Sheerness Golf Club

The course sits right on the Isle of Sheppey's seafront, which immediately tells you what you're in for - windswept fairways with the sea as your constant companion. It's an 18-hole layout that's been going since 1910, and the salt-spray conditions mean the turf plays firmer and faster than inland courses, which keeps things interesting.

This is properly old-school golf. The greens are small and firm, the rough punishing, and the wind will make or break your scorecard depending on the day. You'll get views across the water towards the Kent mainland, and there's something about playing links-style golf on the south coast that feels a bit special - you're not going to find yourself thinking about a shopping trolley or a theme park queue here.

If you're a golfer staying at Sheerness Holiday Park just down the road, you're literally minutes away. Ashcroft Coast Holiday Park and Shurland Dale Holiday Park are also close enough that early morning or late afternoon rounds are realistic without eating into proper family time.

The club welcomes visitors - you'll want to check their website for green fees and tee times, and handicap requirements do apply. Allow a full five hours for eighteen holes, longer if conditions are blustery. Spring and early autumn are best, when the wind's a bit more forgiving and the course isn't packed with holiday golfers from the nearby parks. It's not for casual dabblers, but if you play regularly, this is a proper test.