is a pretty tight course. You need to be accurate which makes it a good test of your game. There’s no gung-ho hold here on the front nine.You can do that on ten and eleven.
Brian was straight and true on hole 3 (276 yards) He came away with a par. On a summers day you can get a nice run down the slope if you drive a bit short, but today the dew was quite heavy and held my ball up- five for me here
Hole 4is a tricky par 3. Get clean over thewater and then ensure you are below the flag as the green has a nasty slope. The flag was pretty central so I opted for left of it. I did get there, albeit a little more left than required and carded a four. Brian fell a little short but chipped up well and finished off with a clinical putt.
Goodness knows where my ball went on hole 5. I watched it follow the line of the trees nicely and then drop but we couldn’t find it amongst the rough and leaves. “Stick to the fairway”, said Brian. Do you know I can never see the flag on hole 5. Every timeI look up it’s gone! Anyway this was Brian’s hole.The greens were playing straight and true as usual which is a very strong point at Alfreton.
I went long on the downhill par 3 173 yard 6th. But I was happy because keeping my head down was working. Club choice is next job.
I got 4. Brian got par. Grrrrr.
I’ve told you about my glorious uphill shot at the dogleg 7th, my second was slightly short but a chip saved the day. Honours even here.
Again my driving was good and long on the 8th albeit a little to the right. I was happy to come off with a bogey.
Driving over the little bridge is the fun challenge for me at Alfreton, because you only need a chip on to the green and then a putt for a par.Brian got it right. I didn’t. Distance good. Accuracy slightly askew.
We had to shake hands on the 9th as duty called for Brian and we needed a bite to eat before departure. We admit to being slow players on the day but there was no one following and so we chatted and played the longest nine in history.So a re- match is planned.
The clubhouse has been run byAnje and James Gordon for nearly a year now. It’s a twofold arrangement. Anje cares for the clubhouse and James runs a street food business. His bright yellow Citroen vanis often seen at the club
They have a nice skill with food although I do fear that golfers who just want pie and chips on the cheap are missing out on some very tasty food from these two foodies. You can’t have both guys. Quality food isn’t cheap. Cheap food is cheap.Get your hands in your pockets and stump up some cash. Stop ordering pots of tea with four straws!
We had a super morning of golf and would encourage you to put Alfreton on your list of places to play. Whilst you do go round 7 of the holes twice, the tees are set challengingly to ensure they give a different aspect to each hole. The top quality greens are a testament to the dedication of the small team of greens staff. They really do look after this course, as one member said “I’m sure if a leaf falls they’re out instantly sweeping it up”. You’re in for a real treat at Alfreton.Don’t miss out.
Ps. If you haven’t played here for a while get a scorecard. In that way you’ll start on the right hole !
The Priory Course at Breadsall Priory Country Club opened in 1977 and offers some of the best golf in Derbyshire. The 6054 yards on the card play a lot more as you wind through steeply undulating parkland around the hotel. There is a premium on accuracy on the Priory as you play through tree-lined fairways to small undulating greens.
Well this winter just does not want to get started and for a fair weather golfer like myself I could not be happier, so as you will see in the photos we took on the day it looks like the height of summer! This has had a positive effect on golf courses in that they are looking pristine, no more so than the Priory course at the Marriott hotel Derby.
County golfer had been invited down to play the Priory course, to see the improvements that have been made to the course over the year, but more on that later. After meeting up with our players of the day, ‘Stav the Greek,’ ‘Badger’ and ‘Newby’ we headed out to the first, which is a nice hole to get you warmed up, a 314 yard par 4. Basically you need to keep your ball up on the right of the fairway as it slopes right to left and can leave you with a difficult uphill shot out of the rough, I know, because that’s where I ended up. My second shot however, ended up on the green this is basically down to me becoming such an expert on hitting it out the rough as that’s where I spend most of my time!
