Great Golf Breaks in Eryri (Snowdonia)
There are plenty of reasons to bring your golf bag to Eryri (Snowdonia) and Pen Llŷn. Our coast and countryside are home to a host of great golf clubs of all shapes and sizes. Some are heavy hitters with permanent spots on the ‘best places to play’ charts, while others are hidden gems waiting to be discovered by adventurous players.
If you’re looking for luscious links or perfect parkland, you’ll find it here – sometimes even on the same course. You’ll also find a warm welcome in the clubhouse, plus plenty of hearty, home-cooked food to help you recharge for your round. To get you started on building your perfect North Wales golf break, we’ve picked out a few of our favourite 18-hole courses – as well as highlighting some great accommodation and food options to complement your game.
Aberdyfi Golf Club
Survival of the fittest
Play. The challenges of Aberdyfi’s wild and windswept links owe almost as much to Mother Nature as the course’s designers. Hugging the Dyfi Estuary coastline with the peaks of Eryri to one side and shifting dunes to the other, a round at Aberdyfi is an elemental experience. Achieving a low score here requires a steady hand, well-stocked golf bag and the ability to improvise. Legendary sportswriter Bernard Darwin was a big fan, describing Aberdyfi as the place ‘his soul loved best of all the courses in the world’.
Stay. Be close to the action at Aberdyfi’s onsite Dormy House accommodation. The 10 comfy, ensuite twin rooms are putting distance from the clubhouse and 18th hole. There are plenty of stay and play package options too.
Eat. The Darwin Bar in the clubhouse offers a selection of tasty snacks throughout the day. If you’re staying on site, you can also book in for freshly-prepared breakfasts and evening meals.
Abersoch Golf Club
A hidden gem
Play. Overlooking Cardigan Bay on Pen Llŷn’s southern shore, Abersoch is one of Welsh golf’s best-kept secrets. A combination of links and parkland holes, it began life in 1908 as a Harry Vardon-designed nine-hole course. It was extended to a full 18 in the 1990s by Martin Hawtree – known for work on courses like Royal Birkdale, Sunningdale and Hoylake.
The opening 12 holes at Abersoch are a masterclass in coastal links – fast running, dune-studded and windswept. Watch out for the signature par-three 3rd hole, which requires an accurate drive over grasping gorse bushes and water to hit the sloping, bunker-backed green.
Stay. Abersoch has a great selection of local accommodation partners to choose from. Bed down withing walking distance of the course at The Egryn, a cosy Edwardian villa perfectly situated between Abersoch town and the beach. Alternatively, push the boat out at Porth Tocyn, a stunning country house hotel with spectacular sea views.
Eat. There’s plenty of choice in the clubhouse bar and restaurant. There are big breakfasts to fortify you for your round and a menu of meals to help you refuel after your game. You can also choose from a great selection of drinks – including local offerings like Abersoch gin.
Bangor St Deiniol
High-level golf
Play. Perched on a hilltop overlooking Bangor, the views Anglesey, Eryri and the North Wales coast alone make this course worthy of a visit. The golf is just as impressive. With tight, gorse-hemmed fairways and plenty of blind holes, it’s a challenge that requires precision over power. The par-three 4th is a perfect example. Playing from an elevated tee to a low-lying green, a drift to the right into a large grass bunker makes recovery extremely difficult.
Bangor St Deiniol was laid out in 1906 by legendary course designer James Braid. Famous for incorporating the natural lay of the land into his work, Braid’s influence means the course now feels like a natural extension of the rugged surrounding landscape.
Stay. There’s 4-star accommodation at Bangor University’s Management Centre, housed in a grand Grade-II listed building on the campus. Choose from a range of single, twin, double and executive rooms – and enjoy a satisfying cooked or continental breakfast before you head out for your game.
Eat. St Deiniol’s clubhouse offers a good selection of bar meals, snacks and light bites. If you’re visiting on the weekend, keep an eye out for the occasional Sunday carvery too.
Caernarfon Golf Club
Pure shores
Play. Sat between the Menai Strait and the mountainous summits of Eryri, Caernarfon serves up spectacular views in every direction. The golf is pretty good too. Sat just metres from the water’s edge, it offers classy parkland golf in a links-like seaside setting. Beginning life as a nine-hole course in 1909, it was later expanded to the full 18 and now offers a championship-sized challenge.
Expect smooth, fast-running greens and lush green, tree-lined fairways, with plenty of variety. The par-four 4th ‘Y Dderwen’, tempts you to cut the corner with a big tee shot, but be careful of the out of bounds that lurks for inaccurate balls.
Stay. Book yourself into the golfer-friendly Celtic Royal Hotel in Caernarfon. This sumptuous spa hotel is a winning combination of contemporary chic and classic style – and counts Queen Victoria as one of its former guests.
