Easter Golf Break

As our teenagers are hill walking in Wales this Easter, the Mrs and I were thinking of a little trip down to the south-west for a few days golf.

Not played any golf in that part of the country before so I was looking for some advice, from those more knowledgable, on a decent place to stay and the best golf courses to play, especially in Cornwall or Devon. Any help or comments would be much appreciated. Thanks

Not sure about places to stay but to play:

Saunton
Trevose
Westward Ho!
St. Mellion

I have a soft spot for West Cornwall as well, on the Lelant/St. Ives coast. Mullion is OK as well although not quite up to the others.

You could do a lot worse than St Pierre at Chepstow or the vale of Glamorgan.
Great value albeit not strictly SW

navyblueshorts wrote:Not sure about places to stay but to play:

Saunton
Trevose
Westward Ho!
St. Mellion

I have a soft spot for West Cornwall as well, on the Lelant/St. Ives coast. Mullion is OK as well although not quite up to the others.

Eastward Ho you can play at most large hotel bars.

Hi blue, Cornwall is my 'backyard' so to speak so here's my take for what it's worth.

Cornwall, St Enodoc,Trevose, perranporth, west Cornwall and of course my home track, mullion for that linksy, cliff top experience., lanhydrock( if it's dry)m china fleet, or Bowood for parkland. St mellion for a championship course.

Devon, has to be Saunton for the links and Dartmouth for top quality championship Parkland.

If you choose to play Mullion PM me and I can get you on for preferential rates,

Any Q's then give us a bell. I can tell you what shape each of those courses are in so you don't waste your money on any waterlogged potato fields!!

We played Mullion a couple of times back in 2010. Loved it, although there was a sign on one hole that mentioned snakes -- made Mr. P very nervous for a while. We played it the day of the air show at RAF culdrose and the vulcan flew overhead and did a few tricks. Everybody stopped and watched. Also enjoyed Killiow just outside Truro, Falmouth, and the non-championship course at st mellion (Kernow ?). I love Cornwall, having grown up in Devon, but certain areas can get pretty crowded around bank holidays. We stayed in a cottage in st keverne on the lizard peninsula in july/august and that was unspoiled and quiet, but we made the mistake of going to the Eden project on a rainy day along with what seemed like half the population of the county !

Hi Plunky, glad you enjoyed it. It is a real 'hidden gem' that does not promote itself I think well enough given the quality of the course and greens. The hole where you are most likely to see the Adders is on the 6th. A driveable par 4 that drops 100m downhill. They normally are curled up on a piece of granite on a wall that runs along the bottom by the little stream for the last 40 yds of the hole. Normally only out when the sun comes out though. I have nearly stood on one by the 10th green when it was curled up, disguised as a sprinkler head!! I was also playing during the RNAS CULDROSE( not Raf , aaargghh) air show that day when the Vulcan was displaying. Shame as we could have met up and had a knock together.

Oops, sorry -- I should have known it was RNAS given the number of times we drove past the sign ! If we get down there again I'll shoot you a PM. Might happen, as I developed quite a crush on the St Keverne male voice choir !

another Cornwall / Devon man here.
Live in Devon but work and play golf in Cornwall.

Peranporth - I would avoid this course as played here a couple of weeks ago and thought it was rubbish. Complete Marmite course and I hat marmite

Newquay - Substitute for above, good quality links course, I played last week.

Launceston - my club, excellent parkland course, county week will be here this year and PGA Alliance championships; good cheap prices and i can sort you out a deal with a PM if you want. First GC in cornwall and last when leaving cornwall on the main road!

You really can't go wrong with any of Matlot's picks but I have never met ANYONE with anything positive to say about Peranporth

Watch out for towels if you play Launceston, I hear they can be really nasty Blue.

Tarks, I play with about 20 guys and we are split straight down the middle. You either love it or hate it, but you have to give it a go once. The views of Perranporth and the beach on some of the holes are stunning. Play it once and make your mind from their I would say. The other thing that puts people off are that the greens are normally like lightning, but then again I like really fast greens!!
Hoping to play one or two events at Launceston inncounty week, but clashes with a 3 day championship I'm in at Dartmouth!! Maybe play one on the way to Dartmouth might be an option. Lawrence cup I think is on the Monday, so may go for that.

Try and get down west Tarks and give Mullion and West Cornwall a go. . If you get a team of 3 then the coast and county competition at both venues for £30 a player, with a meal thrown in at both venues is a great open comp in July over a Friday and Saturday and represents fantastic value.

Sorry Tarks, missed Launceston out on my initial list. Heard only good things about your gaff so hoping to get that game in on County Week!!

Mats,
I am certainly not a hater and was prepared to give perran a chance but the week Leading up to playing it all I got was negative comments from lads I spoke to about it. When I got there I have never been so cold in my life. Motocaddys were being blown over by the wind. The first stretch of holes were horrendous and the pro I was playing with was moaning like hell about the conditions. I pitched on green and the bll rolled 30ft off the green when I was about to mark it. I am all for the odd blind shot but this place was a joke. On 2nd I was 100 yards over the green with second shot 5i on a par 5! The comp was PGA alliance and it got pulled after our 7th hole so I have only played the front nine. Easily my worst ever golfing experience. Clubhouse and food nice, friendly pro and spectacular views but certainly not what I consider a cracking golf course. Greens were superfast and course immaculate but the lie of the land did not lend itself to a cracking track.

Re Launceston. We have suffered with the rains like everyone else but it is getting back to being good again and has held out well. Lovely food and all good guys up there so you will enjoy it.