As a family, we love a game of crazy golf (even when Max gets a bit competitive and his little sister breaks the rules). So when a new course opened in Kent, we had to give it a try.
We booked a mid-morning slot at the new Sheerness Shipwreck Adventure Golf on the Isle of Sheppey. On the day we went, some of the time slots were already sold out, so it seems like it is best to book in advance.
We tried the new Sheerness Shipwreck Adventure Golf
The 18-hole attraction is part of the Sheerness Revival project at Beachfields. Apparently, there was once an adventure golf course at Beachfields many years ago, themed around the Isle of Sheppey and London, so a bit of history has been brought back to the Island.
It has been created next to Beachfields car park, where we parked. You could also park at the Beach Street car park and walk along the seafront for a minute or two to get to it.
We were greeted by a friendly member of staff at the kiosk who sorted us out with some adult-sized golf clubs and smaller ones for the kids, a different coloured golf ball each, a score card and pencil – and then we were ready to start a few minutes earlier than our time slot.
A reminder of the rules before you start – not that my two follow them anyway!
The new course is themed on Sheppey and features local landmarks such as the Sheerness Clock Tower and Island wildlife in the form of the scorpions which can be found by Sheerness Docks.
The overriding theme, however, is the shipwreck of the SS Richard Montgomery. The American Second World War ammunition ship sank in August 1944 with thousands of bombs on board and its three masts can be seen jutting out of the water off the coast of Sheppey.
Several holes are based on the wreck and Monty takes pride of place in the middle of the attraction.
Posing for pictures on the way around
The design of the course was brilliant
Other holes featured a huge wave, seals, fossils and even a pterodactyl, so there were plenty of opportunities for some fun photos around the course as we went.
There was a plaque at each hole that explained the design, so you got to learn a bit about the area too. These also featured drawings by local school children, which I thought was a nice touch.
Our kids are aged 10 and se,ven and none of the holes were too hard for them – but also difficult enough to give the adults a challenge too.
The plaques included pictures by local school children
Our favourite hole was most definitely the Sheppey Crossing. Luckily, there’s a net over the top so your ball can’t stray into ‘the Swale’ below. Millie still managed to lose hers before it had reached the bridge but found it funny fishing it out of the water anyway.
When you book, you are given an hour-long time slot but this isn’t a limit on how long you can take to complete the course. We had finished in around an hour, though.
We then extended the outing with a walk along the seafront to the Sand Pit Play Park just the other side of the leisure complex.
Millie had to get her ball out of the water
The Sand Pit Play Park is nearby
There’s a ship-shaped climbing frame, a small zip wire, a slide and swings to play on, so these kept my two entertained for a bit longer.
For a cheap and cheerful lunch that the kids see as a treat, you can head to McDonald’s just a stone’s throw from the play area, which is where we went next.
We sat outside with our Happy Meals before heading back to the park for a bit longer.
We then stopped for an ice-cream at the little kiosk near the sandpit and wandered back along the seafront eating them.
Millie loves the sea and couldn’t resist going for a paddle too. If, unlike us, you had come equipped for the beach, you could easily spend the rest of the afternoon there and make a whole day of it.
We had McDonald’s for lunch
Cost: The golf costs £28 for a family of four.
Food and drink: The kiosk at the adventure golf serves drinks, including slushies, and snacks. There’s some benches next to the course where you can sit. If you want something more substantial, you can go to McDonald’s like we did or head to the High Street. You could even pop to Tesco for a Meal Deal and enjoy a picnic by the play park.
Toilets: There’s toilets next to the play park, a short walk from the golf course. They were clean and the locks worked which is all you need really!
A thumbs up for Kent’s latest adventure golf course
Location: The golf course is located by the seafront in Sheerness, between the Healthy Living Centre and the swimming pool. To find it, we used the postcode for Beachfields car park which is ME12 1AY.
Parking: Beachfields car park costs £3 for two hours or £4.50 for three hours.
Kids’ verdict: Millie said: “The course was really fun and I think it is something that all ages can do. My favourite bit was the one like the bridge.” Max agreed that his favourite hole was the Sheppey Crossing and said: “It was all fun to do and I won!” ****
Where should we head next? Let us know what family days out you think are the best in Kent. Email jhorn@thekmgroup.co.uk