Littlestone Golf Club

Littlestone Golf Club is one of the best courses in Kent and well worth adding on to a trip to play Deal and Sandwich.

Prime golf in Kent is not all about the trio of courses around Deal and Sandwich. Far from it. Littlestone is a links of rare quality as befits its top-75 slot in our Great Britain and Ireland Links ranking.

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Thus, if you travel to play those stellar threesome in Kent, you really ought to extend your links experience by travelling further down the coast towards the border with Sussex.

Here you will find one of England’s great secrets. It’s an Open qualifier yet oddly has a lower profile than many much lesser courses.

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Founded in 1888, it is a traditional club with an often-distinguished membership; on one occasion it had the Prime Minister (Asquith) and the Leader of the Opposition (Balfour) as Captain and President respectively!

It also encourages getting round in three hours as either a single, two-ball or foursomes but a more friendly membership and staff you will struggle to find.

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Equally distinguished architectural names have worked on the links – James Braid, Alister MacKenzie, Peter Alliss, Donald Steel and Frank Pennink – and its fast-running fairways and slick greens are a joy. And given its location on the fringe of Romney Marshes that means it is one of the driest places in the country, it usually runs fast.

A clever routing comprising all the classic features of seaside are to be lapped up.