Saunton Golf Club East Course, Braunton, Devon, England

Blue tees slope 134, par 71

Red tees slope 142, par74

Lying on the north Devon coast, Saunton golf club has two golf courses, the west and the east. The area has been designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty and a site of special scientific interest because it is on Braunton Burrows, the largest sand dune system in England with an abundance of wildlife.   The club was founded in 1897 originally with nine holes but extended to twelve and then eighteen holes over the ensuing eleven years.  Following its use by the armed forces in the First World War it was completely redesigned by Herbert Fowler who also designed Walton Heath and the 18th hole at Pebble Beach.  Used as a battle training ground during the second world war, there was serious damage to the courses after which the East course was not re-opened until 1952.  Since then it has hosted many amateur championships including the British Boys Championship in 1997 won by Sergio Garcia. 

The 4th hole has a pinch point short of the green

With fairways winding through dunes, undulating greens in pristine condition, stunning wildflowers, the sun shining and larks singing this is a beautiful place to play golf.  The East course is a true and fair but tough test of golf and deserves the comments that the Open championship could be played there.  The 1st is played from a high tee surveying the whole area of Braunton Burrows and  winds in an S shape to an undulating green.  The 2nd is a lovely par five, again curving to an elevated green,  typical of many greens at this course. Named 'Gap', the 4th is a par 4 for men and 5 for ladies.  It is well named as the ladies 2nd shot lands in the gap, the narrowest part of the fairway just short of the green which lies between guarding dunes.  A short par 3 named 'Tiddler' follows.  It has a plateau green with two bunkers at the front and needs a shot of accurate length.  The first nine finishes with a

'Tiddler', the 9th hole

 succession of par 4s.  The 6th starts from a high tee with a long carry but is a short par 4 guarded by a ditch across the start of the fairway which extends up the right hand side of the hole.  There is a blind drive over a large dune onto a wide fairway on the 8th with a two tiered green tucked in dunes to the left. 

The 13th is a lovely par 3

The first three holes of the second nine are also par 4s.  'Plateau', the 10th hole, is well named with a very high green sloping from back to front.  With bunkers on the right of the landing area of the drive and  water to the left on the approach to the green the 11th rewards the straight hitter.  There is a long carry from the tee at the 12th over bullrushes to a diagonal fairway and another area of bullrushes on the left just short of the two tiered green.  The 13th is a par 3 with an upturned saucer green.  The next two holes are par 4s for men and par 5s for women, similar to the opening holes.  There is a blind drive on the 16th, where we felt that the direction post needs to be resited.  The green is tricky with a ridge of dunes on its right and a bunker short.  A straightforward par 3 follows although there is a carry over daunting rough and then a lovely finishing hole which is a gently uphill slight dogleg right to a large green framed by the clubhouse and bunkers.

The approach to the 18th green with the clubhouse in the background

Worth playing?  Golfing heaven - not to be missed.

Minehead and West Somerset golf club, Minehead, Somerset, England

 https://www.mineheadgolf.co.uk/

White tees 6233 yards, par 72, slope 121

Red tees 5508 yards, par 73 slope 130

Founded in 1882, Minehead and West Somerset Golf Club is the oldest in the county still playing on the original fairways. It was laid out by John Allan, the professional at Royal North Devon, along the south bank of the Bristol Channel close to the Exmoor National Park.  It was extended to its current 18 holes in 1901.

Looking back from the first green.
The town of Minehead is in
background

We approached the golf club with some trepidation because of the proximity of the Butlins resort but were pleasantly surprised.  We played on a sunny but windy day and had a friendly welcome from the club professional, John Bickerton, a three times winner on the then European tour.  The course is on proper linksland for the most part but is quite flat.  The prevailing wind is from the south-west, helping on the way out and hurting on the way in on this traditional out-and-back layout.  We found the first few holes to be a bit disappointing with rather worn fairways on the first three and the last three holes but the greens were in excellent condition.  The 6th and 7th holes share a fairway but playing in the opposite direction which is a bit disconcerting.  After the 7th hole the course comes into its own with the 8th and 9th being good holes despite the ditch which crosses the 9th twice!  

