For our May meeting we return to the Garden of England to play courses we last visited in 2018 and 2012 respectively.
Our 2026 itinerary begins at the historic links of Prince’s in the south eastern corner of England. Our society was formed in 1954 by Sir Aynsley Bridgland who owned Prince’s so we hope a good many of you will be able to join us on our return to this wonderful old links. Prince’s hosted the Open in 1932 when Gene Sarazen set a new scoring record for the Championship. Originally created in 1904 the current layout can be attributed to Sir Guy Campbell and John Morrison who re-designed the course following wartime damage. More recently the 9 holes of the Himalayas course received a major upgrade from Mackenzie & Ebert making it the equal of the both the Shore & Dunes 9’s. Prince’s provides an exhilarating day’s golf and has recently been named as host for the 2030 Walker Cup. The Lodge at Prince’s offers wonderful accommodation and is very popular so book early.
Huge investment by the McGuirk family has taken place at Chart Hills since our last visit in 2012. Nestled in the heart of Kent Chart Hills was the first Signature Sir Nick Faldo designed course in Europe. Laid out over 200 acres of oak woodland, and gently rolling terrain this championship layout will test golfers of all levels with dramatic bunkering and undulating greens. Numerous water hazards also come into play and the island green at the short 17th is one of the more memorable features. Chart Hills also offers a spectacular and welcoming clubhouse with panoramic views across much of the course.