Royal St David’s Golf Club: Course Review, Green Fees, Tee Times and Key Info
Royal St David’s is a traditional links with real strength in depth, characterised by strong par 4s and with a particularly challenging finish
Royal St David's Key Information
Header Cell - Column 0 | Header Cell - Column 1 |
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Address | Harlech, Gwynedd, LL46 2UB |
Phone | 01766 780361 |
Website | royalstdavids.co.uk |
admin@royalstdavids.co.uk | |
GFs | £115 |
Visitor Times | All week subject to availability, discounts for online booking |
Par | Men 69, Women 74 |
Slope | White/M 118, Red/W 125 |
Opened | 1894 |
Architect | Harold Finch-Hatton |
Golf Monthly Verdict
A strong but very fair links watched over by Harlech Castle and defined by some stretching par 4s. The dormy house is very comfortable and there are some terrific packages for golf and accommodation that make this one of the best value golf venues in the Top 100.
Reasons To Play Royal St David’s
– Consistently strong throughout with a very tough finish
– Sublime views up to the mountains and of the castle
– The dormy accommodation makes it ideal for a well-priced golfing trip
Rankings
UK & Ireland Top 100 Golf Courses 2023/24 - 49
The very strong, traditional links at Royal St David’s has hosted a great many championships in its long history and is high up on the list of the best golf courses in Wales. The club dates back to 1894, and it was given its royal status by Edward VII. The Duke of Windsor (later, Edward VIII), captained the club in 1935 while he was Prince of Wales.
The course enjoys a somewhat protected setting for a true links as it is sandwiched between the dunes that border the beach and some higher ground to the east, on top of which sits impressive 13th-century Harlech Castle.
There is still frequently plenty of wind with which to contend, adding to the challenge at this major-league test of golf. The terrain is mainly level linksland but the course has one of the more demanding pars in the Top 100 course rankings.
There are just two par 5s - the 7th and 8th - and each is potentially reachable. However, they run in opposite directions, so unless the wind does something very odd, you are not going to get lucky with both.
These two are countered by some monstrous par 4s, although a real joy here is the frequently fast-running fairways. This means that they are mainly manageable and you should hope to reach a good number in two.
Dotted along the way are five attractive and varied par 3s. The shortest of these is the 11th which is played over bunkers to a narrow green, while the longest is three holes later where it’s 221 yards to a green that needs no sand for protection and will frequently require driver into the wind.
The viewing steps high up behind the 16th tee provide a rare glimpse of the sea and an elevated view of a seemingly modest par 4. Here, there are clusters of pot bunkers up at the green which add to the test.
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The club is continuing to work on improving both the playing conditions and the visitor experience, and this is a strong links that places demands on good positional play. This is very much a golfer’s golf course, and it also has one of the cheapest Top 100 green fees in the UK. Royal St David's makes for a superb location for a golfing break.
What The Top 100 Panel Said
Everyone should try to play here as it is a great challenge and a real golfer’s course. Royal St David’s is quite simply links golf at its purest.
Harlech Castle makes a fine backdrop to the course. As with Aberdovey, sand dunes on the coastal side of the course almost entirely hide any views of the sea. A stern test in good conditions… and brutal in wind and rain!
This is a course that is on a mission of continual improvement as evidenced by the sheer number of tasks being undertaken. It felt like a ‘work in progress’ and will look amazing in a couple of years but is clearly suffering in its transition just now.
Royal St David's Location
Royal St David's Green Fees
18 holes | £115 | May to Sep |
18 holes | £70 | May to Sep after 15:00 |
18 holes | £80 | Oct |
18 holes | £60 | Nov to Mar |
Royal St David's Scorecard
Best Courses Near To Royal St David’s
Aberdovey occupies a beautifully peaceful expanse of land between the beach and the railway line on the northern side of the Dovey estuary, surrounded by lush, green, rolling hills. It is one of the most charming and enjoyable courses in Wales.
This Next 100 course is blessed with a stunning setting and some of the finest views in golf. It is the holes on the promontory - The Point - that will blow you away… sometimes quite literally. The lighthouse hole will shine brightly in the memory, and there is even a footpath down to a beachside pub.
Places To Stay Near Royal St David's
Royal St David's Golf Club - Book now via the club
The very comfortable and convenient dormy house at Royal St David's is the perfect place to stay for a golfing break in this area.
Castle Cottage Inn - Book now via Booking.com
Castle Cottage Inn features accommodation with a restaurant and a bar. Continental and full English/Irish breakfast options are available each morning at the inn.
Victoria Inn, Llanbedr - Book now via Booking.com
Surrounded by the Snowdonia National Park, the 4-star Victoria Inn is a lovely place to stay. An original stove, flag-stone floor and antique furniture feature in the traditional, lively bar. Delicious, homemade food is served, made using local ingredients.
Royal St David's Gallery
Historical Top 100 Rankings UK&I
- 2023/24 - 49
- 2021/22 - 45
- 2019/20 - 46
- 2017/18 - 44
- 2015/16 - 44
- 2013/14 - 46
- 2011/12 - 49
- 2009/10 - 45
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Royal St David’s the best course in Wales?
Almost! It is actually second in the Golf Monthly rankings - the highest-placed in the north, while down on the south coast, Royal Porthcawl is our highest-rated in the country.
How tough to play is Royal St David’s?
Way more so that its modest slope rating would suggest! This will be especially the case if the wind is up, which it often is! This is a proper championship golf course, but despite that still very playable for all.
Rob Smith has been playing golf for over 45 years and been a contributing editor for Golf Monthly since 2012. He specialises in course reviews and travel, and has played more than 1,200 courses in almost 50 countries. In 2021, he played all 21 courses in East Lothian in 13 days. Last year, his tally was 81, 32 of them for the first time. One of Rob's primary roles is helping to prepare the Top 100 and Next 100 Courses of the UK&I, of which he has played all but seven and a half... i.e. not the new 9 at Carne! Of those missing, some are already booked for 2024. He has been a member of Tandridge in Surrey for 30 years where his handicap hovers around 16. You can contact him at r.smith896@btinternet.com.
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