The well bunkered 10th green

The back nine offers views of the sea from most of the tees.  The 10th is at the furthest point of the course and is a well bunkered par 3 after which the course turns for home along the beach and into the wind.   A double level green sloping from left to right adds to the challenge of the par 5 11th, especially if the pin is on the top level.  With the drive from the 12th tee to a fairway at an angle, it is a solid par 4. The par3 14th is a tricky shot with a bunker on the right guarding the best line in to the green which slopes from right to left.  Temporarily turning away from home, the 15th has a narrow fairway and a well bunkered green.  The final three holes return to the clubhouse with the 18th being a long par 3 into the wind.

The 13th is a straightforward par 4

We liked the protection of wild life!

Worth playing? Yes - a good holiday course if you are in the area.

Burnham and Berrow Championship course, Burnham-on-sea, Somerset, England

https://www.burnhamandberrowgolfclub.co.uk/

Gold tees 6706 yards, par 71, slope 127

Blue tees 5701, par 74, slope 123

Burnham and Berrow Golf Club lies between the town of Burnham-On-Sea and the south bank of the Bristol Channel, with views to Wales on the opposite bank. It was founded in 1891 as a nine hole course designed by Charles Gibson, the professional at Royal North Devon.  At that time the design of a true links course demanded that if there was a sand dune you played over it and if there was a deep hollow a green was built in it.  Five years later the club's name was changed to Burnham and Berrow when the course was extended to Berrow church.  In 1910 the course was extended to eighteen holes by William Fowler and subsequently redesigned by Harry Colt with advice from Alistair Mackenzie between 1913 and 1923.  The delay was caused by the intervention of the Great War. The first professional at the club was John Taylor who won the Open Championship on five occasions and captained the winning Ryder Cup team in 1933. From its early years Burnham and Berrow has hosted many high level amateur golf and Open qualifying tournaments 

Julie our starter with the
Saltire flying behind her

We encountered a very friendly welcome and Julie, the starter, assured us that the Scottish flag was flying in our honour - a lovely touch.  The day was sunny with a brisk wind into us on the way out and with us on the way back.  With a traditional out-and-back layout this is a proper links course winding through impressive dunes.  The first hole is appropriately named 'The Gap' with a drive and approach to the green through narrow gaps between the dunes.  You are well advised to keep to the left of the fairway as the approach is blind from the right.  There is a long carry from the 2nd tee and a long narrow green sloping steeply from back to front, with runoffs on both sides and a false front ready to trap a slightly short approach.  The drive from the 3rd is to an angled fairway, a common feature on this course.  It is named 'Punch Bowl' for its green.  The first par 3 is the 5th which has bunkers front, left and right and swales all round making an up and down tricky if you miss the green.  At the par 5 8th the drive is over a diagonal ditch to angled fairway with bunkers lying in wait for a pulled tee shot.  The fairway runs left to right so a short approach shot will run off to the right of the green.  A plateau green awaits on the par 3 9th with a steep slope up to a green surrounded by bunkers.  

The punch bowl 3rd green 

The 1st green is tucked behind sand dunes

The 5th green is typical of the par 3s

We thought that the 10th was the weakest hole with blind drive over a dune to a dogleg left to right, a rather nondescript hole.  Nondescript does not describe the 12th hole, named 'Church' because of the Berrow church on the left.  It is situated at what was the high water mark in the late 18th century.  It is a tough par 4 up to a green with a steep runoff at the front and surrounded by swales.  The 13th is another tricky par 5, uphill to a narrow landing area for the second shot, and to a green guarded by bunkers and a steep slope to its left.  There are great views from the par 3 14th green which is two-tiered with a very steep approach.  The only place to miss is short right if you want a chance of getting up and down. very steep to two tiered green, no bunkers.  The final par 3 is the 17th which is true to form - an elevated green with a steep runoff at the front. The 18th is a dogleg from right to left preventing a view of the green from the tee.  The second shot is through a narrow gap and an accurate shot has to take into account the softer ground in front of green which is easy to go through as it slopes from front to back.

