Challenging golf holes, beautifully crafted greens and bunkers, a character of its own and stunning scenery - the 4 prerequisites of great architecture says Tom Doak, and Sandwich has them in spades!

The fact that each of the holes at Royal St Georges easily spring to mind, helps prove to me that this is a further step up from Deal.

This is not a traditional out and back links, infact it routes in 2 loops, but this way every aspect of your golfing expertise will be tested. Another 35 mph wind but I didn't walk off feeling battered as I did at Deal. The breathatking hole design, views and fun we had out there, meant the wind felt secondary to everything else.

It had also helped that my friend had given me a brief lesson on drawing the golf ball off the tee before we headed out and it worked a treat!.

Right from the get go on the 1st tee, the course felt a step up and as we ventured out there the holes got better and better.

Totally natural in design with huge dunes in places, rolling and undulating fairways, a good mix of natural looking bunkers and pot bunkers, wicked greens and superb views across the vast property - enough land between holes to squeeze in another 9 - this is a worthy World Top 100.

Having a forecaddie for the day was very helpful and informative, adding interesting anecdotes to various holes - the 5th where John Daly drove the green on practice day at his 3rd attenpt for example. Talking of which the 5th is a classic links. Played from a high tee, this dog leg left hole leaves ypur 2nd shot playing downwind over a huge dune, a blind approach to a large flat green with run off areas on all sides and OOB to its right.

Having played the 2nd of 2 par 3s on the front 9 - both of which are excellent, the 1st par 5 presents itself. Having the forecaddie meant we knew where to hit this blind tee shot over, and given it was only 490 yards off the Medal tees, even I could get to the greensite in 2. To my horror, what I thought was a swale to the left of the green turned out to be a bunker and my eagle chance was gone!

The most fun I have had on a green in forever happened on the 9th. A short par 4, measuring 373 yards off the Weekday tees, my 8 iron approach shot looked all over the flag, hit the green and vanished off down the right hand run off, some 10 foot below the green. The green is long and thin, with a ridge on the left hand side and the pin was tucked on a curved part of the green on the right - now I understood why it didn't stick. Given the strong winds, my attempted texas wedge approach up the run off failed several times. Despite putting onto the green the wind simply blew the ball back down. My playing partners suffered similar heartache. One ball stopped an inch from the hole. The putt was about to be given when the wind started it moving again and down into the valley where my ball had come to rest. The hole was eventually won with a 7! 5 putts! The pin position was nigh on impossible but fun all the same.

The 10th plateau table top green offers the best Panoramic views of the entire golf course, as well as the most severe run offs, before a 242 yard par 3. However with wind behind my 6 iron ended up through the back!

Holes 12 and 13 offered different shot shaping skills off the tee. The 13th plays 457 yards par 4, right upto the fence adjoining Princes, but again with a helping wind a drive and 6 iron proved plenty to walk off with a par.

A fine par 5 follows - a brook gathers up a long drive or poorly hit 2nd and then the green complex severely slopes making a par on this 545 yard hole, played directly into the wind quite an achievement!

The round closes out with a great 4 hole run. The 15th is SI1. At 493 yards its a brute of a par 4 and the clever diagonal line of bunkers before the green mean you have to a hit a confident all carry approach.

The last of the 4 par 3s follows - this was 161 yards but I hit my 5 wood as good as I had done all day and only made the front edge.

2 long par 4s finish, the closing hole playing directly into the wind, so at 456 yards, this was par 5 territory for me. The green typified all that had gone on beforehand with slopes, quick in pace with that added factor of the wind to contend with. It's a fine finishing hole directly back to the clubhouse.

What a course, for me the best of the 3 we played, sitting comfortably above Deal and Princes. But combine all 3, as they do.in the annual Hoof challenge and you have a superb 3 day golfing trip.