Kent

For those who don’t know Kent... For those of you who don’t know Kent yet, it is something amazing to discover! The county of Kent, known as the ‘Garden of England’, is easily accessible for us here in Holland. Despite the short distance between our two countries, the North Sea that separates us perhaps makes us feel that we are in different worlds but in fact it is very close and extremely easy to get there. Getting there One of the best ways of getting to Kent is via Belgium Zeebrugge / Calais or the Hook of Holland from where the Stena Line ferry sails to Harwich. We chose the latter option, as it is the shortest route to the UK and allows you to sail at night, sleep on board and arrive rested and ready to go. The cabins are spacious and onboard meals delicious. www.stenaline.nl After a comfortable crossing, Kent is just 100 miles away by car. From the wide range of over 100 courses located in Kent, we chose five to discover amongst the many other attractions that Kent has to offer. Boughton Golf Club This golf club is located in the Kentish hills between Canterbury and Faversham. We were greeted by a spacious, wide-open course with generous fairways, most of which were set on slightly hilly terrain. The road up to the club is lined on both sides with dense rows of trees and shrubs and similar planting has been applied to the golf course. If you lose your ball on either side of the fairway, then retrieval is generally futile! The large greens are of good quality and very fast! As newcomers to the track, we had a little trouble finding our way to the next hole so we recommend taking a course guide. Course hazards include two ponds in tricky positions (though otherwise full of water lilies and very beautiful) and a number of bunkers – not potbunkers – that are annoyingly deep and, as it turned out, often barely playable directly to the green. All in all a very pleasant course, although it appeared tough at first glance. The enormous clubhouse has a cosy atmosphere with deep armchairs inside whilst the outdoor terrace overlooking the 18th green is extremely agreeable and a great place to ponder the round just played. http://www.pentlandgolf.co.uk/boughton/boughton-golf club
Shepherd Neame This brewery also owns a large array of pubs and coaching inns, many with overnight accommodation, in South East England which are ideal places to stay whilst golfing in Kent. On our trip we stayed in two of them, the Miller's Arms in Canterbury and the New Flying Horse Wye, which both come highly recommended.
http://www.shepherdneame.co.uk/pubsCanterbury This city is probably best known for its Cathedral, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of the Anglican Church, and as the place where Thomas Becket was murdered in 1170. Canterbury Cathedral has long been a destination for pilgrims travelling from Rochester and Winchester and is the start of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Today this lively university town on the River Stour with its quaint streets welcomes tourists all year round.

Austin Lodge Golf Club
Near the picturesque village of Eynsford, we found the quiet little Austin Lodge Golf Club. To get there you drive past a "dead end" sign and then arrive 3 km later! The capacious clubhouse reminds us somewhat of a Spanish mansion.

The course is set on hilly terrain where the windy paths make a buggy almost indispensable. An accurate game is required over this course as once the ball leaves the fairway, it is difficult to trace or even go back to the tee! There are some spectacular holes with generous fairways that demand that you play your ball with good height in order to combat the steepness and undulations of the fairways on some holes. It is a good quality track, though certainly quite difficult, and really only a course for experienced golfers. http://www.pentlandgolf.co.uk/austin-lodge/austin-lodge-golf-club Lord Harris The countryside of Kent has much to offer. Amongst the rolling hills and fruit orchards, there is a lot to discover if you are prepared to drive along narrow back roads to find its hidden gems. It was this way that we found the gorgeous gardens at Faversham at Belmont House, a stately mansion, belonging to the Harris family. In addition to various military operations during the time of the British Empire, Lord Harris also created a beautiful golf course here on his estate. On our list for next time for sure! London Golf Club This golf club with two 18–hole courses, Heritage and International, may truly be called an extravagant club. Once one has entered through impressive gates, you follow a mile-long road up to the imposing clubhouse. We played the International

Course which this year (2014) will host some of the world’s top golfers for the 50th anniversary of the Volvo World Match Play Championship.
For low handicappers this course is a scoring feast whilst for high handicappers it is a tough test and sometimes even a source of despair! The fairways are narrow and the rough is pretty high right next to the fairway but overall the track is brilliant. You should be warned that pace of play can be slow as London businessmen are well represented here as this venue provides an excellent opportunity to host clients and discuss business. Inside the clubhouse, the service was impeccable. http://www.londongolf.co.uk/

