The Open has always been played on a links course, defined by Walter Simpson in his 1887 book The art of Golf as “…the
barren sandy soil from which the sea has retired
in recent geological times. In their natural state
links are covered with long, rank bent grass and
gorse. Links are too barren for cultivation: but
sheep, rabbits, geese and professionals pick up
a precarious livelihood on them.”
Possibly not so appealing to the eye of the TV
camera as the more dramatic parkland or cliff-
top designs, links courses nonetheless have a
unique and compelling appeal to all those who
are lucky enough to play them. They provide
arguably the stiffest challenge to the golfer and
are characterized by the demand to be creative
and to improvise. Often there is the need to
play a bump-and-run or a knock-down shot
that keeps the adverse effects of the wind to a
minimum. Above all, a links course offers golf
at its most traditional and elemental.
About 75 miles from the center of London
and half as much again from Heathrow Airport,
Royal St George’s—or “George’s” as it is affectionately known—was founded and designed
by William Laidlaw Purves in 1887. He was an
accomplished and well-traveled surgeon, and
in his quest to find a suitable site, it is said that
he climbed the tower of St Clement’s Church in
Sandwich to scan the coastline.
His eye came to rest on a particularly fine
stretch of dunes which looked to have been
made for golf. Indeed, immediately adjacent
to the 14th hole is Prince's, and less than a
mile to the south is Royal Cinque Ports; each
of these has also hosted The Open.
Purves' main purpose for forming the new
club was to serve the needs of London golfers
who at the time had to play on the capital’s over-
crowded courses, which were often not very well
maintained. The original name of his new club
St George's, the idea being that it would become
the English equivalent of Scotland's St Andrews.
photo by mark newcombe
Occupying sixth place in Golf Monthly’s prestigious list of the Top 100 Courses in the UK & Ireland, the course is a severe
test which stretches to well over 7,000 yards
from the back tees. This is no standard out-and-back links; instead, it constantly twists and
turns through the dunes with the wind an ever-shifting influence. With only two par-5s, it is the
armory of long par-4s that provides its greatest
challenge, with no fewer than 11 measuring up
at over 400 yards. No. 1 sets the tone: 442 yards
across a shallow valley before an approach over
cross bunkers to a green that falls away to the
right. The last time The Open was here in 2003,
Tiger Woods carved his opening tee shot 30
yards to the right and it was never seen again.
No. 8 is a cracking hole where you drive up the
hill before an approach over a lunar landscape
to a two-tier green. At the 10th, Tom Kite went
from bunker to bunker by the green en route to
a double-bogey six when leading the 1985 Open.
The par five 14th is a classic with OB hugging the
right-hand side along every one of its 545 yards,
and the ‘Suez Canal’ crossing the fairway some
200 yards from home. The closing holes provide
a seriously tough finish to your test before the
sanctuary of the historic clubhouse. James Bond
creator Ian Fleming was a member here.
britain’s historic links, usually playable year-round due to their sandy settings, dominate
the uk & ireland golf course rankings.
Anyone visiting the Open and Sandwich will find plenty of Old English hospitality and other attractions in the area. Once
the major port in England, Sandwich is one of the
best preserved medieval towns in the UK. Within
the old town walls, historic buildings are laid out
in a street plan which has changed little since the
creation of the Domesday book (the great survey
of England completed in 1086 by William the
Conqueror). There are museums, Roman ruins
and a delightful river bus service which gives visitors the opportunity to view different aspects of
Sandwich, the River Stour and its wildlife.
The Bell Hotel has been welcoming guests
to stay and dine since Tudor times and with
its excellent accommodations, dining rooms
and bars, it is a perfect meeting place for the
visiting golfer. n
above: royal
st george's will
provide a true
links setting for
this year's open
championship
