Prince's Golf Club
On the same wild sweep of Sandwich Bay as Royal St George's, Prince's is a 27 hole links of three nine hole loops, open to the wind off the English Channel and steeped in history as the course where Gene Sarazen won the 1932 Open. Rebuilt after the war and run with a welcoming, golfer first spirit, it is one of the most underrated links in the southeast of England.
Photo: Prince's Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Prince's is the great companion links of Sandwich, sharing a peninsula with Royal St George's and Royal Cinque Ports yet keeping a character all its own. Founded in 1906 and financed by Sir Harry Mallaby-Deeley, it earned its place in history in 1932, when Gene Sarazen won the only Open Championship ever staged here, five strokes clear of Macdonald Smith. The original course was used for military training and badly damaged in the Second World War, and what stands today is a 1950 rebuild by Sir Guy Campbell and John Morrison, laid out as three nine hole loops, Shore, Dunes and Himalayas.
What you get is honest, open links golf on a grand, exposed scale. There is little tree cover and nowhere to hide from the wind, so the round is a constant negotiation with the elements, firm turf and the run of the ball. The 27 hole arrangement lets the club mix and match three different eighteens, and the modern Lodge on site has turned Prince's into a genuine stay and play destination. For the travelling golfer doing the Kent links, Prince's belongs on the card alongside its more famous neighbours, and often delivers the warmest welcome of the three.
Prince's at a glance
- Founded
- 1906
- Rebuilt
- Campbell and Morrison, 1950
- Type
- Links, 27 holes
- Par
- 72 (paired nines)
- Yardage
- Around 6,800 yds
- Green fee
- Around £150 to £175
Design history and layout verified June 2026 from the club and course databases. Prince's plays as three nine hole loops, Shore, Dunes and Himalayas, each a par 36, so any two combined make a par 72 of roughly 6,800 yards from the back tees. Green fees are indicative, in the region of 150 to 175 pounds for a high season round in 2026, with shoulder, twilight and stay and play rates available. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Prince's plays across a broad, dune backed expanse with the sea never far away, and its three loops each have their own flavour. The Dunes nine threads through the bigger sandhills, the Shore runs out toward the bay with the wind most keenly felt, and the Himalayas takes its name from the rumpled, tumbling ground that gives several of its holes their swing. Because the loops are paired in different combinations, no two visits need play quite the same, which is part of the club's appeal for a return trip.
The defining test here is the wind and the width of the property. There is precious little shelter, so club selection and ball flight matter on every hole, and a calm day plays very differently from a blustery one off the Channel. The turf is true links, firm and fast running in summer, rewarding the player who keeps the ball low and uses the ground. It is a fair, strategic links rather than a card wrecker, but in a stiff breeze it asks every question.
Play Prince's and you complete the Sandwich set. Standing on this open links, with Royal St George's across the marsh and the Channel beyond, you understand why this corner of Kent is one of the densest concentrations of great links in England. It is history, scenery and proper seaside golf, with a clubhouse and Lodge built around making the visitor welcome.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A welcoming visitor friendly links; tee times bookable directly, with green fees, packages and society days widely available |
| Green fee | Around 150 to 175 pounds for a high season round, with shoulder, twilight and multi round rates lower (indicative) |
| Booking | Reserve ahead through the club; the summer months and weekends are busiest, and stay and play at the Lodge eases tee time access |
| On the day | A walking links; buggies and trolleys can be arranged. Play two of the three nine hole loops for an 18 hole round |
| Getting there | At Sandwich Bay in east Kent, beside Royal St George's, around 90 minutes from London and close to the Eurotunnel and Channel ports |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest turf and the warmest weather, though the links plays year round |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Prince's Golf Club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Prince's has its own Lodge right by the course, which makes the simplest stay and play base for a Kent links trip, with the first tee a short walk from the room. The historic town of Sandwich nearby adds character, inns and dining within minutes of the golf.
Many golfers base in the seaside towns of Deal or Broadstairs, or take in Canterbury a short drive inland, building a wider east Kent itinerary that pairs Prince's with Royal St George's and Royal Cinque Ports for a classic links week.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Prince's.
Build a Kent links trip
We pair Prince's with Royal St George's and Royal Cinque Ports, book the tee times in the right order and handle the Lodge or hotel and transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Prince's questions
What is the par and length of Prince's?
Prince's is a 27 hole links arranged as three nine hole loops, Shore, Dunes and Himalayas, each playing to a par of 36, so any two combined make a par 72 of around 6,800 yards from the back tees. Visitors play two of the three loops in a round, and the various pairings give the club several different 18 hole combinations across the same stretch of Sandwich Bay.
Who designed Prince's?
Prince's was founded in 1906, financed by Sir Harry Mallaby-Deeley and laid out by Charles Hutchings. The original course was badly damaged during the Second World War, when the land was used for military training, and the present 27 hole layout is the result of a 1950 redesign by Sir Guy Campbell and John Morrison, who rebuilt it as three nine hole loops.
Did Prince's host the Open Championship?
Yes. Prince's hosted the Open Championship once, in 1932, when Gene Sarazen won his only Open title, finishing five strokes clear of Macdonald Smith on the original course. It is the only Open ever staged at Prince's, and the club celebrates the link to Sarazen to this day. The course was later rebuilt after wartime damage, so the modern 27 holes differ from the 1932 layout.
How much does it cost to play Prince's?
Indicative 2026 green fees at Prince's are in the region of 150 to 175 pounds for a round in the summer high season, with lower rates in the shoulder months and twilight and multi round options available. The club is known for flexible visitor offers and stay and play packages at its on site Lodge. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Design history, layout and Open record verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.