Princes - any good ?

[pendodave]

I'm looking at doing a day on a south-eastern links course in the next month or two with some mates. Now, the SE is not blessed with a huge range, but I noticed that Princes has an all-day ticket with bacon roll and practice balls for £60.

On the face of it, this seems like good value, but has anyone played it recently and can comment on condition, busy-ness and overall links-style experience ?

Other option might be Hunstanton, but this is about £90 for a day, so I would appreciate any experience-based comparisons of the two layouts.

Thanks,

d

 

[chrisd]

We had a Kent forum meet there just before Christmas. It's a great course but can be quite brutal. There are 3loops of 9 and we did a deal to play all three. Otherwise, it's typical links golf, tight fairways, big greens and bunkers and usually a stiff breeze to make it as difficult as hell!

The club house has a spike bar and a great non spike bar upstairs. The food was ok

 

[scratch]

You have a few options depending on where you are based?

After Hunstanton the next one round the coast is Royal West Norfolk (Brancaster), an absolute belter of a course but it's 2 balls and foursomes only so bear that in mind.
Next one is Great Yarmouth which is quirky but good fun, I always enjoy playing there.
Felixstowe Ferry next, not played it so can't really comment.

I think that is pretty much it until you get round to Kent but if you carry on a bit further round there is Littlestone which is always highly rated, Rye is fantastic if you can get on then the next one after that is Hayling (my course) which is another cracking links.

Next stop......North Cornwall!!

Hope this helps :thup:

 

[User20205]

Princes is worth a trip. We stayed in the lodge last nov. it's not the most inspiring links course but a good challenge none the less. The only real negative is looking over the fence at RSG and wishing you were there!

For £60 a day it's a decent deal. It may be busy though, Hunstanton may give you more exclusivity.

 

[Liverbirdie]

£60 if you get 27 or 36 in is a goo deal IMHO.

I played 2 x 18's there the other year in opens, which encompassed all 27 holes and enjoyed it.

 

[duncan mackie]

playing an Open there on Monday - will report back on condition afterwards.

it represents the cheapest links golf in Kent, but as others have mentioned you have Littlestone, Rye, St Georges and (missing so far) Cinque Ports. Another factor is that Princes may be the only one to permit 4 balls, if that's relevant to you.

 

[Sybez]

No ones going on the Mark Crossfield golf day then at £220 for 18 holes, bacon roll and 3 hour group lesson with Mark and his team then if its only £60 for all day golf anyway....

 

[pendodave]

Thanks for the input chaps.

Reason for the courses I listed is that we are in Herts, which is a long way from any seaside.

2 hours just about gets to Hunstanton and Thanet, but some of the others are a little bit further to go. We are hoping to avoid the need for an overnighter to keep other halves onside.

RSG and RCP are just too posh...(actually, too dear - I played RSG a couple of years ago, and everyone we met was extremely helpful)

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

For£60 it was great value, really tough, we played on a blustery Sunday morning and it was fairly quite. Go forth and enjoy

 

[duncan mackie]

playing an Open there on Monday - will report back on condition afterwards.

it's in excellent condition already - golf shoes came back cleaner than they were when I set out!

fairways superb, divots filled, greens being sanded/dressed but made no difference to the putting; they are already quick and pretty true (very true for the growth we have had so far) and the fringes/surrounds are running well.

highly recommended

 

[Jumboross]

From Herts you can also get to Aldeborough relatively quickly. Not quite true links type course as it's on an esturary, but a great test of golf. I played it three weeks ago in 3' temps with a force 9 blowing and the greens at 10+ on the stimp. Challenging!

 

[pendodave]

Took me two years to get there, but just back from a two-dayer with a mate staying in the Lodge.

Really enjoyed it. First go of links golf for both of us for ages and can certainly see the attraction of it. I wonder if RSG and RCP weren't next door, people would think better of Princes, it's probably a bit overshadowed.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Bloody brilliant in concert, played all the hits like When Doves Cry, Little Red Corvette. Possibly the best concert I've ever been to.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Princes is a great course and that deal seems really good value, providing the weather plays ball

 

[Oddsocks]

Having played cinque ports, little stone and princes in the three Kent Christmas meets id put them in that order, little stone was nice, cinque ports was awesome, princes.... I wouldn't Rush back.

Great course but only two holes and one tee box worth remembering, but was good condition

 

[Tiger man]

Something fishy about this thread. .

 

[Oddsocks]

Spill tiger

 

[Liverbirdie]

Spill tiger

Princes.....tinned salmon......

 

[MashieNiblick]

The only real negative is looking over the fence at RSG and wishing you were there!

Exactly my feelings when I played there a few years ago, but 2 days later I was

 

[User20205]

Exactly my feelings when I played there a few years ago, but 2 days later I was

Yep, having played RSG last month I can only agree. Princes is good. RSG is special. But it's not really a fair comparison