Princes or chart hills ?

Me & a few others are looking at some winter deals in the kent area, somewhere out of the ordinary but not breaking the bank. We has found a couple of midweek deals before end of Feb. both around £40 pp with a bacon roll etc. Princes on the kent coast and Chart hills. Both look fantastic. Princes has the history and may be in better nick this time of year, and Ive always wanted to play Chart hills since I could actually "play". Anyone played both of these and got any views?

Dave CAC handed Geordie.

Dave I have played Princes many times as it is one of my favourite courses along that coast. Held the Open in 1932, won by Gene Sarazen I believe and is a good test of golf. It has three loops of nine but the considered main combination is the Shore and the Dunes, the other loop being the Himalayas.

Excellent welcoming ambience with very good catering.

Chart Hills, one of Faldo's designs is a superb course with the largest bunkers you are likely to ever come across, one is completely alongside one hole. Standing on the ninth tee with the clubhouse as the backdrop all you will see is a vast array of sand in front of you, but the visual is more daunting than actually playing the hole.

Hi Dave

I have to agree with John that you will thoroughly enjoy  both courses, whichever you choose. They are completely different in terms of what they are about.  Princes has history and tradition eveywhere and Chart Hills is a modern Stadium course.  Princes is crafted into the land whereas Chart hills could be built anywhere. This is not to say that Princes is better , they are just different.

The bunkering at Chart Hills is amazing if a little over the top, as already pointed out, it is often more visual than impeding.

As we have had little rain i think that Chart Hills would stand up ok, but i am sure Princes would be in slightly better winter nick ( check with both clubs about winter greens/ tees etc )

I am jealous at the thought of playing either course again, but if i was forced to choose it would probably have to be the European tour over the PGA ie Princes over Chart Hills.