The 18th with the clubhouse and Burnham lighthouse behind

Worth playing? Definitely.  A challenging true links course.

Burnham and Berrow Channel course, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, England

https://www.burnhamandberrowgolfclub.co.uk/the-channel-course/

Purple tees (men) 2898 yards, par 35, slope 115

Green tees (women) 2572 yards, par 35, slope 116

Lying to the north of Burnham on Sea on the south coast of the Bristol Channel, Burnham and Berrow golf club has two courses - the eighteen hole Championship course and the nine hole Channel course.  The latter, designed by Fred Hawtree and opened in 1977, was made possible by the retreat of the high tideline by about 100 metres after the second world war which opened up land to establish a nine hole golf course and also an area of salt marsh providing habitat for many species.  The Channel course lies on the Bristol Channel side of the Championship course.

The 6th green slopes from back to front

We played the Channel course on a bright and breezy day with a south west wind.  With a classic straight out straight back design, the first four holes head away from the clubhouse.  They are similar in nature  - on flat ground with a ditch running along the left side.  They are remarkable for the absence of bunkers with the first appearing greenside on the par 5 4th.  The 5th hole turns back towards home into the prevailing wind with large dunes on the left over which lies the Championship course.  We were greeted on the tee by a large flock of moorhens and their chicks feeding on the fairway.  The 6th is a lovely par 4 in the valley between the dunes leading up to a green which slopes from back to front.  The 7th tee has a good view of the Bristol channel and of the hole which is a dog leg from left to right with the green tucked behind a large dune on the right.  First time players should beware as the line for the drive is not the lighthouse - aim further left!  There are views of the water again from the high tee of the par 3 8th where an accurate shot is needed to the plateau green surrounded by swales.  The par 4 finishing hole has a long carry from the back tee and a high green cut into side of a dune on the left.

The 7th green is partly hidden by a large dune

Worth playing?  Yes - a good introduction to the big course.  

Borth and Ynyslas, Borth, Ceredigion, Wales

 www.borthgolf.co.uk/

White tees 6084 yards, 70.7, slope 128

Red tees 5350 yards, 71.7, slope 120

Set on the magnificent Ceredigion (Cardigan) Bay and on the south side of the estuary of the river Dovey, Borth and Ynslas golf club is reputedly the oldest golf club in Wales although this is disputed by some!  The first mention of golf in the area is in 1876 when Uppingham school, an English public school, relocated to Borth after a typhoid outbreak in Uppingham and some of the masters were said to play golf.  The club claims to have been established in 1885 and there are reports of golf being played on the course in that year.  Two renowned Ryder Cup players cut their teeth as assistant professionals at Borth and Ynslas, Harry Wheetman and Dai Rees.  Dai Rees was to become the captain of the victorious Great Britain and Ireland Ryder Cup team in 1957.

The first two holes are narrow,
between the road and the beach

There is a house in the middle
of the 4th fairway

We played with Lynn and David Lawson on a sunny but windy day - the Borth breeze was certainly blowing!  The 1st hole is a straightforward par 4 with the road which runs down the coast on the left.   The course then crosses the road to a narrow strip between beach and road where there is danger on both sides for the next two holes.  For the right hander a slice will end up on the road and a hook on the beach.  On the par 5 4th there is house in the middle of the fairway, the only time we have seen a notice warning the golfer not to play over a house!   After the par 4 5th and 6th holes the course widens out and enters an area of large dunes.  The 8th is a lovely par 5 which is a dogleg to the right after which the course turns back towards home, with the 9th to 14th holes running along the shore.  There is no fairway on the Par 3 11th which requires a well hit shot over the dunes to a green in a dell.  With its undulating fairway and a bunker and dunes guarding the green the 12th is a typical links hole.  The beach comes into play on the right on the par 3 14th. The course finishes with three straightforward holes with wide fairways. 

