1 Night, 1 Round
Royal Porthcawl Golf Club sits out at Rest Bay between Swansea and Cardiff, right where the land runs into the Bristol Channel. It began life in 1891 as a nine-hole course, laid out by Charles Gibson, the professional at Royal North Devon, before moving to its current home four years later. In 1909 the club received Royal patronage from King Edward VII, which tells you plenty about the standing it's held for well over a century.
Tournament-wise, it's a proper heavyweight. Royal Porthcawl has hosted the Walker Cup (1995), the Curtis Cup (1964), the Women's Open and six Amateur Championships, plus the Senior Open Championship. It even staged The Open in 1961, back when the championship still travelled to courses that could handle the crowds and the prestige without needing grandstands the size of small towns.
I'll be honest, Wales can get overlooked when people list must-play links because Scotland and England hog the headlines. That's a mistake. For my money, Royal Porthcawl is the pick of the Welsh coast, a no-nonsense links that asks you to think, flight the ball and keep your hands steady when the wind gets involved. Expect big sea views, plenty of exposed holes and a round where judging the breeze is half the fun, and half the battle. It's the sort of course that rewards accuracy and course management over brute force, and if you like shaping shots rather than just hitting everything straight and hard, you'll have a brilliant day.
Who is this for?
Golfers chasing a bucket-list Welsh links with championship pedigree, sea views and a proper 'earned it' feel. Ideal for groups, societies and anyone building a Welsh links tour around Porthcawl, Southerndown and Pennard.
Who is it best for?
Players comfortable in the wind and happy to plot their way round. If you enjoy flighting irons, shaping tee shots and taking your medicine when you miss, it's a gem. Mid to low handicappers will get the most out of it, but anyone who likes traditional links golf will appreciate the challenge.
1 Night, 1 Round
1 Night, 2 Rounds
1 Night, 2 Rounds
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2 Nights, 3 Rounds
1 Night, 2 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
2 Nights, 2 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
3 Nights, 4 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
2 Nights, 3 Rounds
3 Nights, 3 Rounds
Since the club's establishment in 1891, the land has changed little, and is a links course in the purest sense. The original nine holes were scrapped in 1895 and just a few years later, the present championship course was opened for play.
Harry Colt made some adjustments in 1912, Fred Hawtree joined forces with John H. Taylor in 1925 to move a few greens and re-route some holes before Tom Simpson worked on the course in 1933.
The majestic quality of Royal Porthcawl is underlined by the regular award of extremely prestigious amateur and professional events. Exposed to the elements, Royal Porthcawl is a no nonsense test that should be a certain priority for lovers of seaside golf, and is a Royal star on a golf tour along the south coast of Wales.
Royal Porthcawl is the number one ranked course in Wales and often features in the Top 100 UK & Ireland list.
Royal Porthcawl Golf Club is situated between Swansea and Cardiff off the M4, 5 miles south of Pyle train station
Address: Rest Bay, Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan, Swansea, Wales, CF36 3UW
| Par | 72 |
|---|---|
| Designed by | Charles Gibson, Ramsay Hunter, Tom Simpson, Harry Colt |
| Opened for play | 1891 |
| Previously hosted | The Senior Open (2014), British Masters (1961) |
| Black | 7,137 yards | SSS 76 |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | 6,948 yards | SSS 75 |
| White | 6,580 yards | SSS 73 |
| Yellow | 6,303 yards | SSS 72 |
| Red | 5,840 yards | SSS 76 |
| Bronze | 5,464 yards | SSS 74 |
Royal Porthcawl's Dormy accommodation is ideal if you want the simple luxury of rolling out of bed and being on the tee in minutes. There are six single rooms and three twin rooms, each with en-suite facilities, a flat-screen TV, complimentary Wi-Fi and tea and coffee making facilities. The big selling point is the setting, with rooms looking out across the course towards Rest Bay and the Bristol Channel. On a clear morning, the views are worth the early alarm call.
For golf groups and societies, staying on site keeps everything easy. You can play, freshen up and meet in the clubhouse without taxis or organising lifts, which matters more than you'd think when you're trying to keep eight or twelve golfers moving in the same direction. It's also a strong option for early tee times, especially if you're building a Welsh links tour and want to maximise golf rather than driving. Porthcawl is well placed for Southerndown, Pennard and the Gower courses, so you can base yourself here and fan out across the coast without spending half your trip on the M4.
Post-round, the clubhouse is exactly what you want after a windy links day: warm, traditional and made for lingering over a drink while you replay the round. The bar serves light snacks and informal meals, proper golf club fare that doesn't try to be anything it's not, and the dining rooms offer breakfast plus both fine and casual dining for up to 70 guests. If you're travelling with a bigger group or a society, the dining setup works well for sit-down meals without feeling cramped or rushed.
If you're travelling with non-golfers, the coastal location helps. There are beach walks on the doorstep, plenty of sea air to go with your sundowner, and Porthcawl town is close enough for a wander if anyone fancies a change of scene. For golfers, though, it's the convenience that wins. Everything you need is within easy reach of the first tee and final green, and you can spend your energy on the golf rather than logistics.
Access is straightforward. Cardiff is about 30 miles east, Swansea roughly 20 miles west, and both cities have good rail links if you're coming from further afield. If you're driving, the M4 runs close by and parking is on site. The course plays well most of the year, though spring and autumn tend to offer the best combination of firm conditions and manageable wind. Dress code is traditional, jacket and tie in the clubhouse after golf, so pack accordingly if you're planning to stay for dinner.
If you fancy including Royal Porthcawl on your next Welsh links break, have a look at our UK & Ireland golf breaks and we'll line up tee times and nearby options to build a proper tour of the coast.
Conor
✓8 Oct 2018
Although basic, it was perfect and the staff were really nice and helpful.
Simon
✓25 Jul 2026
Really enjoyable experience. Step back in time going into the clubhouse. Members of staff both in the pro shop and clubhouse were very welcoming and the golf course didn’t disappoint. Pace of play was perfect.
Ryan
✓28 May 2026
Julian
✓29 Apr 2026
An iconic course that was very busy on the day we played but pace of play was acceptable. A clubhouse that takes you back in time and full of history. Excellent staff throughout and a good Pro Shop
Adrian
✓26 Mar 2026
Anthony
✓6 Sep 2025
Now one of the favourite courses I have ever played. Beautiful views, tough but fair holes; an excellent all round experience.
Guy
✓27 Jun 2025
WOW, this course is amazing and one of the best I have played, as good as any links course in the world. Such great sequence of holes. The hospitality is 10/10, breakfast is a must!
Mark
✓24 Jun 2025
Staff were very friendly and helpful Breakfast was divine Course was amazing
Adam
✓20 May 2025
Exceptional condition, practise facilities amazing and great staff from pro shop to clubhouse. Not cheap but Highly recommend.
Doug
✓13 May 2025
A very good course but I wouldn’t like to play it in the wind and rain! Fortunately we had brilliant sunshine. The scores reflected the difficulty of the course with narrow fairways, hard bounces and lots of bunkers and some pretty unforgiving thick rough! Take lots of balls! A bucket list course ticked off but I am not sure I will be returning any time soon.
Sandy
✓30 Sep 2024
Weather had been quite wet, it was very windy (which we expected) and we had a heavy rain shower towards the end of our round and got very wet. Some of the bunkers were full of water - we lost balls in the bunkers - impossible to find in the water. Exposed sand in the bunkers was completely hard packed - not good. For a course at this price with this reputation, not acceptable, irrespective of the weather. Nice personalised welcome card in entrance to the clubhouse but were quite slow and casual.
