England, United Kingdom
The Dunes’ nine anticlockwise loop threads through duneland terrain that borders Royal St George's to the north. The Himalayas introduces wetland carries, a drivable par-four, a shared double green and the property's longest hole at the par-five sixth.
Prince’s Golf Club (Dunes & Himalayas)
Princes Drive, Sandwich Bay, England CT13 9QB, United Kingdom
princesgolfclub.co.uk+44 (0) 1304 611118The Dunes’ nine anticlockwise loop threads through duneland terrain that borders Royal St George's to the north. The Himalayas introduces wetland carries, a drivable par-four, a shared double green and the property's longest hole at the par-five sixth.
The Dunes nine delivers one of the most internally routed and subtly complex links experiences in the south of England, its anticlockwise loop threading through duneland terrain that borders Royal St George's to the north. The Himalayas, the most significantly reworked of Prince's three circuits following Martin Ebert's 2017–18 redesign, introduces a different palette entirely: wetland carries, a driveable par-four, a shared double green and the property's longest hole at the par-five sixth, which plays closest of any hole at Prince's to the Kent shoreline.
The land on which the Dunes and Himalayas loops now sit was part of the original 18-hole layout designed by Charles Hutchings and Percy Lucas, which opened in 1907. The modern Himalayas holes trace directly back to that founding layout: holes 1 to 9 on the current nine correspond to holes 5 to 13 of the post-war Championship Blue course, meaning five of today's Himalayas greens sit on or close to positions used for the 1932 Open Championship.
Military requisition during the Second World War left the course severely damaged, and the 27-hole layout that emerged from Sir Guy Campbell and John Morrison's post-war reconstruction, reopening in April 1952, defined the Dunes and Himalayas routing as it stood for over six decades. The Dunes loop, running anticlockwise through the more enclosed duneland interior of the estate, retained much of that 1950s character through to the modern era.
The more dramatic transformation came in 2017, when Martin Ebert was commissioned to comprehensively rework the Himalayas nine. The redesign merged two existing holes into a new sweeping par-five, inserted the par-three Bloody Point playing towards the sea at the fifth, introduced permanent wetlands around the eighth, and unveiled the Sarazen bunker beside the home green as a named feature — honouring the trap Gene Sarazen played from on his way to winning the 1932 Open. The new holes opened in May 2018.
The Dunes nine runs as an anticlockwise loop from the central clubhouse, with five holes tracking towards the boundary shared with Royal St George's before turning back. The routing moves through more enclosed duneland than the Shore nine, with subtle mounding, angled fairways and run-offs around the greens, placing a premium on approach accuracy and ground-game management. The first hole begins with a semi-blind tee shot to an angled fairway, setting the tone for a nine that asks questions through topography rather than length.
The Himalayas occupies the western and coastal reaches of the Prince's estate and extends to over 3,600 yards from the back tees at a par of 36. Ebert's redesign fundamentally restructured the loop with a new par-three fifth, named Bloody Point, inserted playing directly towards the English Channel. The eighth was converted into a short, driveable par-four flanked by permanent wetlands. The fourth and eighth holes share a double green, one of the few remaining examples of this traditional design device on the Kent links. The par-five sixth, at 580 yards, the longest hole across all three nines, runs closest to the shoreline and incorporates views across Pegwell Bay. The ninth plays to a semi-blind home fairway, finishing at a green protected on its front-left by the Sarazen bunker, named for the sand trap Gene Sarazen played from during his 1932 Open Championship victory on the site.
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The Dunes and Himalayas offer two of the most architecturally differentiated nine-hole loops in English links golf. Where the Dunes rewards patience and ground-game precision through enclosed duneland, the Himalayas presents a more varied and visually dramatic circuit, with wetland carries, a double green and the estate's longest hole anchoring a layout that now stands comparison with any nine at Sandwich Bay. Together, they make a compelling 18-hole combination for travelling golfers seeking something beyond the conventional links experience.
The Lodge at Prince's offers 38 bedrooms across two apartment blocks right at the course entrance, including two standout suites with views over the Bay of Sandwich and the Shore course's 5th green. Under two hours from London by road or rail, with easy access from Gatwick, Heathrow and the Channel Tunnel, making it a natural base for a stay-and-play break on the Kent coast.
