First, the Courses and Why This Corner of Kent Matters
This stretch of coastline has been at the heart of British golf for over a century. Three courses sitting side by side along the Kent coast have all hosted The Open Championship; Royal St George’s, Royal Cinque Ports and Prince’s. That is a concentration of golfing history that exists nowhere else in England. Royal Cinque Ports in particular is having a remarkable moment. In 2025 it was rated England’s 8th best course by Golf World, Britain and Ireland’s 28th best, and among the world’s top 100 by GOLF Magazine. The club hosted Final Qualifying for The Open in 2025 and co-hosted The Amateur Championship alongside Royal St George’s the same year — cementing its status as one of the most significant links venues in the country right now. Staying on its doorstep, as guests at our Deal cottages do, is something golfers increasingly seek out specifically.
The Four Courses at a Glance
Royal St George’s, Sandwich: The name needs no introduction. An Open Championship host multiple times over and consistently ranked among the greatest links courses in the world. Visitor access is available but limited — book well in advance and treat a round here as the bucket list experience it genuinely is.
Royal Cinque Ports, Deal: Known simply as “Cinque Ports” to those who know it well. An authentic and natural links course, the seemingly flat terrain is in fact full of subtle mounds, bumps and hollows creating plenty of interest on every hole, alongside blind tee shots, steep-faced bunkers and fairway-lining rough. Three-time Open Champion Gary Player once said of the closing stretch that he considered the last four holes at Deal to be the finest consecutive holes on any course in the world. High praise, and widely agreed upon.
Prince’s Golf Club, Sandwich: Often overlooked beside its more famous neighbour on the Sandwich Bay estate, Prince’s is a seriously good course in its own right – three loops of nine holes across spectacular links terrain. More accessible to book than Royal St George’s, it makes an excellent second or third round and is a genuine pleasure to play.
Walmer & Kingsdown Golf Club: A very different experience from the three links courses. This course sits high on the downland above the village with sweeping views over the Channel on almost every hole. More relaxed in atmosphere, easier to book, and a wonderful way to round off a multi-course weekend.
How to Structure Your Weekend
The distances here are genuinely remarkable. Royal St George’s and Royal Cinque Ports are just five miles apart or seven minutes by car. Kingsdown is fifteen minutes south of Deal. Prince’s sits alongside Royal St George’s on the Sandwich Bay estate. This means a long weekend can realistically deliver three or even four rounds without any significant travel between them.
A suggested shape for a three-night stay:
- Friday: Arrive, settle into the cottage, easy dinner in Deal. Early night — you have a tee time in the morning.
- Saturday: Morning round at Royal Cinque Ports or Kingsdown Golf Club. Afternoon at leisure — walk the coastal path, explore Deal, or simply decompress at the cottage. Evening celebration dinner at The Rose on Deal High Street or 81 Beach Street.
- Sunday: Morning round at Royal St George’s or Prince’s. Lunch at The Lazy Elephant in Sandwich before heading home — or extend to a Sunday afternoon round at whichever course you haven’t yet played.
- For a four-night stay: Add Kingsdown on the Thursday evening arrival for a warm-up round, or squeeze in a fourth course on the Monday morning before checkout.
Practical Things Worth Knowing
Book tee times early — especially for the Royals. Royal St George’s and Royal Cinque Ports are in high demand, particularly from spring through to September. As a rule of thumb, book your tee times as soon as your accommodation is confirmed. Prince’s and Kingsdown have more flexibility but still benefit from advance planning.
The weather is part of the experience. This is links golf on the Kent coast. The wind will play a role – sometimes a starring one. The famous Deal microclimate makes for a fantastic winter course, though beware of the wind, and in summer long days, big skies and skylarks add to a wonderful links experience. Pack layers, embrace the conditions, and remember that a difficult day in the wind on a links this good is still a very good day.
Getting here from London is easier than most people expect. Direct trains from St Pancras reach Deal in under ninety minutes. From there, all four courses are accessible by taxi or car. If you’re driving, the A2 from London to Dover and then the A258 coast road is a straightforward journey of around ninety minutes from South East London.
When to visit. Late spring through early autumn gives you the best combination of course conditions, long evenings and reliable weather. May, June and September are particularly good – the courses are in excellent shape, the days are long, and the coastal scenery is at its best without the peak summer crowds.
Non-golfers in the group. This is one of the best mixed-group golf destinations in the country precisely because Deal offers so much for those not playing. Brooklyn Greenspa for treatments, Hut 55 for beach yoga and coffee, Deal’s independent shops and restaurants, coastal walks from Walmer to Kingsdown, Walmer Castle’s gardens and sound bath events – a non-golfer here is not spending a weekend waiting for everyone else to come back from the course.
Choosing Your Base
Where you stay shapes the whole weekend. Our three recommended golf cottages are each positioned to make the most of this coastline:
The Dunes, Sandwich Bay: Five minutes from Royal St George’s and Prince’s, with immediate access to the beach and nature reserve. The closest you can get to waking up and walking to the first tee.
Galatea, Deal: In the heart of Deal, moments from Royal Cinque Ports and everything the town has to offer in the evenings.
Fig Tree Lane, Kingsdown: A peaceful village base with Kingsdown Golf Club on the doorstep and the beach a short walk away.
