Just 75 miles south of London in Sandwich are found Royal St. George’s—site of the 2011 Open Championship—and its neighbor, Prince’s Golf Club, where Gene Sarazen won the 1932 Open using a golf club which he had invented specifically for the tournament: the first modern sand-wedge. He went on to de- scribe Prince’s (now managed by Troon Golf) as “Britain’s finest course,” and whilst it has only hosted the Open once, it is used for local final qualifying whenever the event comes to Sandwich. Unusually, Prince’s is blessed with three loops of nine, with the Shore and Dunes generally being used for more serious com- petitions. Slightly flatter than Royal St. George’s, it offers a more relaxed welcome and exceptional value throughout the year. In 2011, The Apartments at The Lodge opened providing en-suite accommodation with compelling views across the golf courses and to the east across the bay of Sandwich. The original clubhouse at Prince's has recently been reopened as The Lodge, accommodating up to 48 guests, along with a restaurant, gym, snooker room, bar and terrace.—Rob Smith
princesgolfclub.co.uk Prince's, England
Turnberry, Scotland
It’s been three years since Tom Watson’s dramatic second place
finish in the Open Championship at Turnberry, but the resort is
still feeling the buzz. The almost-greatest moment in the game’s
history—during a major championship which Turnberry has now
hosted four times—only reinforced the resort’s reputation for
bringing out the heroic in the world’s best golfers.
The iconic hotel, part of the Luxury Collection within Starwood
Hotels, underwent a major renovation in 2009, including a
significant upgrade of guest rooms, as well as completely
renovated public areas.
But it’s the two golf courses (and short course fronting the
hotel) at Turnberry that set it apart, the Ailsa and Kintyre. Both
are characterized by rolling hills, sandy dunes, and often a stiff
breeze blowing off the Ayrshire coast. This is exactly what
golfers expect when they are looking for links golf.
“We still get questions about the 2009 Open every day,” says
director of golf Chris Card, who says his favorite memory from
that week came on Saturday, when a number of pros were in the
hotel’s main bar watching events unfold on television as Watson
made his charge. “When he came up 18, even these guys, fellow
pros, walked out the front door onto the veranda and clapped
for him to show their appreciation. That’s what golf does. It’s a
gentleman’s game.” There may be no finer place to experience
it in Scotland—or anywhere else for that matter—than at
Turnberry.—Tom Mackin
turnberry.co.uk
