Golf in Devon and Cornwall
England's far southwest hides a coast of holiday links to rival anywhere in the country. Royal North Devon, the oldest course in England, and the two championship links at Saunton anchor the north Devon dunes, while St Enodoc and Harry Colt's Trevose draw golfers to the Cornish Atlantic coast. The courses that matter, the regions, the season, costs and how to plan it.
Photograph: St Enodoc Golf Club, via Google
Why golf here
Devon and Cornwall offer a different golf holiday from the famous links coasts of the north and east. Warmed by the Gulf Stream and framed by surf beaches, the southwest's best courses are natural, tumbling links set in towering dunes, headed by Royal North Devon at Westward Ho!, the oldest golf course in England, and the magnificent pair at Saunton next door. Add St Enodoc and Trevose on the Cornish coast and there is more than enough top class links to build a serious week around, in some of the most beautiful scenery in Britain.
What makes the region special is the mix. Alongside the championship links sit holiday favourites, clifftop nine holers and the muscular parkland of Jack Nicklaus's St Mellion inland, so a trip can pair hard, classical links with relaxed resort golf and a family holiday on the beach. The two counties are large and the driving real, so most trips base around the north Devon dunes and the north Cornwall coast separately rather than trying to cover everything at once.
The regions
North Devon
Westward Ho! and the great dunes of Saunton. Royal North Devon, the oldest links in England, and the two championship courses at Saunton sit on the same broad sweep of Braunton Burrows, the densest concentration of top links in the southwest.
North Cornwall
The Camel estuary and the Atlantic coast. St Enodoc at Rock, with its towering Himalaya bunker, and Harry Colt's clifftop Trevose near Padstow anchor a stretch of holiday links framed by surf beaches and dunes.
Inland and the wider southwest
Parkland and moor away from the coast: Jack Nicklaus's St Mellion in Cornwall, the resort golf of Bovey Castle on Dartmoor, and, just over the Somerset border, the championship links of Burnham and Berrow.
The courses that matter
Royal North Devon, Westward Ho!
The oldest golf course in England, laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1864 and granted royal status in 1867. A raw, ancient links across Northam Burrows shared with grazing sheep and horses, where the great sea rushes, the famous Cape hole and the wind test every visitor. Genuinely public and unmissable.
Saunton, East Course
The pick of the two Saunton links and one of the finest courses in the southwest, a Herbert Fowler design of par 71 over around 6,774 yards through the towering dunes of Braunton Burrows. Firm, classical and beautifully balanced, a regular final qualifying and amateur championship venue.
Saunton, West Course
The East's quieter sibling, redesigned by Frank Pennink and reopened in 1973 on the same magnificent dune land. Slightly shorter and more forgiving, it is a genuine championship links in its own right and makes a 36 hole day at Saunton one of England's great golfing value propositions.
St Enodoc, Church Course
A glorious, tumbling links at Rock on the Camel estuary, James Braid's routing famous for the Himalaya, the towering sand hill that guards the sixth green and ranks among the world's most celebrated hazards. Par 69 over around 6,557 yards of pure holiday links, immortalised in John Betjeman's verse.
Trevose, Championship
Harry Colt's airy clifftop links above Constantine Bay near Padstow, a par 71 stretching beyond 7,000 yards from the tips with the Atlantic in view from almost every hole. A relaxed family resort with two further short courses, and a fixture of any north Cornwall golf week.
St Mellion, Nicklaus Course
Jack Nicklaus's first European design, a muscular parkland test carved through a Cornish valley that hosted the Benson and Hedges International on the European Tour. The headline course at a full resort with a hotel and spa, and the strongest inland round in the two counties.
Burnham and Berrow, Championship
Just over the Somerset border, a top fifty English links of around 6,925 yards and par 71, with classic Colt bunkering through tall dunes. An easy and worthwhile add to a north Devon trip and one of the best courses in the wider southwest.