I walked away with a par, a good start I thought. Just a note, the next hole is to the right not the left as Stav thought which made him think that the hole was a par 3 at 656 yards long…yes he was looking at the wrong flag. The temptation not to tell him he was facing the wrong way on the tee was high. It was only the thought that he would take out some unsuspecting member on the 3rd fairway that turned him round.
After we had turned him the right way round he found the green and nearly got a birdie, but as we found out the greens when we played were so fast in fact I must say they were the best greens we had played on so far this year, but saying that it did lead to 3 putt walk of shame!
To be fair we were all playing steady golf, I was still wrestling with my slice, but now, after many lessons I know why I’m slicing, no not because I’m a left handed golfer, I’m just not bringing my hand over the top to close the club face.
After winding your way down hill on the 4th, you reach your first par 5 at 430 yards long, it is not the longest par 5 in the world, but what makes this an interesting hole is when you reach the green it is raised up high and wrapped behind the green is a high bank. This does help you for your second shot, if you have done a good drive, the chance to have a go at the green.
Badger, out of the three was the only one who did a good tee shot, so was the only one in contention to go for it, which he did. He struck the ball but scuffed it, it went flying across the floor, up the bank in front of the green, cleared the green, hit the bank at the back and rolled back down to within a foot of the hole, not the way I’m sure he envisioned it, but it worked.
The next hole needs an accurate tee shot, anything to the left leaves you having to tee off again, let’s just say the reason why is, if you don’t have a chainsaw in your bag then forget it.
This does lead us however to a cheeky par 3, which is only 120 yards long but is slightly down hill, you either have to drop it on the green like a bomb or just short and then roll on, but with the greens the way they were, this was not an option, I went for the bomb shot and landed on the green and managed a solid par. I don’t think there is any thing quite as satisfying as landing a well struck ball high in the air and dropping it next to the flag.
We were playing steady golf now, and getting to grips with the greens and really enjoying our golf on this hot sunny day.
Let me bring you along toarguably one of the best driving holes in Derbyshire, in fact I challenge you to let me know if you think there is one better. It is a real thing of beauty the 11th 358yrd par 4, you stand on an elevated tee looking down on to an immaculate fairway, you know the type, you can see the lines, where the greenkeeper has mowed that morning. If you don’t believe me go to our Facebook page and see the photos and while we are on this subject you can watch a video of us teeing off on the 9th a tricky par 4.
I must admit we teed off twice on the 11th just because we had to!
Now let’s move on to some of the improvements that have been made this year. Steve Turner the director of golf at Breadsall and the greenkeepers, have identified where the new improvements needed to be made, this is especially evident on the 15th where they have made good use of the water. It now runs down the side of the fairway in the form of tiered ponds. When it comes to the green they have made it so thatthe water cuts close around the back of the green giving it an island feel. It’s a nice improvement.
I must mention the 17th as this is a cracking par 3. You stand on a really high tee looking down on the green. I love holes like this one that look visually stunning and also get you scratching your head as to which club to use. I must admit I changed clubs three times after watching the others tee off – here is a tip for you –it is an a 8 iron.
After we walked off the 18th we reflected on good and bad shots but mainly the 11th . The improvements made by the 15th hole, the greens which, as stated before, were in top condition. It is good to see that Steve and his team have a real vision for the Priory Course and are still looking to bring in new features. Let’s face it we all love playing a course where you see new developments from the previous time it was played. We look forward to returning to see more.
The county of Kent’s rich tradition and history of golf, dates back to over a century ago. The ‘Garden of England’ is home to over 100 courses which boast magnificent views of the county’s picturesque landscape, whilst its coastal courses offer dramatic, panoramic seascapes over the English Channel and the celebrated white chalk cliffs of Kent. Natural clusters of golf courses can be found around Kent’s main towns, all set against a backdrop of rich and varied culture, buildings of historic interest, bustling seaside towns and magnificent, inspiring gardens.
