Golfers who make the trek to play links golf in England’s county of Kent – located southeast of London — will be well served by making camp, so to speak, at The Lodge at Princes. Simply put, this 38-room destination – which opened for business in May 2012 — truly caters to the needs of the avid golfer.
By staying at The Lodge at Princes, you are just a few minutes away from the first tee of both the Royal St. George’s Golf Club, site of 14 previous Open Championships, and the Princes Golf Club, which hosted The Open Championship in 1932 and will host the Walker Cup in 2030.
And, it’s less than a 10-minute drive to the Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club in nearby Deal. This golf course, known as Deal, hosted The Open in 1909 and 1920.
The geographic location for The Lodge at Princes is perfect, priceless and worth the price of admission. The Lodge has an unobstructed view of Sandwich Bay and the English Channel, the banks of which are a stone’s throw away from this property. Here, you can begin your day with a morning walk along the English Channel before enjoying a cooked-to-order breakfast at The Lodge.
The Lodge at Princes was designed with the total needs of golfers in mind. The rooms are clean, comfortable, and spacious as there’s plenty of room for luggage and golf clubs. Each room has a view of either the English Channel or portions of either Royal St. George’s or Princes. At Royal St. George’s, the 13th green and 14th tee are separated from The Lodge by fencing, while the 5th green on the Shore course at Princes is just a few steps away from back patio of The Lodge.
After golf, guests have everything they need at The Lodge – a fully stocked bar, comfortable seating, a pool table, and a diverse menu at the 1932 Grill, that serves Kentish fare using in-season, local produce. The walls of the bar are decorated with golf bags donated by many famous golfers such as Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington, Collin Morikawa, and Henrik Stenson.
“Make sure you dine at the 1932 Grill during your stay,” said Ali McGuirk, business development manager, the Lodge at Princes. “Head Chef Ricky has created a wonderful menu featuring locally sourced produce. His lamb dish is not be missed!”
On any given day, guests can enjoy morning coffee, an afternoon cream tea, a drink at the bar and spend some time on the first-class practice putting green which sits adjacent to The Lodge. This practice putting green is a wonderful place to begin your day with some pre-round practice putts or a great place to conclude your day following golf at one of the nearby links golf courses.
“Guests always enjoy our unique location, with the three fantastic neighbouring championship links courses and great coastal views,” added McGuirk. “Guests always comment on our friendly, welcoming and professional staff.”
Before departing The Lodge at Princes, take a guided tour of The Gallery, located inside The Lodge. The Gallery is a mini museum which contains a number of videos, letters, pictures, trophies, old clubs, and memorabilia that are connected to the growth of golf at Princes. The focal point of The Gallery is the original sand wedge which was created by Sarazen, who, of course, won the ’32 Open at Princes.
Clearly, it won’t be easy leaving The Lodge at Princes and the golfing opportunities in that area, but it will be easy planning a return trip to the Lodge at Princes and the championship links golf along coastal Kent.