Tenby Golf Club
Founded in 1888, Tenby is the oldest golf club in Wales and the spiritual home of the Welsh game. James Braid stretched it to 18 holes in 1907, and it survives as a pure, old fashioned links of about 6,528 yards over the dunes of South Beach, all blind drives, hog’s back fairways and fast running greens.
Photo: Tenby Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Tenby is the birthplace of Welsh golf and proud of it. Members were knocking balls about the dunes by the 1870s, the club was formally founded in 1888, and in 1907 the five time Open champion James Braid was brought in to lay out the full 18 holes that still stand today. It is one of the genuine links of the British Isles, routed along the Pembrokeshire shore with the sea, the dunes and the wind doing most of the defending.
This is links golf in its purest, most uncompromising form. There are blind shots over sandhills, snaking hog’s back fairways that throw a good drive into trouble, hard and fast greens, deep pot bunkers and gorse that swallows the wayward. A par 72 of about 6,528 yards, Tenby rewards the player who can flight the ball low, run it up to the green and accept that the bounce will not always be fair. Pair it with the wider Pembrokeshire coast and it is one of the great value links experiences in Britain.
Tenby Golf Club at a glance
- Founded
- 1888
- Designer
- James Braid (1907)
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,528 yds
- Green fee
- Visitor rounds, indicative
Founding year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Tenby Golf Club and leading course databases. The club was founded in 1888 and James Braid extended the layout to 18 holes in 1907; it plays as a par 72 of about 6,528 yards. Tenby is a members club that welcomes visitors, with green fees varying by season and day (indicative, 2026). Always confirm current rates and tee availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Tenby opens gently before the dunes take over, and from there it is a procession of strong, characterful holes where the right line is rarely the obvious one. Braid worked with the natural ground rather than against it, so the fairways tumble and the greens sit in folds of the dunescape, firm and quick when the coastal wind has dried them out.
The blind shots are part of the charm and the challenge: drives over marker posts, approaches into greens you cannot fully see, and a need to trust the line and commit. The par 3s are exposed and demanding when the wind is up off the Bristol Channel, and the run of par 4s in the middle of the round asks for placement off the tee far more than raw length.
The closing stretch brings the dunes and the sea into sharp focus, and a steady finish into the breeze is a real test of nerve and ball flight. Tenby is not long by modern standards, but in a fresh wind it is all the golf course anyone could want, and a round here is a lesson in how the game was meant to be played.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Members club that welcomes visitors; tee times for non members are available most days outside members’ competition times |
| Green fee | Visitor green fees vary by season and day of week; twilight and winter rates are lower (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Book ahead through the golf shop, especially in summer; a handicap certificate is generally expected |
| On the day | Walking links; caddies are not standard but trolleys are available; smart golf attire |
| Getting there | Tenby, Pembrokeshire, in southwest Wales, about 30 minutes from Carmarthen and reachable by train to Tenby station |
| Best months | May to September for the warmest, driest links conditions, though the course plays year round |
Access and fee details verified June 2026; policies and rates change, so always confirm directly with Tenby Golf Club before planning a visit.
Where to stay nearby
Tenby itself is a handsome walled seaside town with plenty of hotels, guest houses and self catering close to the course and the beaches, making it an easy and characterful base for a golf trip. The town puts you within a short walk or drive of the first tee and within an evening stroll of the harbour and restaurants.
For a wider Pembrokeshire links tour, Tenby pairs naturally with the other great Welsh coastal courses, and the region works well as a relaxed multi course trip built around the dramatic Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Base yourself in or near Tenby and add a round or two along the coast.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Tenby Golf Club.
Build a Wales golf trip
We arrange the Tenby tee times, pair them with the best of the Welsh links and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Tenby Golf Club questions
Is Tenby the oldest golf club in Wales?
Yes. Tenby Golf Club was founded in 1888 and is recognized as the oldest golf club in Wales, often called the birthplace of Welsh golf.
Who designed Tenby and when?
The club was founded in 1888 as a nine hole course and was extended to a full 18 holes in 1907 by the five time Open champion James Braid, whose routing the course still follows.
What is the par and length of Tenby?
Tenby is a par 72 links of about 6,528 yards, laid over the dunes of South Beach on the Pembrokeshire coast.
Can visitors play Tenby Golf Club?
Yes. Tenby is a members club that welcomes visitors most days outside members’ competitions. Book through the golf shop in advance, especially in summer, and confirm green fees directly before travelling.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.