While the winter weather in Wales may not always be best suited to a relaxing round of golf, there’s nothing to stop you planning ahead and booking in those golf courses that you simply have to play in 2023.
And you’re spoilt for choice in Wales.
From hidden gems to internationally-renowned venues, Wales has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to world-class golf courses; history, tradition, spectacular views and a stern test – you’ll find all of this and more at these six clubs.
Yes, Wales always punches above its weight when it comes to golf and now, post-pandemic, Welsh golf is getting back to its brilliant, breath-taking best…
Known to locals and members as ‘The Ash’, Ashburnham Golf Club began life in 1894 as a nine-hole course but was extended to a full 18, eight years later. Throughout its long and illustrious history, it has been one of the go-to venues for some of the bigger golf competitions, not just in Wales but in the United Kingdom as a whole. As well as hosting many Welsh Amateur Championships, it has also been the venue for professional events, such as the PGA Championship, with winners including Welsh legend Dai Rees and fellow Ryder Cup captains Bernard Gallacher and Sam Torrance. Last year, Ashburnham also staged the Welsh Men’s Open Strokeplay Championship, won by 17-year-old Caolan Burford from Rhyl.
Head west of Swansea and you’ll find Pennard Golf Club, known colloquially as ‘The Links in the Sky’. Why? Well, because it sits on the Gower Peninsula, some 200-feet above the Bristol Channel and, as such, the natural beauty of its setting means you’ll encounter the kind of jaw-dropping views over Pennard Pill estuary and Three Cliffs Bay that may make it difficult to concentrate on your shot. But beware. Its elevated position means you’ll always have to wage war against the westerly winds blowing in from the sea.
Nefyn is a course – and a club – that every golfer will enjoy, irrespective of just how adept you are at the game. Uniquely placed on the Llyn Peninsula in the north-west of Wales, and surrounded almost entirely by water, you not only get a view of the sea from every tee but you also get a fiendish test of golf. With 27 holes, set over three different nine-hole layouts, there’s a terrific variety on offer. Our tip? Book the ‘Point’ nine with its high tees and narrow fairways – and then pray for good weather. It really is unlike any other course you’re ever likely to play.
Routinely – and rightly – ranked as the number one course in Wales, Royal Porthcawl is the undisputed heavyweight champion of Welsh golf. Founded in 1891, it moved to its current site, bordering the Bristol Channel, four years later and received its Royal status from King Edward VII in 1909. Its CV is ridiculously impressive: British Masters, Walker Cup, Senior Open, Curtis Cup and, in 2025, it will host the Women’s Open Championship. Unquestionably, it’s one of the greatest links courses in the world.
Ten miles or so down the road from Royal Porthcawl is Southerndown. Now in its 118th year and built on a unique limestone outcrop on the Gower Peninsula, it’s a heathland course with all the attributes of a coastal links course. And even though it’s not that long by modern standards – it’s a little over 6,500 yards – it’s still a genuine test. Indeed, the challenge it presents means it’s often used for top level tournaments, including the prestigious Welsh Men’s Open Strokeplay Championship at the end of April.
Venue for the 2021 Curtis Cup between the USA and Great Britain and Ireland’s best women’s amateurs, Conwy is more an area of outstanding natural beauty than simply a great golf course. Nestled on Wales’s north-west coast between Conwy Mountain and the River Conwy, it might be just about the prettiest place to play golf in the country. But don’t be deceived by its good looks. With a course nudging 7,000 yards, it can be a devilishly difficult track, especially when it rains and it plays much, much longer. Rest assured, though, that even if it gets the better of you, you won’t ever regret playing it.
