Aberdovey Golf Club

Outstanding links course in every sense of the word! Excellent condition and layout. Very friendly atmosphere by the staff and members. There's a certain mystique about the course that gives you the feeling that everything is right in the world and this is the way golf was meant to be. A very special place and my new favorite course!

I joined a group on a visit on 5th March 2011. Despite cold, grey conditions the course was enjoyable and very much what I would picture when discussing links golf. The group had visited on two previous occasions and seemed really taken by the course. For me it was a good course but maybe without that wow factor. I found the course enjoyable and liked the variety and challenge of the holes with well placed out of bounds. The bunkering was clever and made the tee shots more interesting. All in all I think it was a fair course - play well and you're rewarded, play poorly you'll lose shots but probably not the ball, play dreadfully and I can imagine it could be tough. Previous reviews refer to non descript or less memorable holes. I could say that about virtually any course I have ever played that there are some 'bland' holes - the big difference here was that they still made you think about the shots required. The greens were exceptional - true and pretty quick. Off course the clubhouse is well laid out, the catering staff were friendly and efficient, the food and drink was excellent and the Professional was friendly and helpful. For £25 on a Saturday I think the round was well worth the money and I would happily play it many more times.

The third day of the North Wales 2010 Tour, following on from Conwy and Nefyn and building up to Royal St David's (the latter two previously reviewed from our last trip here in 2005). This is a good links course that has wonderful character in parts – but overall, for me, it didn't quite live up to what I hoped for (although I should add the majority of our group were very taken with it). The start is strong – and, for us, was particularly tough as we were playing a reverse prevailing wind and so the first few holes were dead into. I loved the tee shot from the 2nd, raised up in the dunes, and the blind par 3 third. The 4th is a challenging mid-length par 4 and the 5th a tough long par 3 that switches sides across the course and has a beautiful backdrop of the hillside. The course then becomes largely flat as it moves away from the dunes and, I find myself almost whispering this, but some holes just weren't that memorable (6, 7, 14 and 15 spring to mind). However, there are notable exceptions, such as the par 3s at 9 and, famously, 12, where the green is raised on top of a dune and the only vantage point from which you glimpse the sea. It's a hole I conspicuously failed to get to grips with and would doubtless need a few more attempts to succeed; the best advice I can say is definitely to take one extra club. As a collection, the par 3s are excellent – of the courses I've played only Dornoch and Rye are better. Aberdovey also has a strong finish – an excellent driveable par 4 at 16 with the railway hard left, followed by two long and tough par 4s. Thinking about it now, a few weeks after the event, I'd say this course is more exciting for matchplay than strokeplay which, given the Club's traditional origins, is probably how many of the members like it. The village and setting is beautiful – and although for me it may not stand shoulder to shoulder against some other links courses (sorry Bernard Darwin) I've played, I can still wholeheartedly say as a Londoner that Aberdovey would be a wonderful place to live and be a member. Well, one can dream... In the meantime, roll on the 2011 Tour and see you next year somewhere out on the Great British links. 8.5/10 'Young P' (h/c 12)

Played here April 08 (£30 using the Daily Telegraph Open Fairways card). An enjoyable days golf but the course didn't quite live up to the expectations i had of it(which ,admittedly, were very high).In comparison to a lot of links courses that i've played i'd say it's a worth playing rather than a must play course.Don't get me wrong,it is a high quality links & i'd much rather play here than at a parkland course ,it's just that ,for me ,it didn't quite have that 'x' factor that would mark it out as being 'special'. Not the best entrance to a golf club that i've ever seen & there's a sports pitch & bit of scrubland next to the small car park .You then walk over a railway line & when you get round the back of the clubhouse initial impressions are that it looks classy. High dunes run all the way along the beach side of the course (you only get to see the sea from the 12th green) & with big hills on the other side the course sits on this pleasant,narrowish stretch of land between the two .It's more or less 9 out & 9 back in a stretched out figure of 8 configuration. The first few holes are interesting humps & hollows & there's a great blind par 3 3rd.At the 5th the terrain becomes flatter & more or less stays levelish until the end.Although ,from the 5th to the end the holes are fine ( the 12th is a fantastic uphill par 3)after the round i found it difficult to remember individual holes as they were quite similar in style. On a lot of tees ,there's not that much thinking to do & you can smash away with the driver,not that that's a bad thing.If i was being ultra critical, i would say that the fairway bunkering could have been more penal. Overall, there is a classy & pleasant feel here, as well as a feeling of tranquility.Members go round at a fast pace & it's unlikely that you'll be held up. The greens ran beautifully ,at a consistent, perfect pace.You have to carry a small bag of divoting earth with you & it seems course conditioning is regarded as a high priority here.There were no cattle wires around the greens when we played. Very nice clubhouse .This was a very visitor friendly club (all staff & members we encountered were very welcoming.The course manager sought us out afterwards to see if we'd enjoyed the round). The £30 we paid represents good value for a course of this stature & quality & it's a course that's definitely worth playing. Kevin B.

