Conwy
Midway along the attractive north coast of Wales, the towns of Conwy and Llandudno are separated by the lovely River Conwy. To the east, Llandudno is home to two fine courses at North Wales and Maesdu, while to the west, Conwy itself is a first-class links enjoying a fabulous setting by the estuary and the beach. Roughly 30 miles north from the Top 100 links at Royal St David's and overlooked by mountains to the west and the Great Orme to the east and north, this strong, testing but ultimately very fair links has evolved greatly over the years since the original design by Jack Morris, nephew of Old Tom.
In the 1970s, Frank Pennink made substantial changes to the front nine before Brian Huggett and Neil Coles performed a similar role on the return holes a few years later. It has since been used for all manner of important championships, both professional and amateur, and most recently the 2021 Curtis Cup.
Par 5s Aplenty Around The Turn
Approaching 6,500 yards from the regular tees, there are two loops from the clubhouse, albeit of 10 and 8 holes. Unlike at many traditional links, the course frequently changes direction, asking new strategic questions all the way as the wind changes from your friend to your foe. Unusually, and arguably a very good thing, each of the quartet of par 5s comes in a burst between the 9th and the 14th. In many ways this works really well as you’ve had plenty of time to warm up, but you are hopefully not yet running out of steam. All but perhaps the final one, the 14th where the wind may just give you a nudge, are genuine 3-shotters. Play them sensibly, and well, and they may also reward with a birdie.
A Visually Strong Cast Of Short Holes
None of the par 3s is particularly long, but the wind can have a huge impact on club selection. This is especially so at the two on the back 9 which are usually into the wind and can play substantially longer than you would expect. The 13th calls for a well-struck shot to a difficult 2-tier green, while the 15th is shorter but has a cluster of bunkers peeping at you from the front. Each of these holes is an absolute beauty with Conwy Mountain serving as an awe-inspiring backdrop.
There are also some very strong par 4s including the two particularly long examples at the 5th and 8th which are usually wind against. Situated beside the marina, the excellent links at Conwy Golf Club is in the Golf Monthly Top 200 UK&I and undoubtedly one of the very best in the country.