The 12th is a typical links hole

The par 3 11th

           

Worth playing?  Yes but make sure you are hitting straight!

Aberdovey golf course, Aberdovey, Gwynedd, Wales

 www.aberdoveygolf.co.uk/

Gold tees 6036 yards, 69.6, slope 124

Orange tees 5797 yards, 74.4, slope 138

Set on the north of the estuary of the River Dovey in the natural beauty of the Snowdonia National Park in west Wales, Golf was reputedly played here in the 1880s by Arthur Ruck, an infantry officer,.  He used Aberdovey Common, an area of ground between the railway and the sea and planted nine flower pots as holes.  Among his playing partners was Bernard Darwin, the grandson of the great naturalist who would holiday with his Welsh grandmother.  She did not play golf but gave the club its motto - an old Welsh proverb 'if you can't be strong, be cunning' which perfectly encapsulated the course.  Bernard went on to be an acclaimed golf writer but never lost his love for Aberdovey which he wrote was 'the course that my soul loved best of all the courses in the world'.  Several famous golf architects have shaped the course including Herbert Fowler, Harry Colt and James Braid, making it into the iconic links it is today.

The second green with the railway
 in the background

We played Aberdovey with Lynn and David Lawson on a sunny day with a strong easterly wind.  Like a classic links course it runs more or less straight out and straight back in, with a small zig zag at the turn, much like the Old Course at St Andrews.  With the prevailing wind being west to south-west it will normally be behind the golfer on the way out and against on the way in, leading perhaps to a false sense of security at the start of the round!  It lies on a narrow strip of land between the railway and sand dunes and reminded us of Brancaster or Goswick.

The third green is over a large dune,
hence the name Cader

The first four holes run along the dunes on the left.   The first two have narrow fairways with trouble on both sides.  The third is a blind par 3 over a large dune after which it is named - Cader for the local mountain Cader Idris.  The green lies in a hollow beyond.  The par 4 fourth has a long carry from its high tee and is followed by a par 3 which heads towards the railway line.  The green is sloping and has a ditch in front of it requiring an accurate shot.  The next three holes are classic links holes with the eighth, although a short par 4, being defended by nine bunkers short of and around the green. The par 3 ninth turns at right angles to the dunes with two large bunkers guarding the green.  The next two holes are long par 4s, the tenth heading back in the direction of the clubhouse and the 11th going in the opposite direction.  A par 3, the twelfth has a green high on a sand dune with lovely views of the beach to the right and steep banking front and left.  The next three holes run back towards home, with the thirteenth being a particularly lovely par 5.  There is a tight drive on the short par 4 sixteenth as it is very close to the railway on the left. The green is set into the dunes with a steep runoff on left. The finishing hole is challenging if you tend to hook the ball with water, rough and out of bounds on the left.

The 18th green and clubhouse

The par 3 12th

Worth playing?  Definitely - it is links heaven.

Pwllheli golf club, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, Wales

 clwbgolffpwllheli.com/

White tees 70.1, slope 123

Red tees 71, slope 125

Lying on the Llyn peninsula in north-west Wales on the north side of Ceredigion Bay, Pwllheli golf club was founded as a nine hole course in 1900.  The original holes were designed by Jack Morris, the professional at Hoylake and the nephew of Tom Morris.  The course was extended to 18 holes in 1909 with the addition of nine holes running along the sand dunes designed by James Braid.  The extended course was opened by David Lloyd George who became British Prime Minister in 1916.

We played Pwllheli with Lynn and David Lawson on a sunny day with a gentle breeze.  The original nine holes, now the 1st to 7th and the 17th and 18th, are flat, parkland holes with soft fairways and greens and lots of trees.  They are not true links holes.  Unusually this course has no par 5s for men (two for women) and only three par 3s.  The fairways were not in good condition although the greens were good but very variable because of the differing terrain. 

