Porthmadog Golf Club Course Review
GF Round: £45wd, £50we
Par 72, 6,326 yards
Slope 127
GM Verdict The very definition of a game of two halves with some thrilling adventures in the dunes on the back nine
Favourite Hole The electrifying par-4 12th which follows the curve of the bay round and up to a brilliant green site
Porthmadog Golf Club was established in 1905 and it is home to a remarkably distinctive and varied course. While the front nine and the 18th fall into the parkland category, the links holes in between are packed with fantastic drama and fun, as well as stunning views as you roller-coaster your way through the dunes.
An aerial view of the course with the mountains beyond
Just north of and remarkably different from the Golf Monthly Top 100 favourite at Royal St. David’s, Porthmadog opens in a relatively gentle manner, albeit with a tricky stream on the first two holes that demands your attention.
The short sixth is played to what is effectively an island green
You then cross the road to play seven attractive parkland holes; two par 3s, two par 4s and no fewer than three par 5s. As engaging and enjoyable as they are, they in no way hint at what is to come!
The par-4 tenth leads you out into the rollercoaster back nine
Passing the clubhouse, you head into completely different territory and the start of a run of thrilling links holes through the dunes.
Looking down over the twelfth green and the lovely, sweeping bay
Visually, the most spectacular hole on the course is probably the short, uphill par-4 12th which is all about careful plotting rather than brute force. It’s a real beauty in the most photogenic of settings.
The fifteenth hole runs over a rumpled fairway to a raised green perfectly set between mounds
There is a blind drive at the 14th, and then another scene-stealer at the 15th which is a strong par 4, albeit under 400 yards, played along a humpy fairway to a green that nestles beautifully in the sandbanks.
The fifteenth green with the twelfth in the distance and views over the estuary
The closing three lead you out of the dunes and back onto terra firma and the sanctuary of the clubhouse. Here you will very much enjoy your post-round drink knowing that you have played somewhere that is very different indeed.
If both nines were like the front half you would have an enjoyable and perfectly decent course. Combined with the beauty and variety on offer coming home, however, you have a course that really deserves to be noticed. Porthmadog Golf Club is quite out of the ordinary, and all the better for it.
