Littlestone (Championship Links)

The Championship Links at Littlestone Golf Club, located in the southeast corner of England, has plenty going for it – and not just thanks to the names behind the course.

William Laidlaw Purves designed it, with James Braid and Alister MacKenzie then making improvements to the course. 

With a triumvirate like that, you just know that the Championship Links at Littlestone is full of quality. Add in the coastline setting of the English Channel and good weather year-round, and you have a gem of a golfing venue.

Visit Littlestone’s website here.

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Littlestone Golf Club was founded in 1888, with the original golf course playing host to the inaugural LGU Ladies Championship just six years later. 

William Laidlaw Purves, the designer of Royal St George's, was Littlestone’s first Captain, and he laid out a new design at the start of the 20th Century. The great James Braid – five-time Open Champion – was brought in to add bunkers to the course. 

Following the First World War, the club enlisted the help of Dr Alister MacKenzie – of Alwoodley and Augusta National fame. He helped to improve several holes, with the course remaining relatively unchanged a century on. Only new tees, implemented to extend the golf course, have been added since.  

Thanks to the micro-climate that Littlestone finds itself in, the Championship Links are in pristine condition year-round, and the course offers the classic links challenge of tight lies, pot bunkers and slick greens. It does not possess enormous sand dunes to route fairways through, but it has gorgeous rippling fairways which are a delight to witness on a summer's evening. This Par 71 layout, which runs along the southeast coastline of the country, plays at just shy of 6,700 yards from the tips, and the wind is often your enemy... 

However, the course gets underway with its easiest hole (on Stroke Index at least). The opener is less than 300 yards, has a wide fairway, and a relatively large green. It all adds up to a strong birdie chance to kick off your round. From there, you might be trying to hold on to your card for the next three. The 2nd features four large bunkers – two fairway, two greenside – along with a burn that runs across the fairway around 100 yards out. The 3rd features eight sand traps, four of which are cross bunkers running diagonally towards the right side of the green. At 418 yards, 4 is the longest of the opening quartet of par 4s, and although there are only three bunkers, the length is what makes it a tough hole. 

Two of the Championship Links’ par 5s come within the next three holes – at the 5th and 7th. The former is 520 yards from the tips, and with a solid drive, the bigger hitters might be tempted to take it on with their second shots. However, five fairway bunkers mean that the drive must be accurate. 7 is the longest hole on the course, at more than 540 yards. Two fairway bunkers on the right side must be avoided, along with the burn that runs across the fairway around 150 yards out. In between sits the short 6th, which 155 yards, is the shortest hole on the Championship Links at Littlestone. One trap short, one to the right, and a decent-sized green. It is a hole where you’ll be disappointed with anything less than a par. 

The turn takes you to the far end of the course, and Littlestone’s most northern point. The 8th is a tough par 4 with a large sandscape to the left of the green, while the final hole on the front nine is the longest of the par 3s. From the tips, 9 is more than 215 yards, meaning most will be hitting at least a hybrid to have a chance. You also have the backdrop of the English Channel distracting you, a glorious view on a summers’ evening.  

The back nine begins with four long par 4s, all of which play more than 400 yards from the tips. 10 takes you inland with a slight dog-leg right, while 11 plays in the opposite direction, back towards the beach. The drive on the 11th has to be accurate, considering there is a burn running down the left side of the fairway, with your tee shot being hit across said burn from the other side. 12 and 13 look simple from the tee. Just avoid the bunkers and you’ll be fine. However, the former is 430 yards form the tips, while the 13th sees you playing back towards the beach once more. The 14th is a tricky par 3, with five sand traps to avoid on your tee shot, while 15 brings you back to the coastline once more, playing as a dog-leg left, and with a long and narrow green. 

The closing stretch on Littlestone’s Championship Links is something to behold. The demanding 16th, a long par 4 that dog-legs from right to left, is the start of that wonderful finish and the ruin of many a round. Look towards the water tower and you will see the green. You have to be beyond the right-hand driving bunker to have a chance of getting up in two. The shorter hitter needs to get their second up to the left giving a clear view of the green for the third. A par here is always a thrill; this is arguably the toughest hole on the course. 

The next is a 180-yard par 3 of rare quality. Depending on the wind it can be any club in the bag from a driver to a 9-iron. Finding the green is far from easy. The closing hole is a 496-yard par 5. Find the fairway and there could be a chance of finding the green in two and closing with a spectacular eagle. Otherwise, keep to the left, so you do not have to come into the green over the right-hand bunker for your third. This 4-3-5 finish is certainly something for Littlestone to be proud of, and one that has been known to wreck many a good score in the process. 

Chris Myatt: Significantly improved by recent aesthetic changes by opening various sand scrapes

Peter Rudd: A course that tests your shot making with many fine holes

David Walker: A true links experience with firm fast fairways over undulating land. The back nine is stronger than the front with a fantastic last three holes

Read more about our panellists here.

Where is Littlestone Golf Club located?  

Littlestone Golf Club is down in the southeast corner of England, and one of the southernmost venues to claim a place on the NCG Top 100s: England list. It sits on the southeast coastline of the country, looking out over the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. Folkestone is just half an hour along the coast to the east, while the centre of London is around 75 miles from Littlestone. The A259, which runs from Folkestone along the coast, runs alongside the golf club. 

Both Dover and Folkestone give great options for those from further afield who want to drive from Continental Europe into the United Kingdom. For those looking to fly into the country, London Gatwick is the nearest major airport, located around 70 miles to the west. London Heathrow is another 25 miles around the west side of the M25, London’s ring road. 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: England venues nearby?  

There is plenty of golf in the southeast corner of England, and there are a number of venues that also have a spot on the NCG Top 100s: England list within short order. Rye is less than half an hour away, while Chart Hills is slightly further away, to the northwest of Littlestone. The Open Championship trio of Prince's, Royal Cinque Ports and Royal St George's are around an hour along the coastline. 

What golf facilities does Littlestone Golf Club offer?  

Along with the Championship Links, Littlestone Golf Club is also home to the 18-hole Warren Course, which plays as a Par 67 and is inland from the Championship Links. There is also a short game area next to the 1st tee of the Championship Links, to allow golfers to work on those tight lies around the greens. 

What are the green fees at Littlestone (Championship Links)?  

The price of a green fee at Littlestone changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. 

For more information on current green fees at Littlestone Golf Club, visit their website here.