St Pierre

St Pierre is a proper championship golf course just outside Chepstow, the sort of place that takes itself seriously without being snobbish about it. The course sprawls across 220 acres of Monmouthshire countryside, with two distinct eighteen-hole layouts - the Old Course and the Newer Course - so there's enough variety that even if you've played once, you'll want to come back.

The Old Course is the one with the pedigree. It's hosted European Tour events and you can feel that history in the way the fairways are set up, the strategic bunkering, the demands on your long game. The Newer Course is slightly less brutal, though calling anything 'easier' here is relative - this is proper golf, not a par-three pitch-and-putt.

Golfers will get the most out of this. Seriously. If you're a mid-to-low handicapper, you'll respect the challenge. High handicappers might find it frustrating, but it's absolutely playable if you're willing to take the rough with the smooth. Families who aren't keen on golf will find it tedious - there's no real reason to visit unless you're actually teeing off.

It's a proper journey from most of Wales, but if you're basing yourself at somewhere like Penhein Glamping just up the road, a round here is a logical day out. Book ahead - this isn't the sort of place you just rock up to. Green fees aren't cheap, but the quality justifies it. Allow a full day minimum if you're playing both courses.