Nine of the holes are on parkland terrain

There are not many memorable holes in the first 7 holes, although the 5th has a pond in front in front of the green which differentiates it from the other holes.  The ground becomes linksland when the course returns to the clubhouse at the 7th green and turns to run along the coast. This section starts with two par 4s and then the 10th is a pretty par 3 with dunes on the left and a green guarded by two bunkers at the front.   The fabulous views over the bay from the 11th tee could be a distraction but concentration is required for the tee shot which is a big carry over gorse and rough. The final par 3 is the 12th which has water awaiting any long shot to the left and back of the green.  The course then turns back in the direction of the clubhouse with some good holes including the par 4 14th which is a dogleg to right.  It may be a short par 4 but water on the right side of the fairway and a pond in front of the green increases the risk.  The 16th is a blind drive where a drive which is too straight can run out of fairway.  It finishes with a sloping green guarded by a big front bunker.  Disappointingly the 17th and 18th return to rather soggy terrain. 

The 14th green is guarded by
a pond and a bunker

A view of the 10th green

Worth playing?  Probably but only if you are here on holiday.

Porthmadog golf club, Gwynedd, Wales

www.porthmadog-golf-club.co.uk

White tees 71.5, slope 124

Red tees 71.9, slope 116

Porthmadog golf course lies at the mouth of the river Dwyryd as it flows into Ceredigion Bay in north-west Wales.  It was founded in 1905 as a nine hole course but expanded to 18 holes in 1911, reputedly with the input of James Braid.   

This was the start of a few days in Wales playing four true links courses. We played Porthmadog with Lynn and David Lawson on a lovely sunny day with a light breeze.  This is a course of two halves, the first nine being inland and more like a heathland or parkland course. with quite a lot of water and many trees.  Unusually these holes consisted of three par 3s, three par 4s and three par 5s.  Apart from water in front of the 1st green the first two holes were unremarkable.  The next three holes were on  parkland type terrain.  The 5th has water on both sides of the landing area for drives and is a dogleg to the right. A pretty par 3 follows with an island green.  Accuracy is required at the par 3 9th, with water hazards awaiting a short or long shot.

The island green at the 6th hole

The view from the 13th tee

The second nine holes are much more more linksland in type with crumpled fairways and harder, faster running ground.  The 10th starts with a blind drive followed by a narrow entrance to the green guarded by bunkers.  Heading for the sea, the 11th is a par 3, with runoffs around the green making accuracy essential.  We thought that the 12th was a rather contrived hole up a huge hill with very little fairway and a plateau green' which repels shots which are slightly short.  Lovely views of the beach greet the golfer from the next tee but the hole is a blind par 3 with only a glimpse of the green from the tee.  Large dunes on the right give the 14th its name, Himalayas, and with out of bounds on the right and a blind drive it is easy to lose a ball if not struck perfectly.  The par 5 17th is lined by gorse and doglegs twice from right to left.  A ditch lurks to the right of the green to catch the unwary.  It is a disappointing finish with an uninviting and nondescript 18th hole.

The second nine is true links

Worth playing?  Not in the same league as nearby Royal St David's or Aberdovey.

Hayling Golf Club, Hayling Island, Hampshire, England

                                                               

 https://www.haylinggolf.co.uk/

White tees 6529 yards, par 71, slope121
Red tees 5813, par 74, slope 130

Founded in 1883 by the Sandeman family of port and sherry fame, Hayling was initially designed by Joe Lloyd who won the 1897 US Open with major inputs over the years from Tom Dunn, JH Taylor, five times Open champion and Tom Simpson. In common with many coastal courses it was taken over by the RAF during the second World War and some of the concrete bunkers and coastal defences can still be seen. Set on a Site of Special Scientific Interest, it lies on the south-west peninsula of Hayling Island, overlooking the Solent and the Isle of Wight.  We played on a hot almost windless day with our son-in-law Alex after a very friendly welcome.

