The 14 Best Golf Courses In Cornwall
Cornwall is
a long-established destination of choice for family holidays in the UK, but the
tranquil southwesterly region is also a magnet for golfers.
With
stunning coastlines, clifftops overlooking serene beaches, and natural beauty
scarcely bettered anywhere else in the country, Cornwall ticks all the boxes as
far as golf is concerned.
You’re almost
spoilt for choice as a golfer in Cornwall, so if you’re a first-timer, it’s
understandable if you need a helping hand.
That’s where we come in. We’ve done the research so that you don’t have to. Here are the 14 best golf courses in Cornwall.
1. Perranporth Golf Club
Situated on Cornwall’s gorgeous northern coast, Perranporth Golf Club is arguably one of the most underrated links courses in the UK.
Designed in 1927 by the Scottish golf great James Braid, Perranporth and its unique layout have largely remained the same ever since. The links course itself is built upon high ground, which means golfers are treated to stunning views across Perran Bay and its sandy beach while on the green.
The course at Perranporth measures just over 6,200 yards and has a
standard par of 72. However, golfers will find that Perranporth is not without
its challenges. There are a total of seven blind drives alongside several
semi-blind approach shots, too, which can catch out first-timers in particular.
The landscape at Perranporth is also renowned for its somewhat moon-like
qualities. With holes winding up and down its natural dunes, it’s not the most
relaxing of courses, that’s for sure – but one that’s worth the challenge.
Still, however, Perranporth Golf Club ranks in the Golf World Top 100 courses in the UK and Ireland.
Website: https://www.perranporthgolfclub.co.uk/
2. Newquay Golf Club
It doesn’t
take long to realise why Newquay is a holiday hotspot. It’s home to some of the
best beaches in Britain and the best surfing destinations in the world.
However, it’s also home to the stunning Newquay Golf Club, with its beautiful views across the headland and the world-famous Fistral Beach – an iconic surfing spot.
Newquay Golf Club was formed way back in 1890, meaning that its stunning golf course is not only a renowned landmark of sheer natural beauty but it’s jam-packed with history too.
This 18-hole, par 69 course measures more than 6,100 yards
long and is suitable for golfers of all abilities and skillsets – so it’s a must-visit
if you’re holidaying in Newquay or nearby.
But the maintenance of the golf course has not been without struggle. In fact, once upon a time, the land was nearly sold to developers with the intention of it becoming a housing estate – however, thankfully, those plans never teed off (pardon the pun!)
Website: https://www.newquaygolfclub.co.uk/
3. The Point at Polzeath
The greens at the Point are considered some of the best in the UK among
the golfing community, and it’s easy to see why.
Though the 18-hole golf course has been open for more than 20 years,
investment more recently to the site has allowed for significant improvements to
just about every aspect of the course. In fact, the course’s overall
presentation is pretty hard to fault.
Sitting nicely just above the Camel Estuary, five miles from Wadebridge and a mile from St Enodoc, the Point is in the ideal location for a relaxing golfing retreat. In 2018, the Sunday Times included the Point at Polzeath in a round-up of Britain’s top golf hotels, too.
The course itself has glorious views out over Hayle Bay and Pentire
Point, which make playing golf here an absolute delight, especially during peak
season.
Website: https://www.thepointatpolzeath.co.uk/
4. China Fleet Golf Club
China Fleet Golf Club is set in an impressive 180 acres of Cornish
countryside alongside the River Tamar, on the cusp of bordering Devon. It’s
also just 15 minutes from the city of Plymouth – so it’s just about as
connected and accessible as a golf course can be.
This superb 18-hole parkland golf course was designed by Dr Martin Grant
Hawtree – a golf course architect whose CV also includes world-famous courses
such as Royal Birkdale and Les Aisses.
The 72-par course at China Fleet is suitable for golfers of all abilities, with chipping and putting greens, a short-game practice area, and a 22-bay floodlit driving range.
You’ll encounter a few surprises as you work your way through the holes
here, though. Without giving too much away – think water hazards, tree-lined
fairways and out-of-bounds holes.
Golfers already familiar with this course will agree that the 14th hole, in particular, is a memorable one. Here, the tee shot needs to carry over
140 yards of lake, so the weight of shot is key.
Website: https://www.china-fleet.co.uk/
5. Merlin Golf Club
You might associate the name Merlin with magic – and this beautiful heathland
course on Cornwall’s northern coast is nothing short of magic either.
With amazing views of the sea, Merlin Golf Club is not far from Mawgan
Porth and its award-winning beach, meaning you can enjoy your golf in some of
the best surrounds Cornwall has to offer.
