Tenby Golf Club is commonly assumed to be the home of golf in Wales and it is still one of the most interesting links courses in the British Isles.
Tenby Golf Club was founded in 1888, originally opening as a 9-hole course, with James Braid being commissioned to extend the course to 18 holes in 1907. In recent years it has been extended from a par 69 to a par 72 layout, with several of the holes being reshaped, both to add length and also to combat coastal erosion. As with any links course, there is always an element of movement in the landscape: very few have not eroded considerably over time.
The course meanders along in a wonderful rollercoaster with switchback fairways and undulations that would not look out of place on a fairground, with a glorious combination of blind shots, deep grass, gorse, dunes and pot bunkers. Local knowledge is essential to get the best out of the course, but for the most part it is a fair and challenging test, with the wind adding substantially to the difficulty of the layout.
The start of the course testing with a seemingly easy par five of under 500 yards, quite reachable in two for the longer hitters in summer conditions of hard fairways. However danger lurks around the green, which has steep run-off areas and awkward bunkers await. You can easily start with a dropped shot or a real card wrecker. Three more tough, long holes follow and if you are on or under your handicap by the time you reach the fifth you will have done well.
The course is heavily bunkered and many of these hazards seem to attract golf balls as if blessed with magnetism, as well as wicked design and gravity. Avoiding all of the bunkers is almost impossible, but steering a path past them is by far and away the best policy. As with all links courses, coastal winds can vary enormously and the stronger winds will play havoc with the golfer’s scorecard. It is quite common for reasonable length par four holes to be reachable in one when played down wind, but when playing a similar length hole into the wind it is impossible to reach in two.
All of the par threes are interesting and provide a real challenge, particularly in windy conditions. Miss the green and all sorts of trouble awaits. Even on the 12th hole, which is devoid of any bunkering, it is still possible to mess up your score.
Tenby itself is probably the best seaside town in the British Isles. (Your correspondent maybe slightly biased as he spent most of his school holidays here several hundred years ago!) The historic medieval walled town of Tenby sits high above a set of picture-perfect beaches and a pretty harbour, full of brightly coloured, gorgeous houses and hotels. There is a wonderful array of restaurants, pubs, cafés and bars, together with an abundance of hotels, guesthouses, whilst on the edge of town there are many campsites and caravan parks. Not surprisingly in the British summertime, the place is heaving with tourists, never more so than in these times when staycations are so much more popular. It’s a crackerjack of a place to visit. And all this is just a short stroll from the golf club.
At the golf club, despite its huge importance to Welsh golfing scene, the club remains unstuffy and very friendly. The clubhouse is old-fashioned and dated, but in a very lovely way. It has obviously been improved, extended and adjusted over time rather than subject to a piece of modern architectural design. The bar dominates the clubhouse and there is a very pleasant and sunny patio area where golfers can enjoy food and drink and watch their friends start and finish their rounds.
There is a compact 300 yard golf range immediately next to the first tee with 9 covered bays along with an excellent short game area behind the range.
This type of course is very difficult to maintain at peak condition throughout the year when so many people want to be able to enjoy it. The green keeping team have done a fantastic job and are constantly improving the playing surfaces, adjusting them to meet the demands of local and visiting golfers.
There are also stay-and-play packages available from the golf club, with an on-site Dormy House featuring 7 en-suite twin bedded rooms located next to the clubhouse with views over the course and driving range. Prices start at £105 per person and can be booked online.
Rhys Harry, the club PGA professional, runs the shop, looking after all the needs for the members and the many visitors they welcome each year.
He is also runs a thriving online retail business and has over the years increasingly specialised in providing custom-fitted golf equipment throughout Wales.
The cost of green fees is reasonable, whilst full membership is around £800 per annum – the club has resisted the temptation to hike up the green fee prices to unfair levels. The club has also introduced a new Flexible Golf Membership for just £325 a year aimed at the infrequent player, which includes up to 30 rounds of golf and a number of discounts on buggy hire, use of the range, and bookings at the Dormy House.
It remains great value for money and it is like playing a piece of history.
For more information and to book around at this outstanding facility, please visit the website: https://www.tenbygolf.co.uk/