The par 3 5th

This is a golf course which starts quietly and then gradually and inexorably reveals itself to be a course which is a test of strategy and which can beat up the unwary player.  There are a lot of blind or semi-blind shots to narrow fairways often at an angle to the tee and long carries which makes it a difficult course to play for the first time, especially since the rough and gorse are serious hazards.  The first four holes are fairly flat and uninteresting but that changes with the par 3 5th which requires a shot to carry over rough to a narrow green, guarded by a steep faced bunker.  The 6th is a par 4 for men and a short par 5 for women with a blind drive and a wide red penalty area short of the green - a proper risk and reward hole.  The 8th is a short par 4 with a blind shot over an area of rough to the green which lies in a hollow.  Standing on the 9th tee faced with a drive over rough, heather and a sand dune you come to the realisation that there are perhaps too many blind shots and that playing with a member would be helpful!

The course is on an SSSI.
An owl box can be seen behind the 7th green.

The 10th is a delightful short par 4 hole which is unusual as the hole is laid out before the player.  It is drivable but that brings the fairway bunker on the left into play. It is followed by a par 3 which heads towards the sea, has lots of rough and a tilted green guarded by five bunkers awaiting a short shot. 

The par 3 11th

There are lovely views from the 12th and 13th tees with the 13th finishing in a dell at the furthest point of the course. Fourteen is a dog-leg par 5 from right to left with an inlet of the sea at the corner.  Unusually it has a spare green used as a par 3 when other holes are out of commission.  The 15th has a long carry from the tee and a heavily bunkered fairway which is very narrow especially nearer the green.  Another par 3 with virtually no fairway and an angled green follows.   The 17th has a narrow opening through thick gorse for the drive and has trouble on the left in the form of the lake which extends to the art deco clubhouse.  The course finishes with a fairly straightforward par 4 although again the drive is at an angle to the fairway.

The view of the clubhouse
from the 17th tee

Worth playing?  Yes definitely but if possible play with someone who knows the course

Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England

 https://www.westonsupermaregolfclub.com/

Black tees par 70, slope 123, 6169 yards
Green tees (ladies) par 72, slope 115, 5543 yards

Lying on the Bristol Channel, golf was first played on Weston-super-Mare in 1892 after a nine hole course was designed by Tom Dunn, a Scottish professional golfer and golf architect.  At the club's inception a proposal to allow ladies to play over the men's course was heavily defeated and a separate ladies' course was also laid out.   Only four years later another nine holes were added.  In 1922 the course was modernised under the direction of Dr Alister McKenzie who is probably best known as the architect of Augusta National.

Weston-super-Mare is in a good position for a true links course but lacks enough attributes to be described as such.  It lies on flat ground on which we could see no evidence of sandy soil, lacks hard and fast running fairways, has no dunes and quite a few trees.  After a friendly welcome, we played on a sunny, windy day in November when you would not expect almost all the bunkers to be flooded and sodden ground on the fairways, even allowing for recent heavy rain, but that is what we found.  The greens were in reasonable condition but the fairways were poor. 

The 4th hole has a wall across the fairway. 
 Scrub blocks views of the sea

Heading in a south west direction, the first four holes, three par 4s and a par 3, run along the beach but it and the sea are obscured from view by a high barrier of scrub.  The most memorable of these is the fourth which has a dry stone wall across the fairway.  The fifth and sixth holes are two par 4s separated from the rest of the course by a road and are the only holes with a view of the Bristol Channel.  The seventh is a par 3 named 'Four Eyes' after the bunkers which guard the green.  The next memorable hole is the fifteenth because of its name - 'Road Hole'.  We assumed this was because of the positioning of the greenside bunker likening the hole to the famous seventeenth at St Andrews Old Course.  A nondescript flat short hole follows and then a par 5 dogleg left to right which tempts the player to take a shortcut over an area of out of bounds. 

 

The 14th green is overlooked by 
the Old Church of St Nicholas  

Worth playing?  Not if you want a true links experience.