The course at Merlin is designed to suit golfers of all abilities, as
there are no long carries for high handicappers to consider but still enough of
a challenge posed to keep the lower handicappers among us engaged.
As greens go, they don’t come too much better than Merlin’s either. These greens, in particular, are arguably some of the truest you’ll ever come across as a golfer. This, combined with the stunning north Cornwall scenery, makes Merlin Golf Club a golfer’s magical paradise in every sense.
Website: http://www.merlingolfcourse.co.uk/
6. Carlyon Bay
The 72-par, 18-hole championship golf
course at Carlyon Bay is one of the finest the region has to offer.
Situated on the south coast clifftops, the views across the bay are spectacular, while the course itself provides a challenge for any golfer.
Many have described the course at Carlyon
Bay as ‘one of two halves’. The first ten holes are played right alongside the
clifftop before winding into the parkland for the back-stretch.
However, aesthetically, there’s certainly nothing half-measured about Carlyon Bay, because as we mentioned before, most of the course yields sublime views across St Austell Bay.
Carlyon Bay also has a six-acre
practice ground with two excellent putting greens and a nine-hole approach
course on site, making it one of the best golf courses in Cornwall, and indeed
the UK in general, for both playing and practising.
Website: http://www.carlyonbay.com/
7. West Cornwall Golf Club
Overlooking St Ives Bay and the Hayle
Estuary is West Cornwall Golf Club (WCGC). Founded in 1889, it’s the oldest
existing golf course in Cornwall.
Though the WCGC course itself may not
be a championship layout, it’s still fully capable of nurturing championship
talent. The legendary Jim Barnes (AKA ‘Long Jim’), one of the few golfers to
win an Open Championship in both the UK and US, cut his golfing teeth at WCGC. Born
in Cornwall himself, Barnes went on to win four majors during his golfing career
– so it’s fair to say WCGC is a good place to start!
More recently, golfers such as Philip
Rowe and Harry Hall have all practised their craft out on the WCGC greens.
With a quiet railway line running
adjacent and Hayle Beach visible from across the estuary, WCGC promises the
perfect golfing experience all year round.
Website: https://www.wcgolf.co.uk/
8. St Mellion International Resort
The course at
St Mellion was designed and built by none other than Jack Nicklaus. For many golfers,
that fact alone would probably be enough to prompt a visit, but St Mellion doesn’t
just talk the talk – it firmly walks the walk, too.
Nicklaus’
first European course design, St Mellion is widely regarded as one of the best
in the business, with golfers travelling from all over to test themselves on a
course designed by one of the game’s greatest.
In true Nicklaus style, there’s no such thing as an easy hole at St Mellion, each of them carefully crafted with their own individuality. If nothing else – it’s clear to see Nicklaus paid immense attention to detail (which would go some way to explain his enviable success!)
With high
elevations, tiered greens and plenty of water, you’ll know you’ve been in a
game by the time you reach the 18th hole, that’s for sure.
St Mellion
has been voted best golf course in the west of England and the second-best 4*
golf resort in the UK and Ireland.
It’s also hosted tournaments. For example, the Benson & Hedges International Open was held here between 1990 and 1995, during which time the late, great Seve Ballesteros clinched victory.
Website: https://www.st-mellion.co.uk/
9. Bude and North Cornwall Golf Club
Cornwall’s
most northern town, Bude, has been a golfing hotspot since the late nineteenth
century, and the Bude and North Cornwall Golf Club (BNCGC) has stood proud for
more than 130 years.
This classic
seaside links course is located just half a mile away from the town centre and
has gorgeous views towards its two nearby beaches – Summerleaze and Crooklets.
Despite being somewhat ‘squeezed’ into a relatively small plot of land, the course still manages to boast a full 18 holes dissected by Golf House Road. The first five holes lie on one side, with the remaining 13 fairways dotted strategically on the other. Hats off to its original designer, Tom Dunn!
BNCGC offers
golfers of all abilities an opportunity to experience an older-style links with
various blind shots and fast greens.
There’s a
smaller, 9-hole pitch and putt course on-site, too.
Website: http://www.budegolf.co.uk/
10. Holywell Bay
There’s
something for everyone at Holywell Bay, so it’s another must-visit course if
you’re holidaying in Newquay or nearby.
Located around six miles from Newquay Golf Club, Holywell Bay has two 18-hole golf courses, a 16-hole mini-golf course, and a family-friendly ‘Pitch & Putt’ by the sea – so from novice to veteran and young to old, all tastes and abilities are well catered for.