Bovey Castle
A handsome parkland course in the Dartmoor National Park beside a grand country house hotel, a gentler, scenic round and a fine non links change of pace when the coast blows. Family friendly and an excellent stay and play base inland.
Designers, opening years and access verified June 2026 from the courses and leading databases; several are members clubs and access rules change. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| May to September | Warm, long days, firm and fast links | Prime season; the southwest coast at its best, book the marquee links well ahead |
| April and October | Mild, quieter, often settled on the coast | Excellent value shoulder golf with the widest tee sheets |
| November to March | Mild thanks to the Gulf Stream but wet and windy off the Atlantic | Coastal links stay open and playable; soft underfoot, great value, pack for weather |
The southwest plays the year round thanks to the mild maritime climate, but summer brings the firmest links and the busiest tee sheets. Spring and autumn are the sweet spot for value and availability.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Royal North Devon and Saunton | Mid range championship links fees, a 36 hole Saunton day is fine value | Public and visitor friendly; book ahead in summer |
| St Enodoc and Trevose | Premium holiday links rates in peak summer, much lower off season | Visitors welcome; the Church course fills early |
| St Mellion and Bovey Castle | Resort green fees, often bundled with a stay | Strong stay and play packages inland |
| Everyday courses | Modest fees for friendly parkland and moorland golf | The backbone of an affordable week |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Green fees move with season and demand. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Devon and Cornwall are large and there is no fast way to cross them, so a golf trip is built around two coastal bases. Exeter airport and the M5 bring you into north Devon, where Westward Ho! and Saunton sit within a few miles of each other near Braunton. North Cornwall, around Rock, Padstow and Constantine Bay, is a further two hours southwest and is best served by Newquay airport or the A30. Most trips spend a few nights in each rather than commuting daily between them.
Where to stay
In north Devon, base around Braunton, Saunton or Westward Ho! to put the championship links on your doorstep, with the beaches of Woolacombe and Croyde alongside. In north Cornwall, Rock, Padstow and Constantine Bay sit minutes from St Enodoc and Trevose and offer some of the best food and coastline in the country. For an inland leg, the resorts at St Mellion and Bovey Castle put a hotel and golf in one place. Book the marquee links and the summer rooms together, as both move quickly.
Plan your Devon and Cornwall golf trip
Tell us whether you want the north Devon dunes around Saunton, the Cornish coast at Rock and Padstow, or a tour of both, and roughly when. One concierge secures the tee times, sorts the base and the car, and costs the whole trip to the head, with no obligation.
Devon and Cornwall golf questions
What are the best golf courses in Devon and Cornwall?
Royal North Devon at Westward Ho!, the oldest course in England, and the two championship links at Saunton lead the way in north Devon, while St Enodoc at Rock and Harry Colt's Trevose near Padstow head the Cornish coast. Inland, Jack Nicklaus's St Mellion is the strongest parkland test. All welcome visitors, so plan ahead and confirm access and fees before booking.
Can visitors play these courses?
Yes. Royal North Devon and the Saunton courses are public or visitor friendly, and St Enodoc and Trevose both welcome visitors, though the St Enodoc Church course fills early in summer. St Mellion and Bovey Castle are resorts with open tee sheets. Book the marquee links well ahead and always confirm current access and fees directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in Devon and Cornwall?
May to September is the prime season, with the warmest weather, the longest days and the links at their firm, fast best, which is also the busiest and dearest time. The Gulf Stream keeps the southwest mild, so the coastal links stay playable the year round, with the April and October shoulders the value sweet spot. Always check the forecast for your dates.
How do you get to the golf in Devon and Cornwall?
Exeter airport and the M5 serve north Devon, where Westward Ho! and Saunton cluster near Braunton, while north Cornwall around Rock and Padstow is a further two hours southwest, served by Newquay airport or the A30. The counties are large, so most trips base in one or two coastal hubs and hire a car rather than trying to cover both at once.
Related
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Course openings, links access and the booking windows that matter across England. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts, access and fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.