Royal St David's Golf Club

at Royal St David's Dormy Lodge

Royal St David’s Golf Club is a world-class links course situated in the town of Harlech, North West Wales in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park. A combination of the Australian Harold Finch-Hatton and William Henry More designed the course which opened for play in 1894.

A revered links, the club is often ranked as one of the United Kingdom’s top courses and has hosted some significant professional and amateur tournaments such as the Ladies European Tour Wales Championship, the European Seniors Tour Welsh Open and British Girls Open Amateur Championship. Visitors will also find an understated clubhouse with a restaurant and bar and a well-stocked pro shop.

Royal St David's Golf Course overview

Regarded by some as the world’s most difficult par-69, Royal St David’s Golf Club is a challenging links course that sits adjacent to Cardigan Bay and Harlech Beach. Renowned for some towering sand dunes and the formidable Harlech Castle which stands guard over the golf course, the sweeping views are just as impressive as the course; especially when golfers look north west to the mountains of Snowdonia National Park.

The initial 12-holes are fully exposed to the elements on what is quite flat ground before the transformation in terrain for the closing 6-holes, where golfers must negotiate undulating fairways, large sand dunes and the occasional blind shot. Be prepared for holes that zig-zag in different directions (the fairways never run parallel to each other), which will test most clubs in the bag. Add in the inevitable wind and you’ll see why the course typically plays longer than 6600 yards (off the tips).

Signature Holes

This 36 out and 33 back golf course with only two par-5s and five par-3s is a real challenge. The 15th is a 439-yard par-4 off the tips, set amongst mountainous dunes and with Harlech Castle looking down upon the green. The hole is bunker-less and one of the closest parts of the course to the sea.

Did You Know?

Royal St David’s was granted Royal patronage by King Edward VII in 1908.