Royal Porthcawl gets the headlines — and deserves them. But Welsh golf is deeper and more varied than a single famous venue suggests. From the estuaries of mid-Wales to the Gower Peninsula and the remote Lleyn Peninsula in the north, Wales has golf courses that would be internationally celebrated if they sat on the Scottish coast.
These are the ones worth knowing about.
Aberdovey Golf Club, Gwynedd
Aberdovey sits in a narrow strip between the Dyfi estuary and the town, and has been described as the course of the heart by Bernard Darwin — golf's greatest writer. It is one of the most naturally charming links courses in Britain: blind shots, hidden greens, dunes, and turf that runs fast in summer. The setting, with views across the estuary to the Snowdonia foothills, is extraordinary.
Green fees are a fraction of comparable Scottish venues. It deserves a much larger reputation.
Nefyn and District Golf Club, Lleyn Peninsula
Nefyn sits on a headland on the Lleyn Peninsula with views of Cardigan Bay, Snowdonia, and on clear days, the mountains of Ireland. The course wraps around the headland, with several holes played along cliff edges above the sea. It is one of the most dramatic settings for golf in Britain.
The "Point" holes — a loop around the tip of the headland — are among the most memorable in Welsh golf. The course rewards local knowledge but delivers unforgettable golf for the first-time visitor.
Pennard Golf Club, Gower Peninsula
Pennard sits above Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower, a few miles from Swansea. The course plays across clifftops and through ancient dune ridges, with the ruins of Pennard Castle behind the 18th green providing the most dramatic backdrop in Welsh golf.
It is not a famous course. It should be. The turf, the views, and the sheer naturalness of the layout put it in the same category as courses that charge three times the green fee.
Tenby Golf Club, Pembrokeshire
Tenby is the oldest golf club in Wales, founded in 1888, and the course that has evolved on the headland above the town is one of the finest links in the south of the country. The clifftop location, the views of Caldey Island, and the quality of the seaside turf make it a genuine destination course.
Pembrokeshire is worth a golf break in itself — Tenby combined with St David's City Golf Club and the coastal scenery around the national park makes for an outstanding two-round trip.
Southerndown Golf Club, Vale of Glamorgan
Southerndown sits on the clifftops above Dunraven Bay, an hour west of Cardiff. It plays as a clifftop downland course — firm, fast, heavily influenced by the wind — and has hosted Welsh Open Qualifying events over many years. Royal Porthcawl is 15 minutes away, making a Southerndown and Porthcawl combination one of the best two-course days in Wales.
Ashburnham Golf Club, Carmarthenshire
Ashburnham near Burry Port is Wales's best-kept secret among links courses. It sits on the north Gower coast, largely unknown to visiting golfers, and plays with the character of a much more famous venue. The wind off Carmarthen Bay, the sandy turf, and the quality of the greens put it firmly in the first division of Welsh golf.
Why Welsh Golf Is Worth the Journey
The case for Welsh golf comes down to three things:
Value: green fees at top Welsh links are typically £40–£90 for visitors, compared to £100–£250 at Scottish equivalents.
Quiet: the courses are genuinely uncrowded. You can walk onto Nefyn or Aberdovey on a summer Saturday with far less planning than a comparable Scottish venue requires.
Settings: the combination of mountains, estuaries, and coastline gives Welsh golf a visual character that Scotland and England rarely match.
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See also: best golf courses in Wales, golf breaks in Scotland, hidden gem courses in England.
Golf Writer & Course Reviewer
Gavin has been passionate about golf since the age of 12, playing off a handicap of 5 by 15 and representing Wales and North Wales as a junior amateur. He brings a lifetime of playing knowledge to everything he writes. About Gavin →
