Places to play and stay in Cornwall and the south west

[John Chilver-Stainer]

I did a short visit a couple of years ago and visited Perranporth, St.Enocdoc and Westward Ho.
Great golf and all three very different.

My fondest memories are of Westward Ho which is a low cost maintenance in the style of Brora, some rolling fairways in the style of St.Andrews and extremely high winds off the Atlantic. A “must play” as Adrian mentions, and spend some time in the clubhouse which is a veritable golf museum.

I visited in early June before the summer season got underway and didn’t have any trouble finding a “B’n B”, also no problems with tee times, although at St. Enocdoc I had to reserve.
 

[Andrew Mitchell]

My wife & I went to Padstow in June 2006 and stopped in a delightful cottage.  The firm we used was http://www.cornishhorizons.co.uk/index.htm

I would avoid July & August when the place becomes overcrowded during school holidays.

I got a game at St Enodoc no problem.  I cannot speak too highly of the course, a must play if you are in the area. Although I reserved a tee time, & was fixed up with another visitor, the course wasn't busy.  I suspect its a different story in the main holiday season.

As Sean said you can get to St Enodoc across the estuary on the foot ferry and its about a 5-10 minute walk uphill to the course.  I wish I'd done that as it is a rather monotonous drive around the estuary by car.  20 minutes is an optimistic estimate given some of the roads are narrow & winding.

Rich
I suspect Padstow would be too tame for your daughters.  Newquay is more likely to cater to their tastes, although it may not cater to yours

[James Boon]

A quick note on St Enodoc. I know everywhere tends to say that you need to show a handicap certificate to be able to play but of all the courses I have played, this is the only one that has actually asked me for it! And, it was also probably the only time I didn't have it with me... thank goodness for howdidido.com!

Cheers,

James

[David_Tepper]

James Boon -

I heard one of the top English footballers (Michael Owens, I think) was once turned away at St. Endoc because he did not have his handicap certificate with him.

DT

[Scott Warren]

Great thread. Plenty of info.

I will be spending four days in the area in early May. We'll be flying into Newquay and spending most of our time in Padstow and St Ives, so I have got West Cornwall and St Enodoc on my radar.

The question is this, is the town of Perranporth worth spending a night in?

I really want to play the course and am looking to arm myself with a good reason to tell my partner and my mum (who will be visiting from Australia then) that we need to stay there one night, because I imagine a 7am start while they sleep is the only real chance I have of including it along with West Cornwall and St Enodoc. I don't think burning more than half a day driving from either St Ives or Padstow to play Perranporth will make me very popular with either of the ladies!

[Sean_A]

Great thread. Plenty of info.

I will be spending four days in the area in early May. We'll be flying into Newquay and spending most of our time in Padstow and St Ives, so I have got West Cornwall and St Enodoc on my radar.

The question is this, is the town of Perranporth worth spending a night in?

I really want to play the course and am looking to arm myself with a good reason to tell my partner and my mum (who will be visiting from Australia then) that we need to stay there one night, because I imagine a 7am start while they sleep is the only real chance I have of including it along with West Cornwall and St Enodoc. I don't think burning more than half a day driving from either St Ives or Padstow to play Perranporth will make me very popular with either of the ladies!

Scott

Perranporth is a dreadful town.  I am not sure what the problem is as the course is located about halfway between Padstow and St Ives.  Call it 45 minutes from either direction - hour tops.  If you are gonna hit Perranporth on the way down/up, the town may be awful, but the beach is very fine.  Also, there is a decent beach shack which serves decent food and drink with a lovely view. 

Ciao 

[George Pazin]

Paul Turner and Noel Freeman posted a phenomenal thread a few years ago about another course near St Enodoc; it's probably one of those mentioned, I'll see if I can dig it up.

Hope you enjoy your 40th as much as I did. I didn't do anything major, but my wife had a party for me and invited a bunch of friends I hadn't seen in a long while. It was a wonderful day.

[George Pazin]

This is the thread I was referencing, it's about Perranporth:

The Craziest Links in the World

The amazing photos are gone - but I saved them on my computer. Sometimes it pays to be an addict. Let me know if you want me to email you the photos.

[Scott Warren]

Great thread. Plenty of info.

I will be spending four days in the area in early May. We'll be flying into Newquay and spending most of our time in Padstow and St Ives, so I have got West Cornwall and St Enodoc on my radar.

The question is this, is the town of Perranporth worth spending a night in?