Golf Academy
GPS-enabled golf carts
Practice Bunkers
Locker Room Access
Short game practice area
Snack Bar
Pro Shop
Golf Club Rental
Pull Cart Rental
Cart Paths
Golf Cart Rental
Golf Lessons Available
Group Clinics
Restaurant / Grill
Practice Putting Green
Driving Range
Golf equipment/accessories for purchase
Halfway House
Shoe/Club Cleaning Service
Bag Drop Area
Championships hosted
The latest ranking of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World serves as the ultimate global golf bucket list. Most members of our World Top 100 Panel are seasoned golfers, each playing 20-30 of these courses annually while travelling extensively over decades to form their opinions on others. We recognise that opinions vary—even among our panel members. Rankings are subjective, and there are undoubtedly 50 or more courses in the UK and USA alone that could easily fit onto this list. Links Golf Pilgrimages The rankings
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England is home to some of the best golf courses in the world, and its five highest-ranked layouts can be played without being a member. From a 15-time Open venue on the Kent coast to some of the finest heathland golf in Surrey and Berkshire, plus a spectacular links course in Cornwall, these are the five highest-ranked courses in England that welcome visiting golfers. Royal St. George’s Golf Club (Kent) World Ranking: 19th | England ranking: 1st | Green fee: £430 Royal St George’s offers the chance to play one of England’s most historic and challenging links courses. Founded in 1887, it was the first English course to host the Open and has staged the championship 15 times, including the most recent edition in 2021. Routed through towering dunes in a loose figure of eight, Royal St George’s has undulating fairways, uneven lies and plenty of elevation changes that can make even seemingly straightforward shots difficult. The fourth hole is particularly memorable, with a huge bunker carved into a towering dune guarding the fairway. Despite its reputation as a demanding championship test, the course is as enjoyable to explore as it is difficult to score on. Wildflowers and dune grasses line the fairways, while views stretch across Pegwell Bay towards the white cliffs beyond. Add in distinctive features such as the thatched shelters and St George’s flags, and there is plenty to keep you entertained between the inevitable moments of frustration. Sunningdale Golf Club - Old Course (Surrey) World Ranking: 22nd | England ranking: 2nd | Green fee: £485 The Old course at Sunningdale is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful inland courses in the British Isles. Opened in 1901 by Willie Park Jr, it was one of the first great courses to emerge from the Surrey and Berkshire sand-belt, with Harry Colt later reshaping the layout and giving it the intimate, tree-lined character it has today. Pine, birch, oak and heather frame the fairways, while the firm heathland turf makes Sunningdale a joy to walk and play. The course has hosted plenty of memorable golf, too, including Bobby Jones’ remarkable 66 in Open qualifying in 1926 and Nick Faldo’s 62 at the 1986 European Open. The 10th is a particular highlight, with its elevated tee offering a spectacular view before the halfway hut provides one of golf’s more welcome rewards. The 15th, a 226-yard par three, is another standout. For golfers visiting England, Sunningdale Old offers a classic heathland experience in one of the country's finest golfing regions. Sunningdale Golf Club - New Course (Surrey) World Ranking: 41st | England ranking: 3rd | Green fee: £485 The New course at Sunningdale provides a rather different experience to its famous older sibling. Opened in 1923 and designed by Harry Colt, it is more open and rugged than the Old, with elevated tees, heathery terrain and long carries placing a greater emphasis on driving. At 6,700 yards and par 70, the New is no pushover, with narrow fairways and plenty of undulation making it a particularly demanding test from the back tees. Even the professionals have struggled to make it look easy: Jack Nicklaus once held the course record with a 67 before Graeme Storm carded a remarkable 62 during Open qualifying in 2009. The course has also benefited from an ongoing tree-management programme, allowing more heather to return and restoring views across Chobham Common. The fifth, a picturesque par three played across the heath, is one of the highlights. The result is a course that rewards good driving without becoming a purely distance-based test, with the heathland setting providing plenty of visual interest along the way. St Enodoc Golf Club - Church Course (Cornwall) World Ranking: 49th | England ranking: 4th | Green fee: £190 St Enodoc is unlike almost any other links course in England. Overlooking the Camel Estuary in Rock, with views across to Padstow, the Church Course takes its name from the 13th-century church that sits beside the 10th green. Remarkably, the building was completely buried by sand in the 19th century before being excavated in 1863. Founded in 1891 and redesigned by James Braid in 1907, St Enodoc is defined by its towering dunes and constantly changing terrain, where no two holes feel quite the same. The sixth is the course's signature hole, demanding two blind shots over the towering 'Himalayas' dune to reach the hidden green. The 10th, played across a natural valley to a narrow fairway below, is another memorable challenge. If your ball strays towards the churchyard, you'll also find the grave of Poet Laureate John Betjeman, whose poem Seaside Golf was inspired by the course. The combination of huge dunes, unusual holes and views across the Camel Estuary makes St Enodoc a particularly distinctive addition to any English golf trip. Swinley Forest Golf Club (Berkshire) World Ranking: 52nd | England ranking: 5th Swinley Forest offers a quieter, more understated version of heathland golf on the Surrey and Berkshire sand-belt. Set among mature pines and heather, it has a wonderfully quiet atmosphere and an old-fashioned character that is increasingly difficult to find. The firm, fast-running fairways and purple heather in summer give it all the hallmarks of classic heathland golf. Designed by Harry Colt and opened in 1909, Swinley measures around 6,400 yards and plays to a par of 69. The short holes are particularly strong, with a varied collection of one-shotters that require careful club selection. Around the greens, false fronts, run-offs and subtle slopes provide plenty of opportunities for a good round to unravel. For much of its history, Swinley was an intensely private club where visitors were few and far between. It now welcomes green-fee golfers, although the club retains much of its distinctive character. The result is a course that feels removed from the modern world, with little of the glamour associated with some of its better-known neighbours. For golfers who enjoy traditional heathland golf, that simplicity is a large part of Swinley's appeal. Green fees quoted are summer 2027 rates where available.
Hever Castle Golf Club, Edenbridge, Kent, England Click any of the large images to return to the main Hever Castle page All photographs courtesy of Hever Castle Golf Club -------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
Wildernesse Golf Club, Sevenoaks, Kent, England Click any of the large images to return to the main Wildernesse page All photographs courtesy of Wildernesse Golf Club 2nd green 3rd fairway 7th green 11th approach 12th green looking back 14th hole 18th hole from the clubhouse 18th hole 17th green
