Golf in Wales is often overlooked in favour of the more famous courses of Scotland and Ireland but this beautiful country has over 200 courses to tempt you, some of which have played host to national and international tournaments. With a wonderful pedigree of world class players such as Dai Rees and Ian Woosnam it is well worth making the trip to follow in their footsteps on the courses where they honed their game.

The weather will be far from guaranteed but the sheer quality of the courses will more than make up for it. For no reason other than accessibility, the courses of southern Wales are perhaps the most renowned. Some which stand out are the Robert Trent Jones Jr design Celtic Manor, 40km from Newport confirmed as host of the 2010 Ryder Cup and of course the Royal Porthcawl, 40km from Cardiff arguably the most famous and renowned golf course in Wales.

If you’re playing golf in Wales and have the stamina for a long drive into the north, make sure you don’t miss the delights of Try Nefyn. Perched on the cliff tops of the Lleyn peninsula this course offers outstanding views of the coast and although designed with a somewhat bizarre layout this offers a fabulous round of golf – made challenging when the wind and rain sweeps in from the west. Just a short drive from the Nefyn is the Royal St David’s course at Harlech. This is a traditional links course encompassing several long par fours set between rugged Welsh hillside and the Irish sea with the outstanding backdrop of the Snowdonian Mountains.