Walmer & Kingsdown

Few corners of England have produced golf quite like the stretch of Kent coast between Deal and Sandwich. Walmer & Kingsdown sits on the clifftops above the English Channel, occupying one of the most dramatically situated pieces of golfing ground in the British Isles — the course rolls across chalk downland at the very edge of England, with views across to the French coast on a clear day. That clifftop position means the wind is rarely just a background factor; it shapes every decision and exposes every weakness.

The club traces its roots to the late 19th century, making it one of the older clubs in a region already steeped in links history. It shares a coastline with Royal St George's and Royal Cinque Ports, courses that regularly host The Open Championship, which tells you something about the quality of the golfing ground in this part of Kent.

This is a members' club with an old-fashioned character — compact, unpretentious, and deeply rooted in its community. Visitors come expecting a traditional downland test and leave remembering the wind and the views.