Top 100 nine-hole courses: Wales
Betws-y-Coed
This club is located on the edge of the popular tourist village which bears the same name, and is within easy reach of the whole of North Wales along with the Midlands and north west of England. The club is especially welcoming to visitors, staging open events throughout the year. The scenic parkland course offers stunning views of the Conwy Valley and Snowdonia mountain range.
Cwmrhydneuadd
This picturesque course is set in a beautiful secluded valley near the coastal village of Llangrannog, and is surrounded by gently rolling hills and bordered by several streams. The layout was designed by the course owner and the par-31 course sets up well for the beginner and more established player alike. It is not uncommon to see a great deal of wildlife on the course, including red kite, buzzards, rabbits as well as native small birds.
Established in 1912 and laid out by six-time Open Championship winner Harry Vardon, the course at Knighton is steeped in history Knighton
Established in 1912 and laid out by six-time Open Championship winner Harry Vardon, the course at Knighton is steeped in history. The club originally came into existence in 1906 as a six-hole course, but was transformed by Vardon into the layout which exists today. The parkland course features sloping fairways and a series of short to mid-length par 4s and par 3s. The holes are well protected, particularly the signature 4th, which has a tight fairway and thick rough.
Penmaenmawr
Constructed in 1910, the course is surrounded by breathtaking scenery, with three mountains providing the backdrop and the coastline in front. The parkland layout provides an enjoyable test, with dry stone walls dissecting certain fairways and coming into play from the tee on the 2nd and 7th holes. Several of the greens are elevated and most are sloping, running away towards the sea.
St Melyd
Nestled below a wooded hillside above the town of Pretatyn is St Melyd. The club was founded in 1922 and has 18 tees on the nine-hole layout. The club, reachable from Manchester and Liverpool inside an hour, caters well for visitors. The fairways are lined with mature trees and there are several elevated greens. The club is renowned for its outstanding condition throughout the year. The fairways boast views over the Clwydian Range and Snowdonia.
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Royal Worlington and Newmarket – The Sacred Nine
Tom Irwin
Tom is a lifetime golfer, now over 30 years playing the game. 2023 marks 10 years in golf publishing and he is still holding down a + handicap at Alwoodley in Leeds. He has played over 600 golf courses, and has been a member of at least four including his first love Louth, in Lincolnshire. Tom likes unbranded clothing, natural fibres, and pencil bags. Seacroft in Lincolnshire is where it starts and ends.