Holywell Bay’s courses and facilities are kept in stunning condition thanks to the site’s dedicated Greens’ Team, and the gorgeous panoramic views overlooking the countryside and National Trust-maintained beaches below make this one of the best golf courses in Cornwall.
Unlike some
other golf clubs in the area, you don’t need to be a member to play a round at
Holywell Bay. So, you’re free to pay and play as and when you wish – what’s not
to love?
Website: https://holywellbaygolf.co.uk/
11. Trevose Golf and Country Club
The Trevose
Golf and Country Club (TGCC) boasts three exquisite golf courses – the
Championship Course, Headland Course, and Short Course – each one catering for golfers
of varying abilities.
The oldest of the three is the Championship Course, which first opened in 1925 and is often regarded as one of the UK’s best links courses. Over the years, multiple tournaments have been held here, including the inaugural European Legends Links Championship in 2019 and the English Men’s County Finals in 2017.
As you stand on the first tee at the Championship Course, be prepared to be completely overwhelmed as the sights and sounds of the Atlantic hit you front-on. Another course of two halves, the first nine Championship holes stay close to the sandy coastline before heading back inland for the latter half.
The Headland
Course at TGCC opened in 1993. Although a much quieter course, the quality on
offer isn’t compromised an iota. All players are welcome on the Headland, and
there’s no need to show handicap certificates, either.
For beginners
to the sport, TGCC’s Short Course offers a sound environment to practice, too.
Website: https://www.trevose-gc.co.uk/
12. Bowood Park
In the rolling
hills of North Cornwall, just outside Camelford, lies Bowood Park, among 230
acres of immense woodland.
To put the
surroundings into context, the site on which Bowood Park is laid out was once
the largest deer park in Cornwall, owned by Edward of Woodstock (the Black
Prince). However, it first opened as a golf course in 1992, and today, it’s one
of the best in the region.
As the name
would imply, Bowood Park is a parkland course and was very much ‘ahead of the
game’ in the UK when it was built.
From the back
markers, the course measures just shy of 6,700 yards, with the first nine holes
dotted along the Cornish hillside before the latter half snakes through the
valley of the River Allen.
The eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth holes are some of the easiest on the eye you’re likely to ever come across as a golfer. They’ve even been likened to the Amen Corner at Augusta National (for those that know it).
Website: https://www.bowoodpark.com/
13. St Enodoc Golf Club
Overlooking
the Camel Estuary with views out towards nearby Padstow and the Atlantic, St
Enodoc is perfectly placed to offer an unrivalled golf experience.
There are two
courses at St Enodoc – Church Course and Holywell Course (not to be confused
with Holywell Bay).
The Church Course, in particular, has earned itself a reputation over the years as one of the best courses in the West Country and has hosted numerous amateur events, such as the English Ladies Amateur Championships and the English Counties Championship.
You’ll
encounter a few surprises on the Church Course – some unwanted, however – not
least the ‘Himalaya bunker’, which is rumoured to be the biggest in Europe!
Players
seeking a slightly less demanding round should give St Enodoc’s Holywell Course
a go. This course is maintained to an exceptional standard and is suitable for
golfers of all abilities. It’s the ideal spot for a relaxing round on a warm
summer’s evening.
Interestingly,
the course gets its name from the intriguing-looking ‘holy well’ you’ll find
just to the left of the twelfth hole.
Website: https://www.st-enodoc.co.uk/
14. Lanhydrock Hotel
Last but not
least, the Lanhydrock Hotel in Bodmin boasts one of the finest 18-hole golf
courses in Cornwall.
Hidden away
in a sheltered valley, the Lanhydrock’s golf course has been beautifully shaped
into the surrounding landscape over the years, and today offers a truly
enjoyable experience for every golfer.
The tone of the round is set from the very first hole. Lanhydrock is blessed with reasonably flat land, so the course isn’t too demanding on the legs, but it takes full advantage of its various water features.
After a
relatively calm start, the difficulty ramps up by the time you reach the tenth
hole. From here, you’ll be faced with a deceptive creek, uneven greens, thicker
rough and overhanging trees – so, don’t get complacent and be prepared!
There’s a
wide range of practice facilities on site, too, including a driving range with six
covered bays and two grass area practice tees.
Website: https://www.lanhydrockhotel.com
Specialist golf insurance from Golf Care
Wherever
you choose to play, you need to first make sure you have the right insurance.
Our golf insurance includes Public Liability up to £10 million, Equipment cover up to £7,500, and much more. Not only that – it’s also underpinned by our very own ‘Ripe Guarantee’, which promises great cover and exceptional service at the right price.
Click on
the banner below to learn more about our cover and get an instant online quote
today.
