Top 20 courses in South Wales
10. Langland Bay
“Keep your head down? You must be joking. The views are never the same twice, yet always breathtaking,” says Langland Bay’s website – and it is fair comment.
Its setting – with ocean views from 15 holes – was the reason it enjoyed a nice slot within the top half of our ranking.
9. Rolls of Monmouth
There is a great backstory to this club, which sits within the Rolls of Monmouth Estate – also known as The Hendre – and has been the country seat of the Rolls family since 1767.
The 6,733-yard parkland is split into two by a forested hillside, expect mature oak trees, water hazards and large greens.
8. Marriott St Pierre (Old)
Located near Chepstow in Monmouthshire, this was a Solheim Cup host back in 1996 and has been a regular host of the European men’s circuit.
Part of a fine all-round resort, it is a pleasant parkland course with an exacting hole to finish.
7. Celtic Manor (Twenty Ten)
The top-ranked modern course in our list was the venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup – in fact it was purpose for exactly that role.
European Golf Design’s Ross McMurray skilfully took the best bits of the existing Wentwood Hills layout and blended in striking new holes to provide a magnificent risk-and-reward experience that proved perfect for matchplay.
With water hazards on half of the holes – including in front of the grandstand 18th – it has drama at every turn.
6. Pyle & Kenfig
The front half is perfectly good but, frankly, you go to Pyle & Kenfig for the awesome holes cut through the dunes.
Philip Mackenzie Ross – the man who laid out the original Turnberry Ailsa course – wrote to the club in 1946 to say he had seen no finer golfing land than their back nine, and he duly made a fine job of working that splendid duneland.
Right, it’s time for our top five golf courses in South Wales. Turn the page to find out who is top of the pile…
Chris Bertram
Chris Bertram is a specialist in all things golf courses.
He was born and brought up in Dumfriesshire and has been a sports journalist since 1996, initially as a junior writer with National Club Golfer magazine.
Chris then spent four years writing about football and rugby union for the Press Association but returned to be Editor and then Publisher of NCG.
He has been freelance since 2010 and spends the majority of his time playing golf and writing about the world’s finest golf courses.