I really want to play the course and am looking to arm myself with a good reason to tell my partner and my mum (who will be visiting from Australia then) that we need to stay there one night, because I imagine a 7am start while they sleep is the only real chance I have of including it along with West Cornwall and St Enodoc. I don't think burning more than half a day driving from either St Ives or Padstow to play Perranporth will make me very popular with either of the ladies!

Scott

Perranporth is a dreadful town.  

I was worried you were going to say that!

[Adrian_Stiff]

Newquay is probably the place to stay,its got a pretty good choice of nightlife, resturants, bars, clubs. In may you will get good room rates too.
Cornwall that end, is still a fair hike from RND and Saunton though.

[Scott Warren]

Yeah, I've accepted RND and Saunton won't fit in this trip. I'm going to try to build a long weekend around them and B&B at some stage.

[Ulrich Mayring]

I'll be in Cornwall as well this summer, staying in St. Ives. I was hoping to make the drive to St. Enodoc from there, but from what I'm reading here this may well take too long. So it's West Cornwall and Perranporth...

Ulrich

[Scott Warren]

If you are there for golf, Ulrich, he drive is easily doable. 1h15 or so says the AA route planner.

My problem is that I am there ostensibly to spend time with my missus and mum, so any kind of behaviour like that would go over like a lead balloon!

[Ulrich Mayring]

Well, if there were something interesting to see or do up there besides the golf, I might convince the government to make the drive. But it shouldn't be THAT interesting, otherwise I'd want to see it as well

Ulrich

[Mark Hissey]

I think you are dead wrong you Perranporth naysayers.

It is a great little town and a very cool golf course.

It is amazing how many American surfers live there also.

Tom D suggested St. Enodoc to me also and I loved every second of it.

[Ed Tilley]

Some photos from Perranporth - from the 'Craziest links in the world' thread

[Mark Saltzman]

John- St Enodoc is the clear #1 in  Cornwall, perhaps try Saunton or Westward Ho on your way down, if you are planning your trip out of season accomdation will be very easy.
I'd say Trevose, Perranporth, West Cornwall are all pretty good. Perranporth's a bit more fun perhaps and certainly quirky.

Adrian is right on. Almost.  I found both Trevose and West Cornwall good, but a bit disappointing.  Clovelly is worth the swide trip and Devon is a great place to spend a few days.  You could do both Saunton courses on one day, play Westward Ho! the next morning and still get to St. Enodoc after lunch, if the traffic permits. 

I don't know Tommy, I would chuck Trevose, West Cornwall and Westward Ho! in essentially the same class.  Good, but not outstanding - fillers for a trip/worth playing if you are staying nearby.  The one course I really want to see when I get down there is Yelverton.  East Devon and Thurlestone also look to be worthwhile seeing, but these are all in Devon and not really near St Enodoc.

Ciao

Sean, I loved Royal North Devon and was very impressed with Trevose -- perhaps the best set of greens played on the trip? I'm a tad shocked at the comments I've seen (repeatedly) about the flat holes away from the water. Want views, tell the lads to play Old Head! I enjoyed myself throughout.

As for RND.. I'm not sold on the holes through the brushes (or whatever they're called) nor the opener/closer but they're not bad holes, just indifferent. But the long stretch of holes from 3 through 9 and again from 13 green through 17 are truly great.

I was tremendously impressed with every single course played from Brunham through to Perranporth.

[Sean_A]

Mark


Trevose is quite bland when compared to St Enodoc...and unfortunately being nearby it will always be compared.  Its a good course though, but the greens at St Enodoc I think are superior.  Burnham too has a better set.  In any case, its good to know the greens are running well again.   


I always say about RND that the rush holes can make or break one's opinion.  With those and maybe three other holes near thr start and finish RND potentially has a lot of dud or half duds to make up for.  I don't think it has enough wonderful holes to do so in a way which makes RND anywhere near the quality of St Enodoc.


St Enodoc and Perranporth are my clear favourites of the West Country.  My third may surprise people though...Yelverton. 


Ciao

[Mark Saltzman]

I have to say I was a bit nervous taking a trip to Cornwall. I'd already ventured well off the tourists trail visiting the likes of Kington, Cleeve and Painswick and worried I'd taken it too far seeing the SW over, say, more of the Surrey courses. Having now played in the SW I can't say I regret it at all. Playing courses like Swinley make for a nice day, but they cannot compare to the ruggedness and excitement of a Perranporth.