Perranporth Golf Club Hole #1
Perranporth Golf Club Hole #3
Trevose Golf Club Hole #5
Trevose Golf Club Hole #13
by John Ball in 1913) and numerous English and regional championships. Playing here is a historical experience, a battle against a course that is largely unchanged from over a century ago. Make sure to leave some time to visit the clubhouse that offers a museum of its past, including clubs used by JH Taylor to win some of his Open titles. As we move west into Cornwall, the links become more dramatic, none more so than St. Enodoc Golf Club, commanding spectac- ular views across the Camel Estuary toward Padstow. Its Church Course is renowned for its immense, unruly dunes and the quaint 12th-century church—the resting place of poet John Betjeman—that stand sentinel over the 11th fairway. Founded in 1890, the course’s main archi- tect was none other than James Braid, another member of the great Triumvirate. Braid laid out the full 18-hole course in 1907, masterfully weaving the holes through the towering, natural sandhills. The course remains fundamentally a Braid design, a testament to his vision, espe- cially given the lack of earth-moving equipment at the time. “If your golf is rubbish, just go and look at the views, because you’re gonna come in having a fantastic time anyway, “mentions Caroline Hume-Kendall, St. Edonoc’s first female captain. The most famous feature is the 6th hole, a brutal par 4 featuring a colossal dune that completely obscures the green—a truly
intimidating blind shot that is one of the most photographed and debated holes in links golf. The green tilts right to left so send your blind approach to the right of the green to give you your best shot of saving a par. St. Enodoc’s reputation as a top-tier test has been cemented by hosting the English Amateur Championship and numerous other regional and national amateur tournaments, all of which confirm its status as one of England’s most quirky, challenging, and beloved links. Just a short drive down the north Cornwall coast lies Trevose, a family-owned resort that offers a slightly more accessible, yet equally thrilling, links experience, set against the backdrop of the Atlantic. The Championship Course was opened in 1925, designed by the prolific and leg- endary Harry S. Colt. Colt’s influence is clear in the strategic bunkering, the clev- er use of natural contours, and the classic two loops of nine holes, with the front nine hugging the stunning coastline. Trevose blends championship golf with a relaxed coastal atmosphere, a legacy secured when the Gammon family acquired the club in the 1940s. The club’s foresight led to the addition of the Headland and Short Courses, expanding its appeal to golfers of all levels while maintain- ing the Championship course’s integrity. As the club enters its second century, it is known as a complete golf and lifestyle resort.
Trevose has hosted major amateur events, showcasing its ability to provide a world-class championship test. It’s one of the essential stops on any links itinerary. Further south in Cornwall, perched spectacularly above the golden sands of the famous surfing beach, sits Perranporth Golf Club. This is arguably the most breathtakingly dramatic layout of the entire Southwest collection. The course was laid out in 1927 by the master of natural links, James Braid, con- firming his unparalleled influence across the region. Perranporth is characterised by incred- ibly undulating terrain, towering dunes, and panoramic, cliff-top views that make it one of the most scenic links in the world. “The course is incredibly undulating. It’s not always a driver off the tee or approach always at the flag. It’s like a very very good game of chess”, said Richard Sadler, Perranporth Head Pro. Braid’s design is a thrilling, often quirky, test defined by numerous short par 4s and a fair number of exhilarating blind shots. The scarcity of bunkers suggests a gentler challenge, but the natural hazards—the thick rough, the unforgiving slopes, and, of course, the ever-present wind—ensure that scoring to one’s handicap, especially on a first visit, is a significant achievement. Perranporth’s history is inextricably linked to the region’s heritage, sitting close to the ancient Oratory of Saint Piran, Cornwall’s patron saint.
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