As the oldest county in England, Kent boasts a plethora of visitor attractions from the magnificent Canterbury Cathedral, founded in AD 597, to Dover Castle where you can experience life from Roman times to World War II. Other historic castles include Hever, Deal, Walmer and Rochester, whilst the stunning gardens at Sissinghurst are world-famous. Kent’s coastline is ideal for walking and cycling. Featuring seaside towns like Broadstairs, Charles Dickens’ favourite resort, and Margate, home to the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery. Testament to the quality of the golf courses in Kent, the county has over the years hosted 17 British Open Championships, 1894 at Royal St George’s, marking the first time that the Major had been played outside Scotland.
Recognised as one of golf’s most prestigious tournaments, The Open Championship has since returned to Royal St George’s 13 times. Now it was time for The County Golfer team, Newby, Spence and the Yorkshire Terrier (who for the benefit of this article will be known as YT) and myself Lefty to stay and play Royal St George’s rated the Number 1 golf course in England. Next stop at Tudor Park Marriot Hotel to play their course, designed by Donald Steel and set in more than 200 acres of ancient deer parkland.
DAY 1:
DERBYSHIRE TO ROYAL St GEORGE
A 5am start on a rainy Tuesday in March for our 4 hour journey from Derbyshire.Tee off time was 11am so plenty of time to arrive early and have a good look around. You reach RSG by driving through an industrial estate and then majestically into the very picturesque village of Sandwich, down a country road from which a brown sign points you in the direction of a private drive. No big billboards or flags flapping, the whole entrance is very understated. Who needs big signs and flags when you’re the number one golf course in England!
After falling out of our tightly packed car we headed all suited and booted to the clubhouse. At the front door we found a sign saying “Non members please ring for attention”I rang it twice thinking that it didn’t work, it does, so don’t ring twice! The secretary came and said “You do not need to wear a jacket and tie until after 11am”. I could feel eyes burning in my back as I had made the lads wear them for 4 hours in the car! The first thing that hits you in the clubhouse is the smell of polished mahogany, always a sign of a prestigious clubhouse. As well as the history, golfing memorabilia hangs on the walls and in glass cabinets. Everywhere you look there’s a story to tell. The large changing rooms have some of the best showers I have seen, complete with plenty of towels all neatly stacked.
The clubhouse retains much of its original charm and ambiance, with portraits of past captains lining the corridors, to give you a feeling of stepping back in time.You could imagine Ian Fleming sitting there while dreaming up the classic match between Goldfinger and James Bond. This is the course where it took place in his book. The Pro shop is as you would expect well stocked, and has plenty of RSG merchandise.A nice touch, I thought, is that they give away complementary tees.
Our round.
We were supposed to tee off in front of the Caddy Master Alan but, as there was gale force wind and driving rain, he wasn’t daft, he was in the pro shop keeping warm! He pointed to the first tee and shouted “keep it down the left of the fairway but not too far” I think he said that, or it could have been “You’reall mad!”
The 1st – Par 4, 399Yrds
With the rain stinging my eyes I thought “just hit it straight and hope for the best” which seemed to work. The fairway gave the illusion of being flat. It wasn’t.As Spence was taking his second shot all I could see was the top of his head! The bunkers on this hole sweep across the front of the green and, as you know, on links courses most bunkers need a ladder to get in and out of. The greens were running true and in good condition but this didn’t stop us all walking away with a six. Spence and myself were taking on Newby and YT so the banter, like the rain, was relentless.
3rd – Par 3 180Yrds
This is the only par 3 on an Open Championship course without a bunker, but it doesn’t make it any easier, as statistically it’sone of the most tricky Open holes, the difficulty being the two tiered green which, was fast even on the day we played, so you can imagine it on a hot, dry, summers day. Needless to say no one got a par, the best was a 5, 1 up to Newby and YT.
4th – 415Yrds Par 4
One of the great championship holes, the fourth, is an intimidating prospect.A towering bunker, perhaps the tallest in Britain, faces you off the tee. The shot is to the left of this and even then it’s a long way to the green, which is a dog leg left, with various pot hole bunkers to catch you out. No wonder it’s stroke index 1. I found every hazard! Spence tried to hold off Newby but the best he could card was a 7 to Newbys 6. Two up to them.
