Prince's Golf Club

Princes Golf Club at Sandwich on the Kent coast is in the centre of one of the most historic parts of Great Britain. The Romans landed here, and so did St. Augustine, the reviver of Christianity. Nearby is Dover, the nation's oldest port and modern terminus of links between England and the continent of Europe.

Kent, the Garden of England, is known best for its farms and its fruit but its coastal strip is a popular playground and the site of several seaside resorts. Part of this delightful land has been devoted to Europe's fastest-growing sport, golf.

At Prince's, inside the wide sweep of Sandwich Bay, the scene has been set for rest, relaxation and enjoyment by the whole family. There are twenty-seven holes of championship standard, though the less skilful players will find delight in them.

The championship golf course at Prince's is more modern than most of our links because it has twice risen Phoenix-like from the desolation of war. Its present eminence is due in no small measure to the foresight of the Bridgland family.

In 1948, after wartime occupation by the Army, there was a scheme to turn the site into a permanent military training area, but Sir Aynsley Bridgland succeeded in preventing this. He had the derelict buildings reconstructed, and the land cleared. The broken-down tanks, the concrete and the barbed wire were taken away, and the tank traps were filled in. And, in 1949, Sir Aynsley directed the recreation of the course on the most up-to-date lines. Sir Aynsley died in 1966.

Since 1976 the course has been part of the Ramac Holdings Group who began a major development programme of their own aimed at providing superb leisure facilities in this area which is so accessible to Continental as well as British golfers.

The original course had been begun in 1904 under the direction of Sir Harry Mallaby-Deeley, and it was opened in 1907. But its life was short for in 1914 it was taken over for coastal defence and military training, and not made available for golf again until after the end of the First World War.

But the merit of the old Prince's was clear, and in 1932 it was selected by the Royal and Ancient CGlf Club of St. Andrews to stage the Open Championship.

The easy winner was Gene Sarazen of the United States. Our own greatest golfer of modern times, Henry Cotton, also played in the event and thought himself unfortunate not to have come close to winning.

Henry, a great fan of the old Prince's, said: "I had been suffering from influenza and had spent the entire practice period in bed. But I rose for the first round, and played the first nine holes several strokes better than anyone else. After that, my strength gave out. l should have had half a bottle of champagne at the ninth hole."

Perhaps this is timely advice for today's players!

Prince's has staged many other events of prime importance, including the British Ladies Championships of 1922, 1986 and 1995 and a fantastic win by Britain in the 1956 Curtis Cup.

As a Final Qualifying Course for The Open next door at St. Georges in 1985 it showed its teeth, limiting the professionals to only one score under 70 and that by Massimo Manelli with a 69, a record for the Himalayas/Shore course. Since that date, competing in the 1989 PGA European Challenge Tour, foe Higgins came in from the Shore/ Dunes combination with a 7 under par 65. Later in the same year Clive Hancock set a record 64, also 7 under, for the Dunes/Himalayas in thc Wilson Club Pro Championships. Here too Peter Alliss won both the Schweppes PGA Championships and the Piccadilly Medal, no doubt with thoughts on his mind of his father Percy's performance at Prince's in the 1932 Open, when he finished 5 strokes behind Sarazen, and but for a third round 78, might well have kept the ClaretJug on this side of the Atlantic. However, Sarazen's victory here was one of the 4 majors which led to the American's feat of becoming golfs first "grand-slammer".

The Club also holds its own well known amateur events, including the Prince of Wales Cup, the Lord Donoughmore Cup, the Prince's "Famous" Open Amateur Week and The "Laddie" I ucas Spoon.

This last named competition for 8-13 year olds was the brainchild of Wing Commander "Laddie" Lucas CBE DSO DFC, a Vice President of Princes. "Laddie" was actually born in the old clubhouse and went on to become Walker Cup Captain, World War 11 fighter ace, journalist and Member of Parliament. His early years on the course with his father P. B. Lucas, one of the Club's founders, probably saved his life. Legend has it that returning in a crippled Spitfire from a sortie against the Luftwaffe and not able to maintain height, Laddie, with an abundance of local knowledge and a good eye for the approach shot, crash landed safely within a wedge of the Himalayas 5th green. His comments on landing short have not been recorded! Today at Prince's we find all that is best in modern links golf. The grass in fine in texture, and the fairways maintain a certain springiness throughout the year. The climate is relatively mild, and play is generally possible throughout the year. Indeed, Scandinavian visitors frequently remark upon the contrast with the scene on their own courses in midwinter!

From the back tees, the holes of the championship course are truly formidable, presenting a tremendous challenge to the "tiger". But we are not all scratch players, and we do not all wish to tackle Prince's in its most challenging form. There are other tees further forward. IJsing them, less experienced players often find that their greatest problem is the choice of club for the second shot. In the clear air of Pegwell Bay, the greens often seem closer than they really are. Also, a breeze generally prevails. Perhaps it blows from the sea, perhaps from the land. And perhaps the task that was successfully accomplished yesterday with a 7 iron, today calls for a 4 iron. As the tide changes, so does the golf course.

The greens are a famous feature of Prince's. Most of them are of generous size and allow for a number of pin Lacings. Here the ball runs fast and true, but there are many subtle folds which call for close study. Strike the putt firmly, but cautiously!

Unless the course is being prepared for some important professional event, the rough beside the fairways will be well trimmed, and the fairways will be quite wide. Pout really wild shots are severely punished for the natural cover of the ancient dunes is left untouched.

These dunes have existed since at least the time of Elizabeth 1, and besides the rough grasses which cover them, give harbour to such wild flowers as Sea Holly, Sea Rocket and Sea Bindweed, and also a wide variety of insect life.

All through the year, but especially from autumn to spring, the whole area is the habitat of numerous ducks, wading and sea birds. Oystercatchers, Grey Plover, Sarlderlillg and Dunlin are to be viewed from the course and many an ornithologist has been temporarily distracted from his golf by these sights.

BACK TO THE TOP OF PAGE