The eyes of the golfing world will turn to South Wales in 2010 when the 5 star Celtic Manor Golf Resort stages the Ryder Cup. However, in terms of golf South Wales has so much more to offer. Just a short drive from Cardiff and you'll find Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, rightly regarded as one of the best links courses in the world, while other gems nearby include Southerndown Golf Club and Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club. Moving along the coast towards Swansea, Ashburnham Golf Club & Pennard Golf Clubs are two stunning links courses, the latter providing some stunning views of Swansea Bay. We can also heartily recommend a trip further west to Tenby Golf Club, the oldest golf club in Wales. A South Wales golf holiday is sure to combine a feast of great golf and culture.

Royal Porthcawl

It is nothing but a great shame that Royal Porthcawl golf Club does not have the infrastructure required to host an Open Championship. Indeed, the closest it has ever come to staging a world-renowned event was when it hosted the Walker Cup in 1995. Then, the American team, which had Tiger Woods as its main weapon, were blown away, quite literally, by the course. Wind is a constant factor here due to the fact that there are no high dunes or trees that might form some sort of defence - it's just you against the elements. With the closing hole playing towards the sea and into the wind, there is perhaps not a single course in British golf that can produce as finer, more dramatic finish. The sea is visible from every hole here and, while the first three holes run alongside the beach, many of the others climb high above sea level to afford panoramic views of the Bristol Channel and across to Exmoor.

Pyle & Kenfig

Established in 1922 the original Pyle & Kenfig course was laid out by that great architect H.S.Colt. Pyle and Kenfig Golf Course, affectionately known as ‘P & K’ with its lofty sand dunes hugging the South Wales coast of Porthcawl is situated in a wonderful stretch of golfing country. Glorious views and historic associations adorn this undulating course with its natural hazard of hillocks, valleys and towering dunes. However serious the game, time must be made to appreciate the panoramic views. The Bristol Channel, the Gower Peninsula, Sker Farm and the magnificent Welsh Mountains can all be seen from various points. The well appointed and comfortable clubhouse complements this magnificent course and visitors will always find a warm and friendly welcome. In more recent years there has been a widening of fairways and general clearance of the tall fern plus the repositioning of bunkers. The course is now a wonderful test for all standards of golfers and from the back tees a true championship test. 

Southerndown

Originally designed by Willie Fernie in 1905 with later modifications by Herbert Fowler and Willie Park - and most recently by Donald Steel - Southerndown Golf Club takes full advantage of its natural features. Undulating fairways and tight lies give the course a downland/links character.  Bracken and gorse punish wayward shots and on windy days golfers need to negotiate the hazards with care. There are many longer courses, but few with a finer set of par-threes.  Equally memorable are the closing holes, usually played into the wind.  The 18th in particular with its intimidating gorse and renowned split-level fairway will live long in the memory. Overlooking the Ogmore Estuary and Porthcawl, Southerndown is a golf course of great natural feel, with crisp turf, rippling fairways, gorse and bracken everywhere and even sheep for companionship throughout your round !

Ashburnham

A classic links course, the Ashburnham golf course celebrated its centenary in 1994. Overlooking Carmarthen Bay the course's first two and final two holes are inland near the clubhouse.  Holes 3-8 run parallel to the sea and into the prevailing wind; holes 9-15 head back with the wind helping. With trouble generally to the right on most holes this is not an easy course, particularly for slicers. Ashburnham is a very special links course that has a special place in the hearts of a number of golfers; indeed, former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher won his very first professional event at Ashburnham when he won the Schweppes PGA Championship in 1969. And another former Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance also got his professional career off the ground when he won his first event at Ashburnham by lifting the Martini International in 1976.

Pennard

Pennard Golf Club, located 8 miles west of Swansea in the Gower Peninsula, an area of outstanding natural beauty. Golf has been played there since 1896. The holes are routed over classically undulating and tumbling linksland, full of hummocks, hillocks and hollows and pocked with dunes large and small; in sum, exactly what we might hope to find beside the shore. Yet this exceptional terrain is not beside the shore - It is two hundred feet above it. No wonder Pennard has been called "the links in the sky." Awkward lies and stances are a matter of course and the rugged terrain becomes even more dramatic on the back nine. Beware also, the forty bunkers, which although not exceptionally large, are very well placed and sometimes lethal!

Machynys

Machynys Peninsula Golf & Country Club is proud to boast the first Nicklaus-designed golf course in Wales. A modern links style layout overlooking Carmarthen Bay and the Gower Peninsular and already home to the European Tours 'Ladies Championship of Europe', Machynys Golf Club has already earned itself an enviable reputation as the UK's best new golf course.Machynys Peninsula has been designed to challenge the best players in championship conditions - and yet still be enjoyable for the higher handicapper, by utilising up to five tees per hole. The shaping of the £3.5m course layout has included the creation of 25 acres of new lakes - salt and fresh water - 12 miles of irrigation pipes and six miles of drainage pipes, to ensure the course is in top condition all year round.

Tenby

Welcome to the oldest established golf course in Wales (1888). Tenby Golf Club is a challenging traditional links course, recently voted 10th in best value courses of the UK by Golf Monthly Magazine. Tenby regularly hosts Welsh Amateur Championships and is a fine test for players of all ability. From the first hole to the last, you will never forget the layout of this renowned links course. With stunning ocean views it maximizes all the natural features of this beautiful part of Pembrokeshire and remains playable all year. Visitors are always assured a warm welcome at Tenby.  The course provides a true test of any golfer's ability. Still regularly used for Welsh Amateur Championships, Tenby's tight fairways, fast-running greens and thick rough combine to provide an endlessly varied challenge. The course runs alongside Tenby South Beach and, whilst this makes for spectacular views, it also means the course is exposed to the elements - a strong gusting wind makes this a great test for the 'thinking' golfer.