5th – 406Yrds Par 4
This is my favourite hole on the course, as the elevated tee gives the first sight of the sea. It took ages to work out the dogleg left because we couldn’t see the flag.It’s a straight drive, then a shot between two mounds onto a hidden green. I got a par but unfortunately so did YT.
6th – 142yrd par 3
The Maiden, named after the shape of the towering dunes surrounding it. The long two-tiered green can be a real card wrecker, but first you have to reach it! Not one of us hit the green because the headwind was so strong the ball was almost coming back to where we teed off. Spence managed to land at the front of the green and get a well deserved par, so it was back to one up to them.
At this point we took shelter in a thatched roof hut to check the score and to get out of the wind.Newby, who was marking the card, had to admit that even the scorecard had given up and was starting to disintegrate in the wet.
More sips of whisky from my hip flask and we were away again. You now find the first of two par fives. “Time to pull one back” said Spence.For this hole you need a big drive, which gives you a chance of an Eagle, as the hole turns slightly left. If you’re brave you can go for the green. All of the eagles achieved during open championships at RSG are made here. We gave it a go, but the best we could manage was a par. YT did, so three up to them.
YTfor some reason seemed to like the conditions and he went on to win the next hole, 4 up and they were pulling away.
After the 9th you start making your way back to the sea dunes proudly shaping the fairways as you go. The wind and rain started to ease allowing Spence, who is a fair weather golfer, to start playing. He produced the shot of the day on the 13th hole a par 4 420 yards long.
This fairway is dotted with pot bunkers and you need to be accurate with your driver. Spence’s drive was massive, he still had a shot of about 160 yards to the green with a couple of pot bunkers protecting it, left and right. I was on the edge of the green for 3 and up to this point I had been carrying Spence, which I kept letting him know. This is what probably fueled his second shot, as he hit it as sweet as a nut. It sailed majestically through the air onto the green and in the hole for an Eagle! What a shot, I tried to convince Newby and YT that, that, has to be worth at least three points but they were having none of it. Spence on the other hand, didn’t care what anyone thought, as he had just got an Eagle on the 13th at Royal St Georges. He’s still smiling as you read this article.
14th – 507 yrds par 5
A long straight hole with OOB all the way down the right.I laughed at the lads and said at last a Lefty hole, then hit my drive straight onto Prince’s adjacent fairway! Needless to say it was OOB.
15th – 435yrd par 4
Stroke index one warning! Standing on the tee you wonder why it’s stroke index 1. Well, it’s the clever placement of the bunkers– 5 waiting for you midway up the fairway. If you drive over these you still need a long iron to hit the green, which, yes you’ve guessed it, is protected by 3 pothole bunkers that stand guard at the front. I got a bogey on this hole and walked off like I had got a birdie, it was tough.
Needless to say Newby and YT beat us in the end but, as we made our way down the 18th fairway, the rain stopped and the sun made an appearance. Even though the waterproofs had given up a long time ago a big smile came across our faces. Why? Because we had just played somewhere special. Whilstthe course took a beating that day, at no point did I step in a puddle or on to a squelchy green as it was in excellent condition.As the sun spread shadows over the course you could see the contours of the fairways and the dunes which stood proudly framing most of the holes.
Back in the clubhouse, sinking a nice pint of Shepherds Neame from a sliver tankard, we all agreed even on a sunny day this course will give you a challenge, it’s a beautiful beast that punishes wayward drives, but rewards a good shot.It’s a true links course, characterised by humps and swales, dunes and wild rough, fast running fairways and deep bunkers.
This has to be on your “courses to play list,” it’s the number one course in England for a reason.
Our thanks has to go to the club steward David Peregrine for making us feel most welcome, it’s not every day you meet someone in a painting!Also to the catering staff, who very kindly waited for us to get back into the clubhouse to warm us up with a nice hot beef sandwich.
