The Nine-Hole Course In Devon With A Hotel Built By England's Most Famous 19th-Century Railway Engineer
Jeremy Ellwood discovers a lovely little spot to stay and play in this recently refurbished hotel not far from Plymouth with its own nine-hole golf course
The golf
Par 68, 5,535 yards (for 18 holes)
I don’t remember ever staying in a golf hotel with a nine-hole course before, but that all changed when I discovered Welbeck Manor & Golf in Devon while researching somewhere to stay and play on a journey home from Cornwall.
The course, which started life as Sparkwell in 1993 and lies about half an hour from the famous Jack Nicklaus course at St Mellion the other side of the county border, has taken on the Welbeck Manor name in recent times.
The easy-walking nine-hole layout serves up views out over the South Hams countryside
Set just north-east of Plympton near the Cornwall border, it enjoys beautiful views out over the South Hams countryside. You start on a short par 3 from a raised tee before perhaps the toughest hole – a downhill 423-yarder that turns gently right.
The par 5 that follows hugs the forest on the left, with the green tucked a little further left than you’re expecting. Risk-reward comes into play on the short par-4 5th, although attack mode will demand ultimate precision.
The hotel
The recently refurbished boutique hotel has a claim to historical fame as it was built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1849, ten years before his Royal Albert Bridge carried the first trains across the Tamar 12 miles away.
Welbeck Manor was built by the famous 19th-century railway engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel
The manor, perched on a rise above all the golf course, has retained almost all its original features, and its 12 rooms, ranging from courtyard twins to the Brunel and Royal Albert suites, have been elegantly refurbished under new ownership.
The restaurant looks out over the course and is the perfect spot for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner. The adjacent bar also boasts a terrace and glass-fronted gazebo where you can watch golfers take on the challenge of that cheeky dogleg-left 5th hole.
You can look out over the golf course from the hotel's glass-fronted gazebo
Best rates
Room prices start from £95 per night in the summer for a Classic Double or Classic Courtyard Twin, with breakfast an additional £12 per person.
Green fees are £16 for nine holes during the week and £18 at the weekend, with the 18-hole prices £24 and £28 respectively. Buggies are available at £17 for nine holes and £23 for 18 holes.
(Prices correct at time of publication in July 2026)
Welbeck Manor and Golf, Sparkwell, Plymouth, Devon, PL7 5DF
T: 01752 837219
E: reception@welbeckmanorandgolf.co.uk
W: welbeckmanorandgolf.co.uk
