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Length | 7,204 yards (6,587 m) |
In 1887, the course opened for play and was named 'St George’s' after the English patron saint.
The course is not a traditional out and back layout. In a similar style to Muirfield, each nine is broadly circular, a loose figure of eight.
There is nothing artificial about Royal St George’s; there is a natural look and feel to the course that blends beautifully into the surroundings, with wild flowers, dune grasses and the sweet song of the lark. Commanding views over Pegwell Bay and the white cliffs of Dover ensure an engaging experience.
Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond books, was a member here at Royal St George’s. The golf scenes from the film Goldfinger were filmed at Stoke Park, but Fleming called the course “Royal St Marks” in the film, no doubt inspired by his home club. Sandwich is a classic links course, summed up nicely by Bernard Darwin: “My idea ...
Royal St George’s was the first English course to host the Open Championship and is the fourth most used Open venue (host to 14 Opens) after St Andrews, Prestwick and Muirfield . In 1885, Dr William Laidlaw Purves of Royal Wimbledon Golf Club, spotted from the vantage point of St Clement’s church a spectacular piece of undulating land ...
Royal St George’s also has some unique features; thatched roof shelters, the red cross of St George on the flags, and that bunker on the 4th hole cut into a huge dune , the UK’s tallest and deepest bunker.
Ahead of this year’s Open, we take a hole-by-hole look at the challenge that awaits the world’s best golfers on a fascinating par-70 layout, which retains many elements of the original design created by Dr. Laidlaw Purves in 1887.
Royal St George’s opening hole is one of several on the course that has retained its original design from 1887. A challenging par 4 begins with a drive over a deep swale known as ‘the Kitchen’. A trio of bunkers stretch across the front of the green to gobble up any approach shots that come up short and left, while the putting surface slopes from front to back. Tiger Woods famously started with a seven on this hole in the 2003 Championship after losing his tee shot, while Jerry Kelly carded an 11 in 1993.
Avoiding the spectacularly tall ‘Himalaya’ bunker is the first priority off the tee at the fourth, one of Royal St George’s hardest holes. Those who clear the large dune with a straight drive will land on a flat area of fairway known as the ‘Elysian Fields’.
The par-3 third, which measures 239 yards. The Himalaya bunker on the fourth hole at Royal St George's. The fifth hole at Royal St George's provides an eye-catching view of the sea. The sixth hole, known as 'the Maiden'. 01 / 06.
Tiger Woods famously started with a seven on this hole in the 2003 Championship after losing his tee shot, while Jerry Kelly carded an 11 in 1993. Hole 2 - Par 4, 421 Yards. change content visibility. Known as ‘Hogsback’, the second sweeps from right to left, with two sand traps lurking on the corner of the dog leg.
Players who take the latter option will hope to find a small area of flat fairway known as Campbell’s Table, which earned its name after American Bill Campbell landed on the plateau four times in succession on his way to winning each of his matches in the 1967 Walker Cup. Hole 6, Par 3, 174 Yards.
The original tee position resulted in a blind tee shot over the dune, but a more conventional test is now provided, one that was aced by Tom Watson in 2011. The five-time Champion Golfer recorded a hole-in-one in round two, to the delight of the many spectators gathered around the green.
Royal St. George’s Golf Club hasn’t changed much in its 129 years, and it provides a stiff but fair test to golfers. The par 70, 7,204-yard course features a non-traditional out-and-back layout. There are six par 4s, two par 3s and one par 5 on each side.
Royal St. George’s isn’t the only golf course either in the area. Avid golfers planning a bucket-list golf trip can also take the opportunity to play at the other local courses.
Savannah Richardson is a staff writer for GolfLink. She’s a daily golfer and has worked for two years covering amateur and professional golf events with Amateurgolf.com and The Brunswick News. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia.
5 things about Royal St George’s. Published on July 13, 2021. Royal St George’s will host the Open Championship for the 14th time this year. It is a course that produces surprising winners because it is so unique. We discuss a few things you should know ahead of the 149th Open Championship.
First course outside Scotland. Royal St George’s made its debut as an Open Championship venue in 1894. It was the first course outside Scotland to host the tournament. Also, it is currently the only course in the Open located in southern England.
A quirky, bumpy and humpy ride. Royal St George’s is known for the humps and bumps that send balls bouncing in variable directions. That could be the reason why it has produced two surprising winners in the past two Opens here. Some players label the course quirky while others might call it frustrating or unpredictable.
This is what the iconic Gary Player had to say about the course: “Royal St George’s probably is the easiest of the Open golf courses, but the thing that will make it is the wind. It’s a golf course that is steeped in tradition, there have been some wonderful winners.”. Article written by Juandre Joubert.
Paul Larsen, Course Manager at Royal St George’s, tells Today's Golfer how he and his team will be setting the Sandwich links up for play for the year's final men's Major.
Widely regarded as one of the toughest starts in Championship golf, with thick rough either side of the fairway and a green which slopes away from players. The tee shot should favour the flatter left side of the fairway, but it needs to carry 250 yards over a deep swale, known as ‘the Kitchen’.
A sweeping right-to-left dog-leg which turns towards the coast. It’s 250 yards to carry the two bunkers on the corner of the dog-leg, but most pros will take a 3-wood for position and favour the right side of the fairway to leave a better angle in with a short iron.
Prior to Royal Portrush rejoining, this was the only par 3 on The Open rota not to feature a bunker. Mounds cradle the green and often deflect balls from the right back onto a two-tier putting surface which is just 15 yards wide.
Played as a par 5 during the 2003 Open and named after the ‘Keeper’s Cottage situated behind the green.
Perhaps best remembered for John Daly driving the green – with a strong wind assist – during practice in 1993.
Nicknamed ‘The Maiden’ after the huge greenside dune that rises high above its surroundings, this is the best vantage point on the course for Open spectators.