For golfers, knowing where to play can be half of the battle in terms of ensuring that they enjoy themselves. You want to find somewhere that is challenging, but not so difficult as to mean that you can barely play the course. You also want to ensure that you’re not paying through the nose for privilege, whilst being aware that paying next to nothing might mean that the course is filled with Johnny-come-lately golfers who can barely hit the ball. If you’re looking for somewhere that could tick all of your boxes, you might just want to consider the courses on offer in North Wales.
Why North Wales?
It is possible that you might want to think about Wales as an entire country when it comes to finding sneaky places to play some golf. That being said, with courses like Celtic Manor on offer in South Wales, it is hardly a part of the country that golfers know nothing about. When it comes to North Wales, though, it is a section of Cymru that is not always thought about all that often. It lacks the major cities of Cardiff and Swansea, so many people don’t think it’s as worthy of a visit as its southern brother. Those people would be dead wrong, as anyone who has been there knows.
There are a number of top links courses situated in North Wales, with many along the West coast of the area alone. They are courses that offer a visually stunning set of places to play, to say nothing of the fact that the courses themselves present players with a tough challenge that they’ll need to negotiate. If links courses don’t tickle your fancy then maybe some of the numerous parkland courses might be more to your taste, thanks to their presence in the picturesque area of Snowdonia National Park. That means that you can get off and do a hike after your round, if you fancy.
What to Expect
In terms of what you can expect from North Wales from a golfing point of view, there are a wide range of different locations that promise all sorts of different challenges. If you’re looking to get away with a group for a full-on golfing break, you might want to consider some of the golf hotels that often have good deals on, depending on how many people are part of your trip. If you’re just looking to play in a fourball or even on your own, there are plenty of places that will be able to offer you a stern test of your golfing ability as well as some fun, to say nothing of stunning views.
The variety of courses is what takes most people by surprise, given the fact that North Wales is a relatively small area in which to spend your time. Obviously, the links courses are the ones that you will be keen to spend most of your time looking at, so you can expect windswept locations with sand traps that can feel impossible to get out of and rough that you are bound to lose more than a few balls in. Once you’ve spent your time there, you can also have a look at some of the parkland courses that present much more of a tree-based challenge to those who get lost off the tee.
Some Courses
Obviously, North Wales has plenty to offer, so you shouldn’t limit yourself in terms of where you look to play, but here are some specific courses that are worthy of your consideration:
Royal St Davids in Harlech
Located on the coast to the west of the country, this traditional links course is one of the most internationally renowned that Wales has to offer. The setting for the course is breathtaking, coming in the middle of some of the most beautiful and scenic that you can imagine. The course itself was established in 1894, offering undulating fairways and fast greens that will test even the most talented of putters. If you’re wondering about its credentials, then it is worth remembering that it has hosted both National and International tournaments, which have included the British Open.
Porthmadog
Yes, North Wales has courses like Royal St Davids that have hosted international tournaments, but part of the beauty is the ability to play lesser-known courses. That is the category that Porthmadog would fit into, offering golfers a testing combination of heathland and links. Arguably the best hole on the course is the 12th, which runs along the beach and provides you with genuinely stunning views. It isn’t an easy hole, so it’s important to remind yourself to take in your surroundings rather than just swearing and getting angry as your ball goes off on its little adventure.
Nefyn
Some people refer to Nefyn Golf Club’s Old Course as ‘golf on the edge of the world’, owing to the fact that it is set on a tiny promontory that juts out of the Llyn Peninsula. There are few courses anywhere in the world that can rival what Nefyn has to offer, especially if the weather is friendly, thanks to the sea views and the 27 holes on offer there. The original course was just nine holes and was created in 1907, but it has since been updated with another 18 by the renowned golfing creators of James Braid and J.H. Taylor. Keeping your eyes on the course might be the toughest challenge of all.
We are located on the stunning northern coastline of Llŷn where the views alone are something to behold👌@NefynGolfClub ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/jDa15p5Xyl
— Clwb Golff Nefyn Golf Club (@NefynGolfClub) June 23, 2022
Vale of Llangollen
Founded in 1908, the Vale of Llangollen Golf Club is a parkland course, but it runs along the side of the River Dee and has Welsh hills on all sides. The Championship course promises visitors manicured fairways and excellent greens, but don’t be lulled into thinking that that means that it won’t present you with a genuine challenge. The fact that the greens and tee boxes are so close to one another means that you need to be a good hitter of the ball to ensure you’re not having to shout ‘fore’ every five minutes, but it is worth the risk for this truly spectacular North Wales course.