Thurlestone Golf Club

Played here February ,2011 ( £21 using a county card ). Not an out & out links but part links/part parkland. Set in a fairly remote location ,along a cliff top . The course starts really well (great short par 4 opener ,back 2nd tee is about 20 yards from a lovely little beach ,couple of nice par 3's) as these first 7 linksy holes run along the edge of the bay (on the 7th surfers walked across the hole)& these are the best stretch of holes.The 8th to the 12th holes run more or less upwards to the highest point of the course at where it reaches an estuary .From here i thought the holes tailed off a bit as they are more parkland & were less enjoyable than the earlier ones. There are sea views from every hole .The clubhouse sits in a low ,all be it pleasant ,dip & it's a pity that it doesn't reside on a higher site. Standard(i think) green fee £42 is excessive for the time of year & considering there were some forward tees . So ,i'd say it's worth playing for the first 12 holes ,the views & setting but maybe not for the standard green fee. We played the last last 7 holes in heavy rain & got back in soaked ,so if i'd played it in pleasant sunny conditions this may have slightly impaired my judgement but i'm still unsure whether i'd be desperate to play it again having now played it once . Kevin B.

We are quite fortunate in that we have family in the area so play Thurlestone each time we visit. It is the only chance i get to play a links type cliff top course, and of all the courses I've played in the UK it ranks in my top 3. This is for 3 main reasons; 1) Location. The views along the front 9 are absolutely superb, and on a clear day you can see as far as Cornwall. Worth the Green Fee in it's own right. 2) It;s quietness. We teed off on a saturday morning after just turning up to play. There was no-one in front of us, and we had no-one behind us for the entire round. I have never had to wait on this course and we only ever play it at the weekend. 3) Challenge. Contrary to other reviews, it does have a links feel, and i find the fairways to be fast, and the greens are very true. Indeed, the back 9 are possibly not as challenging as the front nine, but this is where the wind comes into play. We played on a calm day and judging distance with the wind was always fun! each hole is well thought out with traps along the way to punish any wayward shots. All in all, if you're ever in the area, play this course. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Whilst Thurlestone is slap bang next to the sea and has spectacular views, do not play here expecting to find a links layout. It has very little links quality to it – there are no fast-running fairways (or really quick greens for that matter) and no knee-high links rough that demands accuracy off the tee. In fact, it's no exaggeration to say that in large areas of the course, particularly around the higher end inland, it must be quite difficult to actually lose a ball within the boundaries of the course. Of course, this is all absolutely fine for some people. Personally, though, I came away from here feeling that, as a golfing experience, it was unfulfilling. The first eight holes form the best stretch, based along and around the cliff edge. The two that stand out are the short par 3 6th (145 yards off the whites), with the green virtually encircled by bunkers, and the medium length par 4 7th, which I think would be better if they used the vacant tees that turn it into a dogleg. However, as others have already identified, most of the back nine heads inland and contains some tedious holes with little definition between them - particularly the long par 4s at 9 and 10 and the par 5s at 14 and 15. Thankfully, at least I had a 35mph wind to keep things interesting. There are some similarities to Nefyn (although it's not as good as that), insofar as it's a parkland-conditioned layout that happens to be on the edge of a cliff. Overall, if you want 'holiday golf' with great views, then Thurlestone is fine. But if you want a genuinely high-class golfing challenge, my advice is to head elsewhere. 6.5/10 'Young P'

Whilst Thurlestone is slap bang next to the sea and has spectacular views, do not play here expecting to find a links layout. It has very little links quality to it – there are no fast-running fairways (or fast-running greens for that matter) and no links-style rough that demands accuracy off the tee. In fact, it's no exaggeration to say that in large areas of the course, particularly around the higher end inland, it must be quite difficult to actually lose a ball within the boundaries of the course. The first eight holes form the best stretch, based along and around the cliff edge. The two that stand out are the short par 3 6th (145 yards off the whites), with the green virtually encircled by bunkers, and the medium length par 4 7th, which I think would be better if they used the vacant tees that turn it into a dogleg. However, as others have already identified, most of the back nine heads inland and contains some frankly tedious and insipid holes with little definition between them – particularly the long par 4s at 9 and 10 and the par 5s at 14 and 15. Thankfully, at least I had a 35mph wind to keep things interesting. All in all, I'm pleased I've played Thurlestone once but I'm not that bothered about returning. There are some similarities to Nefyn (although it's not as good as that), insofar as it's a parkland-conditioned layout that happens to be on the edge of a cliff. It's overrated and what one might slightly pejoratively term 'holiday golf.' If you want real seaside golf in the far southwest, head over the border into Cornwall and get your teeth stuck into Perranporth and St Enodoc. 6.5/10 'Young P'

Superb Golf Course.On a one week stay in Devon,played 36 holes and then had to return for another 36 two days later.Fantastic views and a course that rivals any that i've played in Scotland. Paul,Derby

A COURSE THAT HAS TRULY MAGNIFICENT VIEWS OVER THE SOUTH HAMS COAST. BE WARNED THE COURSE GETS VERY BUSY, I PLAYED VERY EARLY ON A MONDAY MORNING AND NUMEROUS FOURBALLS WERE BEHIND ME. THE COURSE PRESENTS A CHALLENGE TO ALL STANDARDS OF GOLFER AND CAN BE A REAL STIFF TEST IN THE WIND. IT IS A LITTLE IMBALANCED WITH ALL THE PAR 5'S ON THE BACK 9, NONE OF WHICH ARE MEMORABLE. IN FACT IF IT WASN'T FOR THE VIEWS SEVERAL HOLES WOULD BE RATHER BLAND AND BORING. THE PAR 3'S ARE GOOD, ESPECIALLY THE 5TH, 6TH & 17TH. I ENJOYED THE 1ST HOLE WHICH PRESENTS YOU WITH A CHANCE TO DRIVE THE GREEN, BUT HAS TROUBLE ALL AROUND. THE 8TH, 9TH & 10TH HOLES ARE ALL LONG PAR 4'S AND VERY SIMILAR. HOWEVER THE VIEWS AROUND THE 11TH GREEN ARE WONDERFUL. IF YOU ARE IN THE AREA IT IS WELL WORTH THE VISIT.

I have played over 100 courses in the UK and I rate the front nine as one of the very best I have played. Superb scenery, course in good condition, a good variety of holes etc etc. Back is a little dissapointing as it is more inland and is primarily length that makes it difficult. Ensure you have an up to date handicap certificate as the Pro will not accept anything less. Play this course !!!!!!!