Played Bank Holiday Monday August 2006. A very windy and grey day. The course is designed in an interesting figure of 8 pattern, this does give respite from the strong winds which will always affect you. As a links it was nothing out of the ordinary, the greens were as you would expect, the fairways tight and there were some superb holes. However it didnt make me want to rush back which was suprising for a course in the top 100. The views were magnificent, the club house provided a warm welcome and all said and done I had a wonderful day. Most annoying aspect was that each green was protected from sheep and cattle by an electric fence, which meant you were constantly climbing over the thing everytime you wanted to putt - please get rid of the animals and fences! By the way they dont take the Open Fairways card on Bank Holidays - you really need to check this card before trying to use it as I found to my cost. This was Monday, so its Nevyn & District Tuesday, see next review.

I was fortunate enough to play this gem of a links course last Thursday (9/3/06). Thankfully the weather held off and we just had the wind to contend with which foreshortened the outward nine and lengthened the back nine! The course was in excellent condition with flat, quick greens, and surprisingly few blind shots thankfully. The most memorable holes were the comletely blind par 3 3rd, the very quirky par 3 12th with a raised green by the beach, the very demanding par 5 13th along by the beach, and the short par 4 risk and reward 16th. Quite why the 12th was stroke index 18 was beyond us! A very enjoyable round and highly recommended. The new club house was very well kitted out and the staff providedus with a warm welcome, will definitely play this course again.

I had the pleasure of playing Aberdyfi on a perfect sunny day in mid February. I met up with the locals in the clubhouse and they kindly let me join in with their group. Thanks Martin and Phil, Chris and Simon. Beautiful day! the course was magnificent. The greens were truly outstanding especially when you consider inland everyone was frozen out onto temps. Many wonderful holes. Must go back when I get a better run of form (yes I came last!) Interestingly Phil told me that the 8th green at Borth across the estuary is actually closer to the Aberdyfi clubhouse than Aberdoveys own 8th green.

I played this lovely links course in late May 2005. We stayed just outside of Harlech and took the train to the course. That day was a 2 club wind, the 12th the par 3 was interesting with the elevated green next to the ocean. The 16th was also memorable. Good value for the money would got back to play again.

A fantastic links course which we were lucky to play a number of times in very varied weather conditions. Extremely tough in the wind and rain and challenging in beautiful sunshine. One of the most friendly private clubs I have visited with accomodating and friendly staff in both the pro shop and the clubhouse. A must for links fans.

Aberdovey is a fantastic links course, perhaps living unfairly in the shadow of it's more illustrious neighbour at Harlech. The new clubhouse provides the best facilities I have experienced anywhere, accompanied by one of the friendliest welcomes. The course is set on superb land (it is better than the website pictures portray)and is roughly a 9 out and 9 back in layout. The 9 out was into the teeth of the wind which added to the overall links experience and the 18 "billiard table like" greens demand total concentration.......just watch out for the electric shocks off the cattle fences! Unless you are local, you will have a bit of a journey to get to Aberdovey but it will test the steering on your car as there aren't many straight bits of road on the way, but it will be more than worth your while. We stayed locally at the Dovey Inn in Aberdovey. Not only great accommodation but helped to organise our golf too.

A good links course with lots of interesting holes. Greens were in excellent condition for the time of year. Some of the holes around the turn are a bit featureless and off the yellow tees the course isnt too difficult. But all told this is a great days golf. Playing the 12th with a 30 mph cross wind off the sea is an experience everyone should try. I've never been so happy to make 5 on a par 3. Also very friendly Pro, barstaff and members made the day very enjoyable.

This course is one of the hidden gems of British golf. It is well hidden but a journey through the wonderful scenery of Mid Wales makes it a pleasure. The greens a reputed to be some of the best in Wales and was where Ian Woosnam played in his early years. There are some fine tees perched in the dunes on the shorter front nine. Like all good links courses, there is a railway line in play and in this case it still forms part of the Cambrian cost line. This is a must for all lovers of true links golf

Having played several of the best links courses in Britain I have to say that i think Aberdyfi is one of the best. I play this course a lot as i have family in the area and I have never once played when there has been a temprary green on the course. We even played on Boxing day once and it was as if it were the middle of July the course was in such good condition. The views are fabulous, especially on the par three twlelfth were a full view of the beach and sea can be seen. Off the course Aberdyfi is almost as great as it is on with a beautiful new clubhouse and perhaps the most friendly members I have ever encountered anywhere. This is a MUST PLAY for ANY golfer visiting Wales!!!

A very nice links course with some very challenging holes. The friendliest members I met in two weeks of golf in Wales and Scotland