As far as golfing prowess is concerned, golf in the West Country is very much alive and kicking. None more so than at Bude & North Cornwall.
Situated close to other south-west gems including Royal North Devon and Saunton – with its East and West Courses – up the road, and St Enodoc and Trevose a bit further south, Bude is well worth a visit on any golfing trip to the Cornwall coastline.
The front nine boasts a run of treacherous par 4s, all of which will test your game early on in the round. The 3rd hole features a sharp dogleg fairway and an elevated, undulating green that is protected by bunkers on the left, right and front. The 6th hole is another great test, but the jewel in the crown is the 7th.
You will most likely require a fairway wood or strong iron shot to avoid the mounds and marshy water hazard that flank the fairway, while overshooting the blind plateau green on this 346-yard par 4 could prove costly. Take a par and run to the next tee box.
History
The course was established in 1891 on the common land known as Summerleaze Downs and quickly garnered a reputation for quality.
Tom Dunn was the man to design the original golf course when it opened, with the original layout coming in around the 5,500-yard mark. Subsequent updates to the course have taken it up to 6,000 yards.
Harry Vardon – six times a winner of the Open Championship – was a regular visitor to Bude & North Cornwall in the early 20th Century. The Englishman, who also won the US Open in 1900, was the course record holder for a number of years.
What makes Bude & North Cornwall Golf Club special?
The course boasts natural all-weather, undulating fairways and excellent drainage which means that it is very rarely unplayable, ensuring your golf trip will not be dictated by the unpredictable seaside weather.
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Bude is a course that has its eccentricities, but those are part of its charm. It is a course that is part of the tapestry of the game in the West Country.
Bude is placed 36th in our list of the most fun courses in GB&I, and for good reason. This is a quirky, thrilling course full of plateau greens, blind drives and rumpled fairways. The greens are lightning fast and feature both harsh and subtle borrows that will seriously test your ability to read a putt.
Where does it rank?
97th in England, 4th in Cornwall, 16th in England Value
Where is Bude & North Cornwall Golf Club?
As the name suggests Bude & North Cornwall Golf Club is located in the northern part of the English county of Cornwall. It is just to the north of the town of Bude, with the course overlooking the coastline and out to the Celtic Sea. The A39, which runs from Bath to Falmouth, runs past the eastern boundary of the golf course. Newquay and Plymouth are both just over an hour away from Bude. Newquay Airport is an hour away down the coast to the southwest.
Get in touch with Bude & North Cornwall
For more information about the club and course, visit its website or call them on 01288 352006.
You can also send the club a message via the contact form, which is on the homepage of their website.
You can play at Bude & North Cornwall on the NCG Top 100s Tour in the 2026 season!
- Book your spot to play at Bude & North Cornwall on the NCG Top 100s Tour on April 28th, 2026 here.
- You can also play at Royal North Devon, Saunton (East) and Saunton (West) in our South West Swing – check that out here.
Now have your say
Have you ever had the pleasure of playing at Bude & North Cornwall? Let us know your thoughts with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
