The St Mellion Estate is the leading Cornish golfing venue on the NCG Top 100s: GB&I Golf Resorts list. There are two championship golf courses, including the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, along with tennis courts, a health club & spa, hotel accommodation and a range of holiday cottages. 

 

18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus was the man behind the Signature Course at St Mellion, and it was his first golf course design not only on UK soil, but in Europe. Along with the original Kernow Course, designed by Bernhard Langer, the venue has hosted the DP World Tour on nine occasions, including the Benson & Hedges International Open seven times. There are also great practice facilities, and the opportunity to take lessons at the PGA Academy at St Mellion. 

 

The accommodation at St Mellion provides a lovely place to rest your head during a stay at the Cornish resort. The 80-room hotel features Kernow Rooms, Signature Rooms and Suites, with the latter all having their own private balcony overlooking the 18th green of the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. The Nicklaus Bar, one of three gastronomy options, also overlooks the course. The Cottage Collection offers guests a more private stay, with a range of one to four-bedroom cottages on offer. Along with the Nicklaus Bar, there is also No.18 and An Boesti Restaurant, with both providing a range of cuisine.  

 

The resort also has a range of health and fitness options, including two outdoor tennis courts. The gym at the Health Club & Spa has an extensive range of equipment, along with space for classes, while the spa section features a range of swimming pools, sauna, steam room and the opportunity for guests to enjoy massages and treatments.  

 

 

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Visit the St Mellion website here.  

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St Mellion is the proud home of two glorious 18-hole golf courses, including the first Jack Nicklaus Signature Course in the United Kingdom. The Kernow Resort Course, rebranded from the original Old Course in the 1970s, provides a great second course for guests to play during their stay at St Mellion. 

 

Kernow Resort Course 

Originally known as the Old Course, and opening in 1976, it quickly achieved championship status. It hosted the Benson & Hedges International Open just three years after opening, before then also hosting the St Mellion Timeshare TPC in 1983 and 1984.  

 

The course was remodeled and rebranded along with the resort’s extensive renovations in the late 2000s, being renamed the Kernow Resort Course. At just 5,620 yards, it is not the longest course in the world. All three par 5s on the layout come on the front nine, including the first two holes of the course. 

 

The other, the 8th, is one of the signature holes on the course. It is the longest on the course at 550 yards from the tips and is a slight dog-leg right. Longer hitters can have a crack at reaching in two, but for most, it will be a three-shot hole. 10, 12 and 15 are all drivable par 4s, each no more than 275 yards, while the par 3 14th plays entirely over water, with the green being shallow and wide. Club selection is crucial if you want to survive on 14. 

 

Jack Nicklaus Signature Course 

The Jack Nicklaus Signature Course opened at St Mellion in 1988, and it was the first course designed by the 18-time major champion on European soil. Within just two years, the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course also held the Benson & Hedges International Open. It hosted the DP World Tour event for six years, with Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, and Jose Maria Olazabal all being victorious at St Mellion.  

 

“To this day, I don’t think there is another course like it in the UK. I am pleased St. Mellion continues to offer a first-class golf experience for its members and guests.” - Jack Nicklaus 

 

It plays much longer than the Kernow Resort Course, but even so, at 6,300 yards, it is certainly not up there with some of the beasts you will see on the NCG Top 100s: GB&I Golf Resorts list. The Par 72 layout features four par 5s and four par 3s, and plays around the outer reaches of the resort, with the Kernow playing inside the Nicklaus Course.  

 

The par 3 11th hole is the signature offering on the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. Measuring in at 200 yards from the back tees, golfers will have to hit their tee shots over water to a green that faces diagonally from the tee. Club selection is crucial, with a longer carry to the left side of the green. The 18th is a great finishing hole, and a brute as well! 470 yards from the tips, it is the longest par 4 on the property. It is a dog-leg right with a water hazard front left of the green on your approach. The hotel and clubhouse are also right there, no doubt with people watching on as you try not to make any mistakes! 

St Mellion is the home to an 80-room hotel which sits to the side of the 18th green of the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. There are three offerings at the St Mellion Hotel – the Kernow Rooms, the Signature Rooms and the Suites. 

