Home dubbed ‘golfer’s paradise’ up for sale at $2M

By Louis Walker via SWNS

A sport-loving couple are selling their $2 million home - with a golfers paradise in the back garden.

Golf instructor Paul Foston and his wife Angela have spared no expense to indulge their passion with their 19th-century property in Smarden, Kent.

It is now home to two greens, a splash bunker, a 6ft high St Andrew’s-style revetted bunker, undulating short game area and a state-of-the art indoor simulator.

The couple have now put the five-bedroom period house on the market for £2.25 million.

Paul was already a successful golf instructor when the couple bought the home in the late 90s and had coached a number of professionals to winning 11 Open Tour victories including Kent’s Paul Way, who was part of Europe’s Ryder Cup winning team in 1985.

After years of his lessons being regularly scuppered by the unpredictable British weather, he saw an opportunity to make the most of his new home and converted a Normandy barn in its grounds into an indoor practice facility.

Paul said: "At a club, if you were coming for a putting or chipping lesson, I’d be sharing the green with everybody - it’s not very private and you wouldn’t be able to take your time in a public environment.

"Practice facilities have always been an after-thought when designing a golf course, never an integral part of the infrastructure.”

“When we bought Appletrees, I just had this vision of what a fabulous place to learn.

"We thought it would probably just be a winter thing and perhaps a holiday let during the summer, but thankfully that was never needed.

“It was said at the time it would be a disaster coming off a golf course, but apart from on-course playing lessons, I haven’t been back since to teach - it's been a huge success.”

Paul continued to develop the site, introducing a number of new facilities as part of his golf academy, including a 1,800 sq ft green that players can take shots at from various vantage points 50 yards and within.

Angela recalls how they bought the property in Chessenden Lane just 10 months after meeting in the late 90s.

She said: “As I was moving from Hertfordshire, I wanted to be somewhere more rural than where Paul lived in Bearsted.

“Having seen a small Ad for Appletrees, I went to view whilst Paul was working.

"Immediately falling in love with it, we placed an offer without Paul having actually seen it for fear of losing the sale.

“It was like a little oasis, so quiet and in the garden it’s like you're in the middle of nowhere, but you step out and there is village life on your doorstep."

Almost 20 years after its launch, it continues to go from strength to strength with Paul delivering about 1,000 lessons a year and enjoying a global audience thanks to an App that he and Angela developed during the Covid pandemic.

Paul added: “It has 65 x 5 Minute videos which teaches Golfers every shot they will experience on course as well as learning Course Strategy & Developing Mental Strength.

"The App enables golfers to have a lesson with me 24/7 wherever they are in the world.

“It also brings in an international clientele to Smarden, we’ve had two from America over this month. I have one from Singapore next month, and last month someone from India.”

Although the couple have enjoyed their 24 years at Appletrees, Paul is wishing to take a step back from the intensity of his coaching.

Paul adds: “I’ will not stop coaching altogether but it is time for me work less, play more and travel a bit too.”

The couple plan to move to Berkshire to be closer to family and friends.

Reflecting on their time in the home, Angela added: “Appletrees has had just five owners since 1890 and we have all made significant, transformative changes that has made our home a wonderful place to live and work.

"For someone new, the world really is your oyster, the space could be used in a number of ways, it offers a perfect practice facility for a Tour Player, a fabulous teaching facility for a Coach or a sporting playground for a mad keen golf enthusiast.

"However, it could also be a place for multi-generational living or suitable for a completely different business or leisure initiative, it’s just a case of thinking outside the box.”

“It’s time to pass it on to someone else who can take their energy and put their stamp on it” said Angela, a Tourism Development Consultant.

“It’s a house that when people come in, you almost feel the love for it, you just want to enjoy the splendor of it, but the fun of it as well - it’s brought a lot of happiness over the years.”

"Who knows what the next 10 to 15 years may bring to this lovely home.”

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