North Foreland
Golf has been played on the Thanet clifftops at North Foreland since 1903, with Herbert Fowler and Tom Simpson shaping the 18 hole Main Course high above the English Channel. A par 71 of close to 6,400 yards on springy downland turf, it trades dunes for big skies and bigger sea views, and the wind is always part of the test.
Photo via Google.
The verdict
North Foreland is the kind of clifftop course that golfers from the southeast keep coming back to: open, breezy and full of sea, laid out on chalk downland at the very northeastern tip of Kent. Golf started here in 1903, and the design partnership of Herbert Fowler and Tom Simpson gave the Main Course the broad, rolling routing it still uses today.
It is not a links in the dunes sense, but it plays with much of the same honesty. The turf is firm and quick, the greens are exposed, and the wind off the Channel turns short holes into real questions and long holes into a grind. For a golfer building a Kent itinerary around the famous Sandwich links, North Foreland is the value pick that everyone remembers for its views.
North Foreland at a glance
- Golf since
- 1903
- Designer
- Fowler and Simpson
- Type
- Clifftop downland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- ~6,400 yds
- Green fee
- Visitor rate
Designer, history, par and yardage verified June 2026 from North Foreland Golf Club and leading course databases. Golf has been played here since 1903, the 18 hole Main Course was shaped by Herbert Fowler and Tom Simpson, and it plays as a par 71 of close to 6,400 yards. Visitor green fees vary by season and day (indicative, 2026), so always confirm the current rate directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The character of North Foreland is in its exposure. There is little tree cover and few places to hide, so the course shows you the wind from the first tee and asks you to flight the ball low and trust the bounce. On a calm morning it can play gently; in a stiff onshore breeze it bares its teeth.
The short holes are the signatures. Played across the contours of the downland with the sea as a backdrop, they demand a clean, committed strike to greens that shed anything tentative. Miss on the wrong side and the recovery is awkward off tight, fast lies.
What stays with most visitors is the setting. Several holes run along the cliff edge with the English Channel filling the horizon, and on a clear day you can pick out the shipping lanes and, at times, the French coast. It is a course you play as much for the panorama as the scorecard, and the closing holes back toward the clubhouse keep both honest.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Members club that welcomes visiting golfers and societies through the pro shop; advance booking recommended, especially in summer |
| Green fee | Indicative visitor green fees in the region of 45 to 80 pounds depending on season and day (2026); always confirm directly before booking |
| Booking | Reserve a tee time through the golf office ahead of your visit; the Northcliffe short course is a good warm up or family option |
| On the day | Smart golf dress on course and in the clubhouse; trolleys and buggies available; the downland walk is gentle |
| Getting there | Broadstairs on the Isle of Thanet, northeast Kent, about 90 minutes from London and close to Margate and Ramsgate |
| Best months | May to September for the driest turf, though the clifftop wind can blow in any season |
Access and fee details verified June 2026; rates change by season and day, so always confirm directly with the club or your trip planner before booking.
Where to stay nearby
North Foreland sits among the seaside towns of Thanet, with Broadstairs, Ramsgate and Margate all close at hand for hotels, harborside dining and a base with character. Many golfers fold it into a wider east Kent trip that runs down the coast to the championship links around Sandwich.
It pairs naturally with the great Kent links a short drive south, so an itinerary can mix the clifftop downland here with the dunes of Royal St George's and Royal Cinque Ports for a varied few days of seaside golf.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near North Foreland.
Build a Kent golf trip
We arrange tee times at North Foreland, pair it with the best of the east Kent coast and book the lodging around it. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
North Foreland Golf Club questions
Who designed North Foreland Golf Club?
The 18 hole Main Course was laid out by Herbert Fowler and Tom Simpson in the years after golf began at North Foreland in 1903, and it has kept their clifftop downland routing ever since.
What is the par and length of North Foreland?
The Main Course plays as a par 71 of close to 6,400 yards from the back tees, a downland test that exposes every shot to the wind off the English Channel.
Can visitors play North Foreland Golf Club?
Yes. North Foreland welcomes visiting golfers and societies; book a tee time in advance and confirm the current green fee before you travel.
Where is North Foreland Golf Club?
North Foreland sits on the clifftops at Broadstairs on the Isle of Thanet in northeast Kent, looking out over the English Channel.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. History, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.