Royal Porthcawl Golf Club

Royal Porthcawl sits right on the Welsh coast near Porthcawl, and if you're a golfer staying at Trecco Bay Holiday Park, it's practically on your doorstep. This is proper golf - a championship course that's hosted serious competitions and clearly takes itself seriously, as you'd expect from anything with 'Royal' in the name.

The layout makes full use of the clifftop setting. You're playing across headlands with the sea genuinely in play on several holes, which sounds dramatic until you're standing on the tee watching your ball sail into the Irish Sea. It's a demanding course - links-style golf with narrow fairways and rough that punishes lazy shots. Handicap golfers will struggle here; single-figure players will find it properly testing.

Visitors can book as guests through the club's website, though you'll need to arrange this in advance rather than just turning up. Green fees aren't cheap, but you're paying for the setting and the pedigree. Allow a full day if you're playing eighteen holes plus a coffee beforehand.

The real strength here is the location. You're golfing with views across the Bristol Channel on a clear day, which beats most municipal courses into a cocked hat. If you're a keen golfer staying locally, it's worth the splurge. Casual players or non-golfers in your party might find it pricey and time-consuming when there are beaches and parks nearby at Trecco Bay.