Mid Wales golf courses: highlights gallery

We take a look at the highlights of golf in mid Wales, both inland and along the Cardigan Bay coastline

Looking up towards the green on Royal St David's excellent 15th hole
(Image credit: Kevin Murray)

Mid Wales golf courses offer excellent variety from the beautiful layouts of the rolling mid-Welsh hills to a host of great coastal golf along Cardigan Bay

Aberdovey

This famous course, set on a slender strip of curving links land close to the Dyfi estuary, offers a true links test with tall dunes in places, the most natural-looking of bunkers and some excellent holes. The proximity of the railway adds to the challenge down the stretch. Ranked 65th in Golf Monthly’s Top 100. Along with Royal's St David's. Aberdovey forms the cream of Mid Wales golf courses.

The 2nd hole at Aberdovey flanks the tallest dunes between course and sea

The 2nd hole at Aberdovey flanks the tallest dunes between course and sea

Royal St David’s

This wonderful course laid out over linksland under the towering gaze of mighty Harlech Castle poses a test that gets better and better as the round goes on, with the back nine in particular playing over the most rumpled of links terrain. The blind par-3 14th and excellent par-4 15th stand out on a course ranked 44th in Golf Monthly’s Top 100.

Harlech Castle looks down over the links at Royal St David's

Harlech Castle looks down over the links at Royal St David's

Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth starts with a pair of fearsome uphill 430-yarders and ends with three holes up behind the clubhouse with wonderful views out over the town and the expansive Cardigan Bay coastline beyond. Elsewhere, there’s generally room to manoeuvre off the tee, though the sloping greens form an extra layer of defence.

Tricky greens add to the defences at Aberystwyth

Tricky greens add to the defences at Aberystwyth

Borth & Ynyslas

This old links is bisected by the coast road just north of Aberystwyth, with the best holes tucked away out of sight of the passing traffic mid-round where the taller dunes make their presence felt. Borth offers near-permanent sea views, and one or two particularly narrow stretches between sea and road.

Borth & Ynyslas just north of Aberystwyth boasts some very fine links holes

Borth & Ynyslas just north of Aberystwyth boasts some very fine links holes

Cardigan

The course is set high above the bay by the Teifi Estuary, with magnificent sea views that can sometimes stretch all the way up to the Llyn over 50 miles away at the northern end of the bay. The course offers elements of links, clifftop, heathland and parkland golf.

The views from Cardigan Golf Club on a clear day are second to none

The views from Cardigan Golf Club on a clear day are second to none

Llandrindod Wells

Llandrindod Wells, a Harry Vardon course dating back to 1905, is not long by modern standards at just under 5,800 yards, but is a fun place to play in a beautiful setting without every facet of your game being tested to the limit. It plays over beautiful upland turf looking down over the spa town.

The beautiful Harry Vardon course set above the town at Llandrindod Wells

The beautiful Harry Vardon course set above the town at Llandrindod Wells

Builth Wells

Another mid-Welsh course of modest length, playing through verdant rolling countryside near the historic market town. The River Chewfri bisects the course, closely flanking a number of holes.

Water comes into play on several holes at Builth Wells

Water comes into play on several holes at Builth Wells

Cradoc

Set at the foot of the majestic Brecon Beacons, this relatively young course just outside Brecon offers a highly enjoyable parkland test and mountain views to die for.

Glorious views of the Brecon Beacons from the course at Cradoc

Cradoc is set in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons

 

Jeremy Ellwood
Contributing Editor

Jeremy Ellwood has worked in the golf industry since 1993 and for Golf Monthly since 2002 when he started out as equipment editor. He is now a freelance journalist writing mainly for Golf Monthly. He is an expert on the Rules of Golf having qualified through an R&A course to become a golf referee. He is a senior panelist for Golf Monthly's Top 100 UK & Ireland Course Rankings and has played all of the Top 100 plus 91 of the Next 100, making him well-qualified when it comes to assessing and comparing our premier golf courses. He has now played 1,000 golf courses worldwide in 35 countries, from the humblest of nine-holers in the Scottish Highlands to the very grandest of international golf resorts. He reached the 1,000 mark on his 60th birthday in October 2023 on Vale do Lobo's Ocean course. Put him on a links course anywhere and he will be blissfully content.

Jezz can be contacted via Twitter - @JezzEllwoodGolf


Jeremy is currently playing...

Driver: Ping G425 LST 10.5˚ (draw setting), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Orange 55 S shaft

3 wood: Ping G425 Max 15˚ (set to flat +1), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Orange 65 S shaft

Hybrid: Ping G425 17˚, Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Orange 80 S shaft

Irons 3-PW: Ping i525, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 50˚ and 54˚, 12˚ bounce, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts

Putter: Ping Fetch 2021 model, 33in shaft (set flat 2)

Ball: Varies but mostly now TaylorMade Tour Response