Feature Review - Trevose G&CC

The UK is blessed with some of the greatest golf courses on Earth. While our courses are generally scattered around the country there are small clusters of courses that combine to become legendary destinations. St Andrews and it's collection of courses springs to mind or the North West Coast of England - Lytham, Birkdale, Hillside & company, or the courses on the South Coast - St Georges, Cinque Ports and Princes. One collection of courses that are now gaining the same sort of recognition are the group known as Atlantic Links. 

The group of courses known as the Atlantic Links is made up of six championship courses; St Enodoc, Trevose, Saunton (East & West), Burnham & Berrow and Royal North Devon. On the face of it collection of courses along the South West of England's North coast that can rival any collection of courses anywhere in the World. 

Being located in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall they are also perfect to combine with a trip away with partners/family. I decided to do just that, taking a short break in early June to play and stay ahead of a week in St Ives. This is what I found when I visited Trevose G&CC: 

Trevose G&CC

It was at Trevose Golf & Country Club that I based myself while enjoying a trip to play the Atlantic links courses. Turning towards the coast at Wadebridge, Trevose is located a few miles north of Newquay on head of land that juts out into the Atlantic. A links course that was deigned by the legendary Harry Colt in 1925, it is now one the leading resorts in England offering not only great golf, but a range of accommodation. 

We stayed in one of the self catering bungalows which is essentially a holiday cottage and just a stones throw from the course. A great loction in my opinion! Large rooms and a very comfortable living area with all the facilities you would expect from a holiday cottage made for a perfect nights stay. In fact Trevose offers a whole range of accommodation including the bungalows we stayed in, their new Fairway Lodges & Cottages, Trehuel Apartments and even a Club Flat that sleeps 6.  

We played early on a Tuesday morning having arrived the night before to be greeted by torrential rain that continued through the night. As you would expect we were worried about the course being open, but the friendly starter confirmed that the course was fine and in great nick. She explained that the course was built with two loops of nine; the first hugs the coast land and offers views of the nearby beach while the second heads inland and back towards the impressive clubhouse that is set on a hill overlooking the course.  

The first hole is a downhill par 4 which is fairly gentle opener. There are pot bunkers to avoid from the tee as the hole narrows at driving distance, but find the fairway and you will have an attractive approach to decent sized green. 

The first feature hole and undoubtedly the most famous hole on the course comes at the Par 5 4th. A hole that doglegs right to left around a large sand dune and turns to head directly towards the beach and Atlantic Ocean. If you manage to get your tee shot away, you could have a go at the green in two although this largly depends on wind direction. Should you decide to lay up you will need to avoid a series of deep pot bunkers that guard the left and centre of the fairway. 

The green is set over a slight brow in the land and runs away from you meaning you can chase the ball into the putting surface. As you arrive at the green your golf becomes secondary consideration as one of the best views of golf presents itself to you. While we played on a fairly calm day by seaside standards, I can imagine it is even more spectacular on a stormy day with large waves crashing onto the beach right next to the green and the 5th tee. Check out my 360* video standing on the 5th tee (Apologies for the sound of the wind!). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF0XPTZ4qkQ

The course continues to test your game with all the links style skills you would expect, low punches into the wind, bump and runs with a 5 iron, putts from miles off the green and the almost impossible escape shot from the face of a bunker. Hailing from the flat parkland courses of Cambridgeshire it is a delight to be challenged in this way. 

You turn back and head towards the clubhouse via the Par 5 9th hole and this gives you sense of what is to come. The back nine is of a more inland nature and not played in around the sand dunes like the front nine. This does not however make it any less of a test. Holes sweep gently up and down hill with pot bunkers and ever present danger from the tee as well as when you approach the green. 

The standout hole on the back nine is the very difficult Par 4 18th. A fitting end to a great course, it plays uphill back towards the clubhouse and doglegs slightly to the left. You will need to avoid the large bunker on the right hand side of the fairway from the tee all the while being mindful of the out of bounds which hugs the left side of the hole all the way to the green. 

The green itself sits to the left of clubhouse and significantly raised making your second shot play a couple of clubs longer than normal. Should you fall short there are 5 pot bunkers waiting to gobble your ball making an up and down very difficult indeed. 

Following the round we enjoyed a great pint of Cornish Ale in the clubhouse, which is of a lovely design. The bar offers stunning views across the course and out to sea.

Trevose was great fun to play, there are 4 tees in which to choose to play from, meaning you can find a tee to suit any ability and while it is not the most testing of links courses it clearly has great quality having held  the English Amateur Strokeplay Championship (Brabazon Trophy) in 2008. 

Should you venture down to the South West this is a must play course with the view on the back of the 4th green a treat in itself!