All courses in the Open Championship rota will get nothing but five stars from me. Well, maybe…read moreexcept for Hoylake. But Royal St. George hosted the Open for many years and most recently in 2003. The course will once again host in 2011. Why Royal St. George is so great for me is its close proximity to London. The majority of Open courses are of course located in Scotland, and in Lancashire in England. It's great to have a course so close to London. I mean, if you're just in holiday here or on business in London, it's a nice drive out to Kent to play this prestigious course. The links course truly plays like one. This type of design does not really exist in the USA. Bumpy fairways, plenty of sandtraps and when the wind picks up, you really have to start playing the ball low. One thing that always happens to me when playing British links courses is that I always get disorientated. I don't feel like I'm on a golf course, more like a nice, flat nature preserve. And it is one of these moments that make me appreciate the British game. Then my ball falls into the nine foot tall bunker that takes me 3 shots to get out, score that triple bogey....and it's okay. Playing so many American style courses, it's so easy to disassociate myself from the game I usually play. The course is way out there. For most tourists, it's north of Dover. And I like the fact that when you're on the course there's really nothing much around the course. No loud traffic, tall buildings or anything too modern. The tee boxes, the clubhouse, the starter's box all look so quaint and organized you realize you're playing a gentleman's game. Now getting a round of golf can be tricky because Royal St. George is technically a members' course. So you would have to get a tee time before or after members' allotted tee times. But like a private course, most members don't play. So you might be in luck. Oh yeah, no weekend rounds for non-members. So the only way to play here on the weekend is to be a member or to make the cut in the 2011 Open Championship. Also, make sure to make all reservations in advance. I don't think they accept walk ups. So if you're in London and you want to play a real links championship course, take the train, take a cab and go not to far into Kent and play this great course.

Wonderful course and in great shape even in February. The staff is very welcoming. Booking a time…read morewas very easy and can be done on-line. If you want to play in the morning, they'll send you off the 10th as the members have all the bookings before noon. It's a bit of a hike out to the 10th, but you can drive your car out to a lot near the tee, so make sure you leave a little extra time if you're playing off the back. Jacket and tie are required in the dining room, but the snack bar is open to all in standard golf attire. Well worth the trip.

A group of us played at Princes and stayed at The Lodge in October. The course is stunning and…read morethankfully we were blessed with good weather. The condition of the golf course was superb and the best I've seen on a links course in a long time. From the moment we arrived at The Lodge, the service was fantastic. Great food and an extensive selection of gin! We were also looked after extremely well at the club and the guys in the pro shop really took the time to make us feel welcome. All in all, I can't fault Princes as a venue. Everything was first class - it's the perfect choice for a golf trip.

Just spent a glorious weekend at Princes Golf Club... The whole course was exceptional, with the…read moregreens being in an unbelievable condition... All the Staff from the proshop to the bar and restaurant at the Lodge were very friendly and offered perfect service.. The rooms at the lodge are perfect for a group of keen golfers. We had a superb weekend of great golf, food and beer..... Perfect !

A good course for beginners thru to good golfers. It has 3 courses ( all 9 holes) the par 3…read morebeginner ( which really is for beginners), the par 3 exectutive ( which is a good course for those wanting to get competent or short of time) and the regulation length heights course. Its a great learner course or for social golf days where u want to mix it up on a par 3 and full course. Not a course for golfers with low handicaps though