The History of Golf at Lullingstone Park and the Darent Valley

The history of Lullingstone Park golf reaches back to 1967, when an 18-hole course was laid out in the beautiful Darent Valley on the Kent edge of Greater London. It has always been a public, parkland course rather than a private club, created so that ordinary golfers could play good golf in a striking setting beneath the slopes that look across to Lullingstone Castle. This is the story of how the course came to be, who designed it, and how it has weathered the ups and downs that have shaped it into the pay-and-play course you can book today.

Golf here was a deliberate act of public provision. In the mid-1960s Kent County Council leased part of the parkland to Dartford Rural District Council, which created an 18-hole golf course across the estate. The aim was recreation for the wider public, and that civic origin still shapes the course: it is open to visitors, not reserved for members, and it sits within a landscape that is protected and enjoyed for far more than golf.

A Fred Hawtree design

The 18-hole layout, today known as the Championship Course, was designed by Fred Hawtree, a name that carries real weight in British golf. The Hawtree family firm shaped courses across the country for generations, and their parkland style, working with the natural roll of the land rather than against it, suits the Darent Valley perfectly. The result is a course that uses the valley's contours and mature trees to test golfers of every level, with genuine changes in elevation that reward a thoughtful round. Alongside it, a shorter nine-hole course, now the Valley Course, gives beginners, juniors and anyone short of time a friendlier, quicker round.

Set in more than 500 acres

The course occupies part of more than 500 acres of the Darent Valley, with wide views towards Lullingstone Castle and the surrounding countryside. That setting is one of the reasons the course has always felt special to play: it is genuine open parkland, rich in wildlife and old trees, rather than a fenced-off sports facility. The wider estate, Lullingstone Country Park, wraps around the golf and is a destination in its own right for walkers and families, as our guide to Lullingstone Country Park explains.

Council ownership through the years

Public ownership has been the constant thread. The park is leased by Sevenoaks District Council, while Kent County Council maintains the wider parkland, and the golf course itself has been run by operators under that public umbrella. This arrangement keeps the course affordable and open to all, which is exactly what its founders intended, but it also means the course depends on its operator being run soundly, something that has been tested in recent years.

Closure and revival

In March 2023 the company then running Lullingstone Park went into liquidation, and the course was forced to close, a worrying moment for the golfers and staff who love it. The closure proved short-lived. Within weeks, by May 2023, the course reopened under new management and returned to normal pay-and-play operation. It was a reminder of how a well-used public course can rally, and the course has continued to welcome visitors and members alike since.

Playing a piece of that history today

Little of what made the course appealing in 1967 has changed: an honest, well-routed parkland test in a protected valley, open to anyone who wants to play. You can walk the same Hawtree fairways, take in the same views of the castle, and choose the full Championship round or the gentler Valley nine. To plan a visit, see the current green fees and the details of the Championship Course, or start from the Lullingstone Park golf homepage. For the wider park's story, Lullingstone Country Park sets the landscape in context.

Frequently asked questions

When did Lullingstone Park golf course open?

The 18-hole course opened in 1967, after Kent County Council leased part of the parkland to Dartford Rural District Council to create a public golf course in the Darent Valley. It has been a public, pay-and-play course throughout its history.

Who designed the Lullingstone Park course?

The 18-hole layout, now the Championship Course, was designed by Fred Hawtree, of the well-known Hawtree family of golf-course architects. The parkland design works with the natural contours of the valley to create a course that tests golfers of every standard.

Who owns Lullingstone Park?

The park is leased by Sevenoaks District Council, and Kent County Council maintains the wider parkland. The golf course sits within this public setting and is run by an operator, which is why it remains open to visitors rather than reserved for members.

Did Lullingstone Park golf course close?

Yes, briefly. In March 2023 the operating company went into liquidation and the course closed, but it reopened under new management in May 2023 and has continued as a pay-and-play course since. It is open for visitors and tee bookings today.

How big is the Lullingstone Park estate?

The golf course occupies part of more than 500 acres of the Darent Valley, with views towards Lullingstone Castle. The surrounding Lullingstone Country Park is a popular spot for walking and wildlife as well as golf.