Playing/Lessons in Kent

[simsini]

I've been getting into golf more recently after not playing regularly for 8/9 years. I used to be a member at Knole Park in my 20s/early 30s and managed to get my handicap down to 13 at one point. I've played 3 rounds at London GC, Limpsfield Chart and Poult Wood recently and scores have been variable. I've been hooking everything, with is new to me as I never used to do this.

I still live in the Sevenoaks/Maidstone corridor, so am looking at clubs to join and to get lessons from. Rejoining Knole is £2,200 a year plus the same again as a joining fee, which is well above my price range. They also have a waiting list anyway.

Would anyone recommend a club where it's possible to get games etc without knowing anybody? Are there any pros in the area that anyone recommends for lessons?

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I've been getting into golf more recently after not playing regularly for 8/9 years. I used to be a member at Knole Park in my 20s/early 30s and managed to get my handicap down to 13 at one point. I've played 3 rounds at London GC, Limpsfield Chart and Poult Wood recently and scores have been variable. I've been hooking everything, with is new to me as I never used to do this.

I still live in the Sevenoaks/Maidstone corridor, so am looking at clubs to join and to get lessons from. Rejoining Knole is £2,200 a year plus the same again as a joining fee, which is well above my price range. They also have a waiting list anyway.

Would anyone recommend a club where it's possible to get games etc without knowing anybody? Are there any pros in the area that anyone recommends for lessons?

Poult Wood is a very good option, value for money in the area is unbeatable, but it depends what you're after from a club. It's obviously very different to Knole, and whether that's a good or bad thing depends what you're after from a club. Places like Hever, Nizels, Kings Hill are comparatively expensive, but offer a different product.

I think it's fairly easy to get games at Poult Wood without knowing anyone, I'm a member of a whatsapp group that is specifically for that purpose. There are often people that are new arranging for others to join their tee time, or seeing if anyone else has a space for them.

Craig Sutherland based there is a good coach. However, do you need to have lessons at the club you're a member? I'd find a club I wanted to join, then find the right pro to give me lessons regardless of where they teach.

EDIT: Adding details of other pros that I'd recommend:

Paul Page - haven't seen him for a while because he moved from Kings Hill to his own place at Dartford (via West Malling), which is too far for me. Don't think he has a driving range there either so not sure if it's a studio set up or hitting into a net. But....worth investigating.

Todd Adcock at Tonbridge Golf Centre - Not cheap, and it annoys me that you have to pay for range balls for the lesson, however, good technology setup. Videos, trackman etc.

 

[Bratty]

Julian Reason at Hilden driving range, Hildenborough (top tracer and trackman) and Gemma at Chelsfield Lakes, Orpington are both really good.
Pedham Place has a good range, a par 3 course and an 18 hole course that is very good. Can't speak to the membership aspect, but it's the driest winter course in the area, I can promise you that. Should be affordable too.
You could look at onegolfclub.co.uk, which has playing rights at over 40 clubs in the UK. Pedham, Redlibbets, Marriot Tudor (meh), Hever, Sweetwoods, West Kent, North Downs and Bletchingley all on it and all in pretty close distance to you. £1000 a year or less, I think. You'd need to join iGolf at £40 to get a handicap too, as some of the courses require one.
You can book in with other onegolf members on their tee-time if there's a slot.
Westerham has a wait list, £1,000 joining fee and £2,200 a year, but you also get full 7 day rights at Woldingham, Surry National and 9 holes Godstone.

 

[Rlburnside]

I've been getting into golf more recently after not playing regularly for 8/9 years. I used to be a member at Knole Park in my 20s/early 30s and managed to get my handicap down to 13 at one point. I've played 3 rounds at London GC, Limpsfield Chart and Poult Wood recently and scores have been variable. I've been hooking everything, with is new to me as I never used to do this.

I still live in the Sevenoaks/Maidstone corridor, so am looking at clubs to join and to get lessons from. Rejoining Knole is £2,200 a year plus the same again as a joining fee, which is well above my price range. They also have a waiting list anyway.

Would anyone recommend a club where it's possible to get games etc without knowing anybody? Are there any pros in the area that anyone recommends for lessons?

Darenth is not far from you and they have the Shoreham society there, you can join for a modest fee and they have competitions every week my brother was a member and I played in a few games with them ( not able to win anything of course) and they were a friendly bunch.

 

[Rlburnside]

Should also add if I was down that way I would go and have a lesson with Danny Maude at Sevenoaks, I’ve watched a lot of his videos online.

 

[spongebob59]

Paul Page has an indoor facility at Princes golf course (Dartford).

James Skelton and Tim.Milton work at Pedham and are both good, think you
can pay and play there.

Lullingstone is reopening so maybe consider there too.

 

[Bratty]

Should also add if I was down that way I would go and have a lesson with Danny Maude at Sevenoaks, I’ve watched a lot of his videos online.

Think he's moved to Canterbury now, but he is good, yes.

 

[spongebob59]

Think he's moved to Canterbury now, but he is good, yes.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

We don't have tee times, and its normally quite easy to join a group for games. I know for sure the group I play with on a Saturday morning welcome new people to join us and have asked many singles if they want to join us.
I play at Sittingbounre.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Should also add if I was down that way I would go and have a lesson with Danny Maude at Sevenoaks, I’ve watched a lot of his videos online.

If considering someone like that, I'd add Jay Kelly to the list at West Kent Golf Club.

 

[spongebob59]

We don't have tee times, and its normally quite easy to join a group for games. I know for sure the group I play with on a Saturday morning welcome new people to join us and have asked many singles if they want to join us.
I play at Sittingboun

How flat is Sittingbourne BM ?

 

[Bunkermagnet]

How flat is Sittingbourne BM ?

We have undulations, so not pancake flat. We also have a new pond to get over on the 6th, and new moved green on the 8th. They are moving and building a new 10th which will mean a dogleg playing up the slope to the green, and a new pond short of the 18th is being done.
They aren't standing still, thats for sure

 

[spongebob59]

We have undulations, so not pancake flat. We also have a new pond to get over on the 6th, and new moved green on the 8th. They are moving and building a new 10th which will mean a dogleg playing up the slope to the green, and a new pond short of the 18th is being done.
They aren't standing still, thats for sure

Chestfield has more.hilly bits than flat and my knees are beginning to complain

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Chestfield has more.hilly bits than flat and my knees are beginning to complain

The hardest hill, is the walk up from the 18th green to the clubhouse area.
What time do you normally play?

 

[spongebob59]

Weekends, around 10 and midday during the week

 

[simsini]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm playing Weald of Kent solo today as I'll be in the area, but will definitely be looking to join somewhere for next year that's easy to get to know people, as the people I know aren't particularly interested in golf.

 

[spongebob59]

The Weald is a decent course , you just need to avoid the drainage ditches

 

[simsini]

The Weald is a decent course , you just need to avoid the drainage ditches

Just looked at the course guide, the first hole without a ditch running across it is the 6th!

 

[Canary_Yellow]

The Weald is a decent course , you just need to avoid the drainage ditches

I haven't played it in years, probably about 10 years, is it very different now? In my memory it is a bit like Redlibbets, but that might just be me confusing the two....

 

[simsini]

Managed to get round in 3 hours and 10 minutes, which was pretty good considering there were a few 2 balls on the course. The course was a bit up and down, but got more interesting from 9 onwards. The ditches certainly kept things interesting, I went in 3 of them! Overall, can't complain for just £20.