Mother Distracted
A Family Lifestyle Blog In Wales

The Best Places To Play Golf In Wales

There are some who agree with Mark Twain who famously said “Golf is a good walk spoiled” but there’s no denying it is hugely popular, especially in my home country of Wales.
Personally I’ve only ever managed to master Crazy Golf and that at some risk of serious injury to anyone standing within 6 feet of me on the pitch and putt course.
However, if tee-ing off at dawn and in all weathers is your thing, you’ll be spoilt for choice among the pick of Welsh golf courses in scenic locations.
Here are just 3 challenging courses to test your handicap.

Celtic Manor

Opened in 2008 and designed specifically to host the 2010 Ryder Cup, the Twenty Ten course at Celtic Manor in Newport comprises 9 holes from the former Wentwood Hills course at the resort, and nine freshly constructed ones. There are water features on half the holes and the Twenty Ten Bridge links the practice ground to the golf course across the River Usk.

According to Golfing Monthly, this design “succeeded in its aim to provide dramatic risk-and-reward matchplay holes.”

In fact, the Celtic Manor Resort boasts three championship courses, The Montgomerie Course and the Roman Road Course being the other two, whilst the Resort as a whole boasts three hotels, two spas, and six restaurants.

Image credit Lhourahane: https://www.flickr.com/people/allaction/

You’ll also find high ropes courses, adventure golf, laser tag, archery and a multi-purpose conference centre.

Southerndown

In complete contrast is the hilltop course at Southerndown with a very unusual type of terrain described as limestone-heathland”.  In fact, it is considered one of the world’s leading golf courses of this type.

The course is situated on a massive limestone outcrop, which rises over 70 metres from the sea giving superb views and the limestone has created lots of heathland vegetation such as heather, gorse and bracken with turf that is both springy and sandy due to the westerly winds.
With a private members’ club dating back over 100 years and a quaint, traditional clubhouse, Southerndown Golf Club is well worth a visit.

eswales / A view northwards from Southerndown golf course / CC BY-SA 2.0

Of course, it is always best to check that you have the correct attire before you pay your green fees such as Boss shirts from Function 18. These golf shirts will provide you with high-performance fabrics in a wide range of colours perfect for the summer season.

Langland Bay, Swansea

I have a particular fondness for Langland Bay Golf Club in Swansea as it provided the venue for many days of golf hospitality I was tasked to arrange as marketing exec.

With ocean views from 15 of its 18 holes, it is a beautiful venue for a day’s golf.  The course is situated high on a cliff top above the Gower sand giving panoramic views across the Bristol Channel and as far as the Brecon Beacons.

Hole 6 is claimed by club members to be the most difficult in Wales whilst Hole 16 is known as “Death Or Glory” with the sea on one side and a 100 feet steep drop on the other.  You’ll find small greens and plenty of rough grass and sand traps to manoeuvre at the remaining holes.

The clubhouse is known for its warm welcome and scenic outlook over the broad sweep of Langland Bay.

A view from Langland Bay Golf Course Colin Inverarity / Towards Rams Tor / CC BY-SA 2.0

These are just a few of the beautiful golfing venues to be found in Wales.  Have you played golf here?  Which course did you find the most scenic, and the most challenging?

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