Whether it's its sublime scenery, rich history, or its exceptional golf courses, North Wales is a must-visit destination. With a good selection of links courses on offer, the region is the perfect getaway for golf enthusiasts. Links Journal visited the North of Wales in spring 2023 and the trip certainly was not the last one.
Although at first Wales seems far away, getting to North Wales is relatively easy and convenient. Manchester and Liverpool are both major cities with international airports, and from there, you can travel easily to North Wales by car or even take a train or bus.
From Manchester airport it takes only 90 minutes to the linksland. North Wales Expressway (A55) runs all the way to Bangor and there are plenty of fine courses on the northern coast.
Wales has about 20 real links courses and half of them can be found in the north. When visiting North Wales, Royal St David's Golf Club is a must-visit destination. Located in Harlech, this traditional links course offers stunning views of the Snowdonia mountains and the coast. The journey to Harlech is not easy but worth taking. Highly praised Aberdovey Golf Club is even further when traveling from the north. On the northern coast you can easily play two courses in one day. Please add Conwy and North Wales Golf Club to your itinerary. Both are fine designs near Conwy and Llandudno. This is very popular summer vacation area but during off season prices of hotels are quite reasonable. Porthmadog is also a good town to stay with easy access to most of the links on the north shores of Cardigan Bay. Our itinerary on this journey also included Abersoch and Pwllheli. Overall, North Wales is a beautiful destination for links journeys and offers great value for money.
Royal St. David’s - Established in 1894, the Harlech links is usually ranked second behind Royal Porthcawl in Wales. The setting is matchless, one of the most memorable in the world of golf. The course of today follows much the same routing and design as when it was first laid out in 1894. Plan your visit around this fine true links course.
Conwy Golf Club - This championship links course is situated on the banks of the River Conwy and offers views of Conwy Castle. They have played golf in Conwy (or as locals say Caernarvonshire) since 1869. Original course was designed by Jack Morris but there have been several alterations. Conwy is a real gem in North Wales and also provides a great test for elite players. Even though terrain is relatively flat it offers a memorable day on the links.
North Wales Golf Club - A fine true links course near the holiday town of Llandudno. Course features some fine holes and the scenery is memorable too, with spectacular views across the Conwy estuary and the Snowdonia Mountain range. The finish is memorable with back-to-back par 3’s (16th and 17th) named LO and OL. Ask what they mean when in town.
Pwllheli - Original 9 hole links course on Llyn Peninsula was designed by Tom Morris 1900 and was extended to 18 holes in 1909 by James Braid. Clwb Golff Pwllheli is a combination of parkland holes and links fairways. And again, the links holes are much more fun to play. Visitors are welcome and the green fee in winter time is only £20 (£25 on weekends).
Abersoch – This friendly golf club is also a combination of links and parkland holes. There are memorable holes hugging the coastline designed over a century ago. Clwb Golff Abersoch is also located on the Cambrian Coast on the south point of Llyn Peninsula. Another bargain for visitors.
Prestatyn - Prestatyn Golf Club in the north east corner of Wales and a good choice for the first or last course of your journey. Only one hour from Manchester airport if offers a stern links test. Visitors are welcome and green fees (£25) on winter time is excellent value for money.
