On a sunny day are there many better ways to while away a few hours than a round of golf? It’s a sedate way to get outside, counts as exercise and allows you to embrace that competitive edge you’ve been hiding away.
Cornwall is a fantastic place to play golf; its beautiful stretches of coast and inland wildernesses make the county home to a wide variety of courses, all that play differently and have their own unique atmosphere.
Here’s our list of ten of the best courses in Cornwall. Does your favourite miss the green or drop right in?
St Enodoc Golf Club, Rock
You’ll get stunning sea views at St Enodoc on Cornwall’s north coast, overlooking the Camel Estuary. Both of the club’s courses are outstanding — the Church Course, designed by five-time Open Champion and golf legend James Braid, is particularly special. You’ll do well to keep to par on this deceptively challenging course, but even if you don’t you’ll enjoy those views. Particularly notable holes include the par-4 4th hole and the 6th with its infamous steep ‘Himalaya’ bunker.
Trethorne Hotel & Golf Club, Launceston
Very much an inland course compared to many on the list, the beautiful rolling hills on this recently refurbished course make for a relaxing round of 18, and with a hotel, bar and restaurant on site as well as top-notch facilities and a Pro Golf Shop, you’ll find everything you need here for a great golfing holiday.
https://trethornegolfclub.com/
Trevose Golf and Country Club, nr Padstow
The Championship Course may seem intimidating with the sights and sounds of the Atlantic Ocean and its difficult first tee, but the two loops of nine holes make for a truly breath-taking golf experience. The first loop hugs the sand dunes and coastline, while the back nine offers a demanding test of your skills as you head inland back to the clubhouse.
St Mellion Golf & Country Club, (Mellion course), Saltash
Want to play on the first European course designed by golfing great Jack Nicklaus? Look no further! Nicklaus himself dubbed St Mellion as ‘potentially the finest golf course in Europe’ and it’s easy to see why; kept excellently manicured, the elevated tees give you a fair view of what to expect from each hole and allows you to see the great attention to detail paid to each hole.
Bude & North Cornwall Golf Club, Bude
The designers of this course did well to squeeze 18 enjoyable holes into a tight slice of land between the town and coast. There might be a road separating the first five holes from the rest of the course but don’t be deceived, this is an excellently plotted course that packs a punch in terms of difficulty in its final holes. It might look a bit wild, but this course truly is a hoot.
Perranporth Golf Club, Perranporth
Is this the most underrated links course in the country? The course is firmly in Poldark country on the north coast, the course shares a designer with St Enodoc in James Braid. The design is virtually untouched since, with seven blind drives testing the mettle of the most talented golfers. It’s an unconventional and quirky course, to be sure, but it works brilliantly and is worth a visit for the unique experience alone.
https://www.perranporthgolfclub.co.uk/
Newquay Golf Club, Newquay
This course is near both Trevose and Perranporth, so it has some major competition nearby, but the excellent design of this course by Harry Colt makes it at least worth a short detour. With a stingy par of 69, the course will prove a challenge and is within viewing distance of the renowned Headland Hotel and beautiful Fistral Beach.
https://www.newquaygolfclub.co.uk/
Mullion Golf Club, Helston
The most southerly golf course in the entire country, Mullion is set spectacularly on the clifftops of the Lizard Peninsula in arguably the most exposed setting for a golf course in the entire UK. The setting makes for an exhilarating game; if you’re not carely, a slice on particular holes (the 7th and 8th especially) will see your ball end up in the ocean!
https://www.mulliongolfclub.co.uk/
West Cornwall Golf Club, Lelant
Set on the edge of St Ives Bay, the elevated course at Lelant feels wonderfully natural, almost as if barely any landscaping at all was done to make it playable. It’s a short course but worthy of a good game and capable of nurturing talent. Jim Barnes cut his teeth here, one of only three native Britons to win three different modern major professional championships!
The Point at Polzeath, Polzeath
Something slightly different for our last entry; The Point at Polzeath started out life in the mid 1990s, designed by Ryder Cup player Dave Feherty. It has had its ups and downs since then, but since a rebrand and major investment in 2012, the course here has gone from strength to strength. It feels big and has some challenging holes, particularly the 386-yard par-4 14th, with a stream cutting diagonally across the hole.
https://www.thepointatpolzeath.co.uk/
That’s our top ten! Did we miss off any of your favourites? Let us know in the comments section below!
