Devon and Cornwall Golf: 2026 Season Outlook
England's far southwest is a links coast that flies under the radar, a string of classic seaside courses scattered along the Atlantic shores of Devon and Cornwall, from the cradle of English golf at Westward Ho! to the cliffside drama of St Enodoc. The 2026 season runs on the rhythm of an English summer. Here is the outlook, the courses and the timing.
Photo: Saunton Golf Club via Google.
The headline: England's quiet links country
Devon and Cornwall play to the classic English links calendar, and 2026 will be no different. The best stretch runs from May to September, when the fairways have firmed up, the days are long and the Atlantic light is at its finest, while April and October make rewarding shoulder months with quieter tee sheets. This is an exposed coast, so wind and changeable weather are part of the experience in any month, and the golfer who packs for all conditions enjoys it most.
What sets the region apart is a concentration of genuine links quality far from the famous trails of Scotland and Ireland. Several of these courses have banded together as the Atlantic Links Golf Coast, a trail that links Trevose, St Enodoc, Royal North Devon, Burnham and Berrow and Saunton, which gives a traveling golfer a ready made route through the best of England's western seaboard.
The courses that anchor a trip
Devon's headline pairing sits on the north coast. Saunton is one of the finest 36 hole links complexes in the world, its East course, laid out by Herbert Fowler in the 1920s, widely rated the best in the county. A short way along the estuary is Royal North Devon, also known as Westward Ho!, the cradle of English golf where the game has been played continuously since 1864, making it the oldest course in England still in play.
Across the Cornish border the links turn wilder and more scenic. St Enodoc, perched above the Camel estuary near Rock and Padstow, is generally considered the best course in Cornwall, a James Braid era links famous for its towering Himalayas bunker. Nearby Trevose, the Harry Colt design of 1925 sheltered by Trevose Head, completes a coast that rewards the golfer willing to travel for it. Saunton, St Enodoc and Trevose do not yet have full profiles on the site, but each is well worth building a trip around.
How to plan it for 2026
The region splits naturally into a north Devon base, around Saunton and Westward Ho!, and a north Cornwall base, around Rock, Padstow and Trevose, with the two roughly two hours apart by road. A common 2026 plan is to spend a few days in each, playing the marquee links and using the off course time for the beaches, the coast path and the food the southwest is known for, which makes it as much a holiday as a golf trip.
On the practical front, aim at the May to September window for the best conditions, book the leading courses ahead in the summer weeks, and treat the drive between clusters as part of the adventure. Green fees here sit well below the famous Scottish and Irish links for golf of comparable pedigree, but they move with the season, so treat any quoted figure as indicative for 2026 and always confirm directly before booking.
What it means for your trip, and our take
For a 2026 Devon and Cornwall golf trip, travel in summer, split your time between the north Devon and north Cornwall links, and follow the Atlantic Links coast for a route that strings the best together. Pair the golf with the beaches and coast path and you have a trip that suits couples and groups who want more than just golf.
Our take is that Devon and Cornwall are England's most underrated golf country, a coast of authentic, historic links with a fraction of the crowds and the cost of the better known destinations. Plan for the wind, build in time off the course, and you will understand why the southwest keeps its regulars coming back season after season.
Plan your Devon and Cornwall golf trip
From the dunes of Saunton to the cliffs of St Enodoc, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
When is the best time to play golf in Devon and Cornwall?
The best stretch for golf in Devon and Cornwall is May to September, when the links are firm, the days are long and the Atlantic light is at its best. April and October are quieter shoulder months. The coast is exposed, so pack for wind and changeable weather in any month.
Which are the best golf courses in Devon and Cornwall?
The standouts are Saunton, one of the world's great 36 hole links complexes, Royal North Devon at Westward Ho!, the oldest course in England still in play, and in Cornwall St Enodoc and Trevose. Several of them form the Atlantic Links Golf Coast trail.
How should I plan a Devon and Cornwall golf trip?
Base in north Devon for Saunton and Westward Ho!, then move to north Cornwall for St Enodoc and Trevose, with the two clusters about two hours apart. Aim for the May to September window, book the marquee links ahead, and confirm green fees directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course, season and green fee details verified June 2026 from club and golf travel sources; conditions and fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.