Leeds Castle
One of the big draws in Kent is certainly Leeds Castle which is extremely popular with visitors to the county, unsurprising as it really is worth the visit. Until relatively recently the ancient castle was occupied by a wealthy American who entertained the rich and famous from all over the world here (including the American Ryder Cup team!). The decor is as if the owner has just left giving a fantastic insight to how they lived a few decades ago. To add to the castle, there are beautiful gardens, ponds and a large playground.
Bridgewood Manor Hotel
For golf courses close to London, this comfortable hotel is ideal as it is conveniently located just off the motorway.  Boasting 100 rooms, the spacious courtyard at Bridgewood Manor is the perfect place to spend a soft summer evening. Importantly, the wifi works perfectly!
Lullingstone Golf Club Lullingstone is very different from the London Golf Club as it is more of a typical club for the local working man. You arrive here via tight, narrow roads that are strikingly rural despite being so close to the metropolis of London. The pro shop, spike bar and restaurant are traditional as opposed to modern and glossy. The golf course is fantastic and in our opinion is one of the most desirable in Kent. The fairways are generous though some of them slant somewhat (always aim high!), the greens are fast and furious with remarkably little slope whilst the bunkers are shallow and very playable. The views here are phenomenal: many holes look out over vast lavender fields and the ancient Lullingstone Castle. Overall, this was a top golfing destination for us, offering regular down-to-earth facilities and a stunning course that is not too difficult to play. http://www.lullingstonegolfcourse.co.uk/
Etchinghill Golf Club Located near Folkestone, this cosy club with an 18-hole course has many vantage points that give you a lovely view of the village Etchinghill.  The course is of excellent quality, but given the track is laid out on a slope, special skills are required. We had some difficulty finding our way onto to the next hole so a course book would prove very useful. The clubhouse itself enjoys an animated and very pleasant atmosphere and the members are extremely friendly.

Leeds Castle One of the big draws in Kent is certainly Leeds Castle which is extremely popular with visitors to the county, unsurprising as it really is worth the visit. Until relatively recently the ancient castle was occupied by a wealthy American who entertained the rich and famous from all over the world here (including the American Ryder Cup team!). The decor is as if the owner has just left giving a fantastic insight to how they lived a few decades ago. To add to the castle, there are beautiful gardens, ponds and a large playground. Bridgewood Manor Hotel For golf courses close to London, this comfortable hotel is ideal as it is conveniently located just off the motorway. Boasting 100 rooms, the spacious courtyard at Bridgewood Manor is the perfect place to spend a soft summer evening. Importantly, the wifi works perfectly! Lullingstone Golf Club

Lullingstone is very different from the London Golf Club as it is more of a typical club for the local working man. You arrive here via tight, narrow roads that are strikingly rural despite being so close to the metropolis of London. The pro shop, spike bar and restaurant are traditional as opposed to modern and glossy. The golf course is fantastic and in our opinion is one of the most desirable in Kent. The fairways are generous though some of them slant somewhat (always aim high!), the greens are fast and furious with remarkably little slope whilst the bunkers are shallow and very playable. The views here are phenomenal: many holes look out over vast lavender fields and the ancient Lullingstone Castle. Overall, this was a top golfing destination for us, offering regular down-to-earth facilities and a stunning course that is not too difficult to play. http://www.lullingstonegolfcourse.co.uk/
Etchinghill Golf Club Located near Folkestone, this cosy club with an 18-hole

course has many vantage points that give you a lovely view of the village Etchinghill. The course is of excellent quality, but given the track is laid out on a slope, special skills are required. We had some difficulty finding our way onto to the next hole so a course book would prove very useful. The clubhouse itself enjoys an animated and very pleasant atmosphere and the members are extremely friendly.http://www.pentlandgolf.co.uk/etchinghill/etchinghill-golf-club

In addition to its golf courses, Kent has a great deal to offer the visitor.
For more golf in Kent: http://www.golfinkent.co.uk/
For more off-course Kent Attractions:
www.visitkent.co.uk and www.kentattractions.co.uk

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