DAY 2
TUDOR PARK MARRIOT HOTEL AND COUNTRY CLUB
We chose to stay at Tudor Park Marriott Hotel which was about an hours drive from Royal St George’s as it’s a great central location to reach other courses and takes an hour off your journey back to the East Midlands. Like most Marriott Hotels you have a spa, gym and more importantly a bar called “The Mezzanine” which we found a relaxing place to continue thawing! The hotel is benefiting from a 5 million pound modernisation programme so it’s a good time to pay a visit to the nice new modern rooms.
Nestling in a 200-acre ancestral deer park, deep in the Garden of England, Tudor Park, a Marriott Hotel & Country Club, offers tranquility and invigoration in equal measure. The Tudor Park Course was designed in 1988 by Donald Steel, one of Britain’s finest course architects. 6085 yards of beautifully varied holes, accompanied by delightful views over this picturesque corner of Kent.
As at many of Steel’s courses, there is an enticing mix of long and short holes, many featuring tight fairways bordered by beautiful, mature pines and other woodland areas. The best of the bunch are arguably the par-3 4th, the par-5 8th and the par-4 16th. But every hole at Tudor Park has its own personality – some friendly and relaxing, some that will test your skill and accuracy.
In recent years, Tudor Park has hosted prestigious events including the EuroPro Tour on three occasions, the Kent PGA Pro-Am and, in 2010, the English PGA Championship (South) qualifier.
After a first class buffet breakfast I put on my wet waterproofs again and headed to the 1st, the rain at least had stopped. We even had a bit of sunshine but this was false hope.
Spence and myself took on Newby and YT trying to seek some revenge.At the tee a very friendly starter gave us some tips on the 1st hole. We all teed off well. I say teed off, more of a scuff and roll, not one of us got away clean, to which the starter said with a smile on his face “have a good game lads”.What I’m sure he would have really liked to say was “have you played golf before?!”
The1st and 2nd holes are wide and forgiving. The 1st to get your eye in sweeps downhill and the 2nd comes back up. Newby and YT won both holes as they came flying out of the traps with 2 pars.
Spence and I had a team talk as we couldn’t let them beat us again. We approached the 3rd hole 300yrd par 4 determined not to lose! On this hole you stand on an elevated tee looking down onto the fairway, which then sweeps left up to an elevated green. Spence hit a massive drive which left him with just a wedge onto the green which he did and sunk it for a birdie, I got a par just to make sure we won the hole. Game on Indeed!
The next hole was a par 3 176yrds, again an elevated tee looking down onto a green with water to the right of the green. Newby hit a sweet shot right onto the middle of the greenand then it happened!– The weather turned on us with a vengeance as the wind picked up to gale force and the heavens opened but this time not rain but hail, all four of us knelt down on the floor, sheltering as best we could behind our umbrellas. Even the bench blew over.(Go to our Facebook page to see the video) 10 minutes later it still hadn’t rescindedso we headed back to the clubhouse as Newby’s hand was turning blue. Thoughts of Scott and his team came to mind as Newby said “I’m going for a walk I might be some time”. It was unbelievable and, needless to say the storm shut the course, which was a real shame as the course was just starting to come alive.
We have been invited back which we will do, but in the meantime make sure you book yourself in, the hotel is in a good central position to stay and reach other golf courses in Kent.
Our visit to Kent was most enjoyable. The county boasts a long tradition of golf, three Open venues,majestic parkland and inland courses, and clifftop gems like North Foreland, excellent accommodation for golfers and a plethora of off-course attractions such as Dover Castle.
We would like to thank Sinead from Visit Kent and Helen from Heady PR for arranging the trip for us and the hospitality of Royal St George’s and Tudor Park Hotel and Country Club for showing us Kent is not only the “Garden of England” but a fantastic golf destination, and now known for the place Spence got his Eagle!–Lefty
