Prince's Buys Chart Hills

[Adam Lawrence]

Announced this morning, that Ramac Ltd, the holding company that owns Prince's, Sandwich, has bought the Nick Faldo/Steve Smyers-designed Chart Hills course in Biddenden, Kent. Chart Hills, which was a fairly big money development back in the early 90s, had fallen on some hard times recently, with its parent company going bust. Last time I played there I was told the maintenance crew was down to five guys, not nearly enough for a course with huge amounts of sand bunkering, including the famous 200-yard long Anaconda bunker.

[Scott Warren]

A really enjoyable golf course, I reckon, though quite different to what most people love about English golf.


Pics & review from *gulp* a decade ago...
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45745.msg1005300.html#msg1005300


Are they proposing that members will have access across both Princes & Chart Hills?

[Brian_Ewen]

the maintenance crew was down to five guys, not nearly enough for a course with huge amounts of sand bunkering, including the famous 200-yard long Anaconda bunker.

Must admit, that did give me a chuckle.

[Adam Lawrence]

A really enjoyable golf course, I reckon, though quite different to what most people love about English golf.


Pics & review from *gulp* a decade ago...
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45745.msg1005300.html#msg1005300


Are they proposing that members will have access across both Princes & Chart Hills?

Don't know yet. As a Prince's member, I hope so!

[Mark Chaplin]

Chart Hills is an excellent design and 20-30 bunkers have been removed which will reduce maintenance. It’s in a tough area to do business but 2 or 3 local courses have closed in recent years so that will help.


The McGuirks are experienced operators and I’m sure they will make a success their purchase, I wish them well.

[Niall C]

Adam


Do you think they maybe bought the course as a source of sand to replenish the bunkers at Princes ? 


Niall

[Adam Lawrence]

I realise you’re joking but buying a course on clay to replenish sand at a course on sand seems oddly perverse

[Sam Andrews]

I realise you’re joking but buying a course on clay to replenish sand at a course on sand seems oddly perverse

That is one of its big problems, it can get really boggy in the winter or frozen solid. For me, that makes it an unappealing £2k plus subscription offer and I live 5 minutes away. Also, its par 3s are really uninteresting.

[Ulrich Mayring]

What struck me about this course were the several occasions, where longhitters are given a pass, whereas average hitters have to contend with all the trouble. A mid handicappers great drive ends up in a ditch, whereas longhitters can easily clear it and have a much wider fairway behind it. Not logical to me.

Ulrich

[Ben Stephens]

Chart Hills have recently announced on their Twitter page that the course will close in mid July for renovation of all 18 holes and aim to reopen again in early 2021.