Mettaford Golf Course

Mettaford Golf Course sits just outside Bideford, a proper working golf club that's been there for decades. It's a nine-hole layout - nothing fancy, nothing trying too hard - just solid golfing on the Devon-Cornwall border with decent views across the valley. You'll get eighteen holes if you fancy going round twice, which most casual players do. The course isn't long by modern standards, so it suits everyone from club members working through their handicap to families wanting a quick round without losing the light. Allow a couple of hours for a full eighteen. It's very much a locals' spot rather than a destination course, which means it stays refreshingly unpretentious. Winter can be muddy, spring and autumn are your best bets. Green fees aren't eye-watering, though I'd ring ahead to check current rates and whether you need a handicap certificate. The clubhouse is straightforward - tea, chat, the usual. If you're staying at Coastal Cabins Glamping or Roeys Retreat Campsite, both just down the road, this fits nicely into a relaxed park holiday without needing a day trip. It's the kind of place where you go because you actually want to play golf, not because you're ticking off a tourist box. Honest, unfussy, and within easy reach of Bideford's restaurants and shops when you've had enough of the fairways.