Golfers who travel to play links golf in England’s county of Kent (golfinkent.co.uk) would be wise to ‘hang their hat,’ so to speak, at The Lodge at Prince’s. This 38-room property – which opened on May 12, 2012 — caters to the needs of the avid, passionate golfer. By staying at the Lodge at Prince’s, you get to sleep in the ‘shadows’ of three of the world’s finest links golf destinations – Royal St. George’s Golf Club (royalstgeorges.com), Prince’s Golf Club (princesgolfclub.co.uk), and Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club (royalcinqueports.com).
From the Lodge, you are just minutes away from the first tee of both Royal St. George’s, the site of 14 previous Open Championships, and Prince’s, which hosted The Open in 1932. It’s roughly a 10-minute drive from the Lodge to Royal Cinque Ports in nearby Deal, which hosted The Open in 1909 and 1920.
The Lodge at Prince’s is more than convenient. It’s ideal. The Lodge has an unobstructed view of the English Channel, located a stone’s throw away from this property. You can begin your day with a walk along the English Channel before enjoying a full English breakfast at The Lodge.
Everything at The Lodge is designed for golfers. The rooms are clean, comfortable, and spacious with lots 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 Prince’s. Believe it or not, but the 5th green on the Shore course at Prince’s is just a few steps away from the back patio of The Lodge.
After golf, guests have everything they need to enjoy any evening at The Lodge – a fully stocked bar and a diverse menu at The Brasserie on the Bay.
“Head Chef Ricky has created a wonderful menu featuring locally sourced produce,” said Ali McGuirk, business development manager, Prince’s. “His Kentish lamb dish is not to be missed!”
Every day, guests can enjoy an early evening drink and spend time on the first-class practice putting green, adjacent to The Lodge.
Besides the many amenities at the Lodge, another big fringe benefit is your access to some of golf’s greatest treasures – all affiliated with the Prince’s Golf Club. While staying at The Lodge, you must book a guided tour through The Gallery, where those great golf treasures are on display.
The Gallery is a boutique-like mini museum, located on the top floor of the Lodge, which contains a number of trophies, medals, cups, videos, hand-written notes, pictures, typed letters, golf clubs, and memorabilia that are connected to Prince’s GC. The prestigious awards include the Gene Sarazen Trophy, Lady Bridgland Bowl, Laddie Lucas Spoon, and Lady Astor Cup. If a historical moment took place at Prince’s, then it’s been documented and is on display inside The Gallery. The focal point of The Gallery is the original sand wedge created by Gene Sarazen, who won the ’32 Open at Prince’s. It’s worth noting that Francis Ouimet played Prince’s on April 8, 1914; Sir Winston Churchill played golf at Prince’s in 1923, as his signature appears in the directory for visiting golfers; Bobby Jones was at Prince’s in 1930; the Curtis Cup matches were held at Prince’s in 1956; and Sarazen’s last visit to Prince’s was in 1992, 60 years after winning the Open at Prince’s. Memories of those moments – and more – are housed inside The Gallery, which is now the home for some historical items that warrant being on display at World Golf’s Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida.
“The Gallery attracts golfers with a general interest in this wonderful game,” said John Gardner, curator, The Gallery. “They have a keen interest in the history of our golf club. They are always enthusiastic to learn that they are playing in the footsteps of Winston Churchill, Francis Ouimet, Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen and many others. I think the founding fathers can rest easy that their beloved Prince’s will still be making history in another hundred years.”
Suffice it to say, it won’t be easy leaving The Lodge at Prince’s and The Gallery, but it will be easy making plans for a return trip to this historical area of coastal Kent.