 

The Kernow Rooms are the standard offering at the St Mellion Hotel, but still offer a comfortable stay at the resort. Each room comes with either a king-sized bed or twin beds. The Signature Rooms all come with balconies overlooking the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, while the Suites are the best of the best at the St Mellion Hotel, providing another level of luxury during a stay at the Cornish resort. 

 

There is also the Cottage Collection on the St Mellion Estates. The cottages have recently been refurbished and come in a range of one to four bedrooms. There is also a selection of dog-friendly cottages, allowing your furry friends to come with you on holiday. The biggest of the range – the four-bedroom cottages – can sleep up to ten people, perfect for larger groups.  

 

When it comes to gastronomy, there is a fantastic range of choice at the St Mellion Estate. No.18 is a family-friendly offering, providing breakfast, snacks, and pizzas. An Boesti Restaurant provides local cuisine, Sunday carveries and more. The Nicklaus Bar is the best place for golfers to relax after a round, with views over the 18th of the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course.

Three swimming pools, a gym and fitness centre, wellness spa and more. The Health Club & Spa at St Mellion provides a great space for guests to relax and unwind, receive treatments, and improve their fitness. 

 

There are two tennis courts located outside the hotel building, while the gym features high-tech Matrix equipment. There is also a separate resistance suite and a functional fitness zone, with the likes of free weights and kettlebells on offer. The three swimming pools, which include a baby pool, are a part of the Health Club, while the Spa section also has a pool, along with a sauna and steam room. 

 

The Elemis Spa at St Mellion provides a great space for guests to unwind and relax, and there are a range of treatments on offer, including facial treatments, massages and more.  

Where is St Mellion?  
St Mellion is in Cornwall, between the villages of St Mellion and Polborder. The resort is just 12 miles from Plymouth and 15 miles from the south coast of England. 

What is the nearest airport and station to St Mellion?  
An hour to the east sits Exeter Airport, which saw almost 400,000 passengers come through its doors in 2022. It is a hub for TUI Airways, but there is a limited number of destinations to fly to from Exeter. For a wider choice of flights, Bristol Airport is two hours to the northeast from St Mellion, and is a hub for easyJet, Jet2.com, Ryanair and TUI Airways.  

 

Calstock is the nearest station to St Mellion, but it is still eight miles away by road. It sits on the line between Plymouth and Gunnislake, with trains running in either direction every other hour.  

What golf facilities does St Mellion offer?  
There is a lot more to offer at St Mellion than just two championship golf courses. There is a grass driving range for practice, with the range also having 16 matted bays and six undercover bays for when the weather turns.  

 

There is also a designated short game area with an undulating green, plenty of space to chip from and two practice bunkers, one on either side of the green. St Mellion’s short game facilities also include putting greens alongside the first tee of both the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course and the Kernow Resort Course.  

 

The pro shop at St Mellion is fully stocked with equipment and apparel from the biggest names, including PING, Callaway, Under Armour, Galvin Green and FootJoy. There is also a range of St Mellion branded apparel, while the opportunity to hire buggies, trolleys and more also come within the pro shop. 

Does St Mellion offer golf lessons?  
There are a range of lessons available for all abilities at St Mellion. From half hour and hour lessons to group coaching and specialist putting or swing analysis with head pro Darren Gass, there is tuition for everyone from the PGA Academy at St Mellion.  

What are the green fees at St Mellion?  
The price of a green fee at St Mellion changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. There are also stay & play packages available at the resort.  

 

For more information on current green fees and offers at St Mellion, visit their website here. 

What accommodation is on offer at St Mellion?  
There is a vast range of accommodation at the St Mellion Estate. Starting with the hotel, there are Kernow Rooms, Signature Rooms and Suites, with the latter offering views of the 18th of the Nicklaus Course. There is also a selection of Cottages on the Estate, ranging from one to four bedrooms for larger groups.  

What other resorts are nearby?  
St Mellion is one of three Cornish venues to have a place on the NCG Top 100s: GB&I Golf Resorts list. Trevose and Budock Vean are both within a 90-minute drive from St Mellion. However, Dartmouth and Bovey Castle in neighbouring Devon are slightly closer to Mellion. 

  

 

Book your trip to St Mellion with Golfbreaks now.  

  

Visit the St Mellion website here.  

Go Back To NCG Top 100s Homepage.