Eat. Caernarfon’s clubhouse dining room is well-known for its superb Sunday lunches, prepared by hand by club caterer Enid Jones. There’s also Bar Menai which serves up food and drinks on every other day of the week, for both club members and visitors.
Nefyn Golf Club
All at sea
Play. For sheer wow factor, it’s hard to top Nefyn. The section of the course known as the Point features nine holes laid out on a narrow strip of land projecting into the Irish Sea. Surrounded by water on three sides, with sheer cliffs and yawning gullies between tee and hole, a round here can be a nerve-wracking experience. Mistakes will often lead to your ball being lost to the ocean – and things only get riskier and more challenging when the sea winds whip up.
Luckily, here is some respite if you do need a some time to gather yourself. Players at Nefyn can break off during play on the Point for some refreshment at the Ty Coch Inn, situated on Porthdinllaen beach in the course’s shadow. The Inn’s connection with Nefyn goes way back – it was a meeting here in 1907 that led to the club’s foundation.
Stay. Spend the night at the Nanhoron Arms Hotel, just a mile or so from the golf course. As well as being conveniently located for tee time, it also offers special rates for visiting golf parties.
Eat. Nefyn’s clubhouse serves up a selection of tasty snacks and meals throughout the day, as well as a popular Sunday carvery. You can also enjoy a great range of beers, wines and spirits from local producers like Cwrw Llŷn and Aber Falls.
Porthmadog Golf Club
Half and half
Play. Sitting at the gateway to Pen Llŷn, Porthmadog offers an unusual 50/50 experience. The opening nine holes are largely made up of rolling heathland, while the back nine are ruggedly pure links. You’ll want to keep your scoring low on the first half as things get a bit more tricky on your way back to the clubhouse. The 14th is a great example. Known as Himalayas (for obvious reasons) it requires a nerve-wracking shot over mountainous dunes towards a fairway and green dotted with yawning bunkers.
Originally laid out by the legendary James Braid (there’s that name again) in 1905, Porthmadog also bears the fingerprints of six-time British Open winner and celebrated course designer Harry Vardon. No wonder it has such a big personality.
Stay. Relax and recharge in Porthmadog’s on-site dormy accommodation. There are five comfortable twin rooms for golfing visitors, each with ensuite facilities. Breakfast, lunch and evening meals are also available in the clubhouse on request.
Eat. Porthmadog’s welcoming clubhouse is open throughout the day for snacks, drinks and light meals. Its handy location between the 9th and 10th holes also makes it perfect for a spot of mid-round refreshment. The weekly Sunday carvery is also popular with golfing and non-golfing visitors.
Pwllheli Golf Club
The perfect blend
Play. Beginning life in 1900 as a Tom Morris-designed nine-hole course, Pwllheli was expanded to the full 18 by (you’ve guessed it) James Braid in 1909. It’s another hybrid golf experience, blending parkland and links to impressive effect. The first half is largely made up of treelined fairways, though water comes into play on the 5th – aptly named Y Pwll (pool in English) – where the green is guarded by a large pond.
From the 8th, you’re into links land. Look out for Tanbwlch, Pwllheli’s signature par-three 10th, where you’ll have to avoid being distracted by the Cardigan Bay views to reach a long green bounded by deep bunkers.
Stay. Grab a room at The Lion Hotel in Cricieth, about 10 miles/16km away along Pen Llŷn’s southern coastline. This friendly, family-run hotel is a popular choice for golfers and even offers its own stay and play packages with local clubs.
Eat. The clubhouse offers a great selection of sandwiches, snacks and heartier meals. Don’t miss the chance to relax on the lounge bar balcony to enjoy some stellar views over cardigan Bay, Eryri and Pen Llŷn.
Royal St David’s
A golfing fortress
Play. With views towards the peaks of Eryri and the looming presence of Castell Harlech, a round at Royal St David’s never lacks for drama. But even without its evocative setting, the club’s rugged links would surely quicken the pulse. With unpredictable crosswinds and seven par fours each weighing in at well over 400 yards, a low score requires power and precision. Thick rough lies in wait for wayward shots, justifying the course’s reputation as the world’s toughest par 69.
The club’s name takes its cues from St Andrews in Scotland and St George’s in England. When Harold Finch-Hatton and William Henry Moore founded the club in 1894, it made sense to give it an immediate identity by naming it after Wales’s patron saint. The Royal part came a little later – first when King Edward VII gave St David’s his patronage and later when Edward VIII (then Prince of Wales) became club captain.
Stay. Royal St David’s five-bedroom dormy accommodation is the perfect choice if you don’t want anything to get in the way of your game. Book a stay and play package and you’ll also get a discount on your green fees.
Eat. The Clubhouse is a warm and welcoming spot to refresh yourself before or after your round. You’ll find a selection of options, from quick light bites through to satisfying full meals. The monthly Sunday lunch is also well worth making a trip for.