Chart Hills is slowly becoming a young classic, and it is certainly of the best inland layouts in the southeast county of Kent.
It is a championship test at heart, with undulating fairways and greens that will challenge all. There is plenty of sand and water, including an island green later in the round.
You may well think of the Open Championship-trio when it comes to Kent – Royal St George’s, Prince’s and Royal Cinque Ports – but this Sir Nick Faldo design provides something completely different for the county.
History
Compared to the majority of golfing venues in the United Kingdom, Chart Hills would be classed as young. The course only dates back to 1993, and has now been open for just over three decades.
Sir Nick Faldo – three times a winner of both the Masters Tournament and the Open Championship – was the man behind the design, and the course has the distinction of being the only Signature Faldo Design on European soil.
The Ladies English Open, an event on the Ladies European Tour, was held at Chart Hills in the mid-2000s. The venue has also played host to Qualifying School for the DP World Tour in its short history as well.
What makes Chart Hills special?
It is exactly what you would expect from Faldo, a proper championship test. It is situated around an oak woodland which is at the heart of the property.
Chart Hills has a number of feature holes, with the 17th being one of those thanks to its island green. Akin to the 17th at TPC Sawgrass, it is a short par 3 that requires an accurate approach, something that is much more difficult knowing that water surrounds the green.
And then, of course, there is the Anaconda bunker… This 200-yard sand trap is one of the key design features on the golf course, and it can easily be a hazard that you find yourself taking more than one shot in…
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Where does it rank?
Where is it?
Chart Hills Golf Club is situated in the southeast corner of England, a few miles west of the town of Ashford. It sits in between the villages of Standen and West Hill, with both the A229 and the M20 running close by the venue. The centre of London is just over 50 miles to the northwest of Chart Hills, while the coast of the English Channel is around half that to the southeast.
Get in touch with Chart Hills
For more information about the club and course, visit its website or call them on 01580 292222.
Now have your say
Have you ever had the pleasure of playing at Chart Hills? Let us know your thoughts with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
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