Prince’s: The best of three

Earlier this summer, Prince’s Golf Club in Kent, England, announced The Laddie, an 18-hole routing comprised of holes from the club’s Dunes, Himalayas and Shore nines.

Devised by Mackenzie & Ebert, the composite course will be used to host tournaments, as well as being available to play at select times of the year. The Laddie is named after P.B. ‘Laddie’ Lucas, who was born in the old clubhouse at Prince’s in September 1915 and went on to become a Royal Air Force pilot, author and a member of parliament.

GCA spoke with Rob McGuirk, general manager at Prince’s Golf Club, to find out how the idea for The Laddie came about, and which holes will be used to form the new composite course.

How did the idea for a composite course at Prince’s come about?

The idea of creating a composite course isn’t new. Amongst the membership, we’ve been exploring different routings for 20 or 30 years, particularly as changes have been made to the Himalayas nine, always asking ourselves how we could bring together as many of our strongest holes as possible to showcase Prince’s at its very finest. There has long been a desire to create an 18-hole course that brings together the very best holes on the property and could stand alone for course rankings, major competitions and wider recognition. Ultimately, the aim has always been to create a memorable championship course showcasing the best of Prince’s in one routing.

Which holes from the Dunes, Himalayas and Shore nines will make up The Laddie, and why were they chosen?

The Laddie features five holes from the Himalayas (the first, second, fifth, sixth and seventh), six from the Shore (the first, second, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth) and seven from the Dunes (holes two to eight).

These holes were selected with both strategy and fun firmly in mind. The routing gives us a great cross section of all three nines while also taking in virtually every hole that runs alongside the shoreline. For most golfers, playing links golf is all about being by the sea, so it was important to create a routing that makes the most of that setting. We also wanted to include some of our most iconic holes on the property, particularly the par-three fifth on the Himalayas. Also, the routing naturally links together many of what we believe are the course’s strongest holes.

The Laddie will be formed of holes from the club’s Dunes, Himalayas and Shore nines (Photo: Prince’s Golf Club/Gary Lisbon)

What role did Mackenzie & Ebert play in developing the final routing?

Martin Ebert was instrumental in bringing that vision to life. Every time he visited, he’d come up with a different routing, continually refining the concept and looking at how the strongest holes could be stitched together into a natural, balanced links course. Of course, everyone had their own favourites, which made the process far from straightforward, but the balance works well and creates the best possible flow from start to finish.

Was there much debate over which holes should be included?

Once an initial routing had been developed, we shared it with a small group of friends of the club who know Prince’s incredibly well. Their feedback was invaluable in helping refine the final sequence and ensuring the course captured everything we wanted it to. There will always be great holes that miss out, but after years of discussion, collaboration and refinement, we’re confident The Laddie is the best possible combination.

From a playing perspective, the balance of yardages was a key consideration, ranging from a short 110-yard par three to a demanding 620-yard par five. Combined with several risk-and-reward holes, where the challenge can change depending on the tee positions, the course continually tests club selection, shotmaking and decision-making while always giving players options.

The Laddie is expected to be playable from May 2027, but only on Wednesday mornings.