Photo: N Chadwick · CC BY-SA 2.0
England's Open Championship Coast, England
The Royal St. George's Golf Club
An Open Championship links on the Kent coast, the only Open venue in South East England.
Course overview
Founded in 1887 on duneland near Sandwich, Royal St George's has hosted The Open Championship more times than any course outside Scotland. Visitor play is limited to Tuesdays and Wednesdays, for golfers with a handicap index of 18.4 or lower.
The essentials
- Architect
- Laidlaw Purves
- Established
- 1887
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 70
- Length
- 6,587 m
- Location
- Kent, England
Character & atmosphere
A raw, undulating links on duneland above Sandwich Bay — blind drives over ridges, plateau greens, and relentless Channel wind make Royal St George's the most capricious Open venue in England. Suited to low-handicap players comfortable with ball-flight control and links bounce; exposed, unforgiving, and rewarding.
Highlights
Why play here
- Designed by Laidlaw Purves, opened in 1887.
Signature Hole
4
Maiden
A long par-4 that demands a drive over and around the massive Maiden dune — the most prominent natural feature on the course — before a demanding approach to a valley green. The hole has featured in Open Championship lore since the club's first Open in 1894 and encapsulates Royal St George's character: raw duneland, no forgiveness, and a requirement to shape the ball to hold position against the prevailing wind off the English Channel.
Practical guidance
Plan your visit
How to get there
London Gatwick is the most convenient airport for Sandwich; the drive via the M25 and M2/A2 takes around 90 minutes depending on traffic. London City Airport is useful for travellers arriving from Europe. The high-speed rail from London St Pancras International to Sandwich via Ebbsfleet is a practical car-free option.
Where to stay
Sandwich is the home town of Royal St George's and gives immediate access to the highest concentration of Open Championship links outside Scotland. The medieval town has a character of its own, and Deal — the next village along the coast — adds more dining and a fine links course of its own.
Nearby courses
Location
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England
Explore England's Open Championship Coast
The stretch of English coastline that hosts The Open Championship, anchored by Royal St George's in Kent.