If you can manage to smuggle a par at Prince’s Golf Club’s newest hole, it’s likely you’ll have made off with a real treasure from the Kent club.
The 27-hole complex has celebrated the completion of a three-year renovation project by opening Smugglers’ Landing – a completely new par 3.
The hole, which plays as the 5th on the Shore loop, replaces the current 8th and breaks up the direction of the layout as it faces north east out towards the sea.
Four peninsula tees, to a tricky green complex, sees it range from 103 yards at the forward tees to 158 from the backs.
And to set the mood, looking back at the history of Sandwich Flats and the fight against smuggling in Sandwich Bay, after which the hole is themed, Prince’s have installed a replica scene by the walkway to the tee.
It’s the climax of a project carried out by acclaimed architects Mackenzie and Ebert, which began with the redevelopment of the Himalayas loop.
That was completed in the spring of 2018 and, since then, every hole on the complex has been considered in significant course improvement works.
The project has helped the club break back into Great Britain & Ireland top 100 lists.
- Related: Where does Prince’s rank in our GB&I top 100?
- Related: Just look at the revamped Prince’s!
- Related: Open Championship venues
“The last three years have been an important step in the history of Prince’s and the transformation of the courses, under the guidance of Martin Ebert and our links superintendent, Sean McLean, has been spectacular,” said Prince’s Golf Club general manager Rob McGuirk.
“Culminating with the opening of Smugglers’ Landing, the entire project is something for everyone involved with the club to be proud of. We’re thrilled with the outcome and the dramatic improvement in the visual and playing aspects of all 27 holes at Prince’s.”
Ebert added: “Following the creation of a new short hole on the Himalayas nine, it was equally exciting to do the same with Smugglers’ Landing on the Shore.
“The challenge was to create a hole with a different character to Bloody Point and the away-sloping green has achieved that, not to mention the extensive bare sand areas in the carry and to the right of the hole.
“The creation of these sand areas throughout the entire landscape of the Shore and Dunes nines in this phase of work has created so many stunning links vistas but none better and more impressive than for Smugglers’ Landing.”
What do you think of the new hole at Prince’s Golf Club? Let me know in the comments, or tweet me.
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Steve Carroll
