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Adam Lawrence

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Prince's Buys Chart Hills
« on: December 27, 2019, 07:07:00 AM »
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.
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Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Scott Warren

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Re: Prince's Buys Chart Hills
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2019, 08:26:04 PM »
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?
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Brian_Ewen

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Re: Prince's Buys Chart Hills
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2019, 09:10:27 PM »
Quote from: Adam Lawrence on December 27, 2019, 07:07:00 AM
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.
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Adam Lawrence

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Prince's Buys Chart Hills
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2019, 04:58:38 AM »
Quote from: Scott Warren on December 27, 2019, 08:26:04 PM
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!
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Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Mark Chaplin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Prince's Buys Chart Hills
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2019, 05:55:24 AM »
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.
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Cave Nil Vino

Niall C

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Re: Prince's Buys Chart Hills
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2019, 08:06:06 AM »
Adam


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


Niall
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Adam Lawrence

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Prince's Buys Chart Hills
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2019, 08:34:42 AM »
I realise you’re joking but buying a course on clay to replenish sand at a course on sand seems oddly perverse :)
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Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Sam Andrews

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Prince's Buys Chart Hills
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2019, 04:15:49 PM »
Quote from: Adam Lawrence on December 29, 2019, 08:34:42 AM
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.
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He's the hairy handed gent, who ran amok in Kent.

Ulrich Mayring

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Prince's Buys Chart Hills
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2020, 06:44:54 PM »
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
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Golf Course Exposé (300+ courses reviewed), Golf CV (how I keep track of 'em)

Ben Stephens

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Prince's Buys Chart Hills
« Reply #9 on: June 17, 2020, 08:28:13 AM »
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.
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