South Devon – A Golf Holiday, Not Just Holiday Golf

I’ve played quite a bit of golf in Devon over the years but mainly on the north coast. I’m a country member at Royal North Devon and have golfed extensively there, also reasonably often at nearby Saunton. When you think of Devon golf, those are probably the first two venues that spring to mind. But I’ve also become aware through various conversations over the years, and after a trip for a game at Teignmouth last year, of the quality of golf to be found on the south Devon coast between Exeter and Plymouth. I’d wanted to explore more and a meeting with Genesis earlier this year gave me inspiration. They suggested I took a G70 Shooting Brake for a spin on a golfing trip, and I reckoned south Devon was the perfect destination.

I booked a few days in early May to meet with some golfing buddies down Teignmouth way, picked up the car, loaded it with my kit (very easily as there’s plenty of boot space for clubs and trolley – In fact plenty for two people I’d say) and headed off.

If you're heading for Cornwall, then this part of Devon is the ideal stop-off - You make it to Exeter and then it's just a short hop down the coast to Teignmouth and Thurlestone - It's then easy to get back on the A38 and continue south west towards the golfing treats that wait in Cornwall.

Cruising west towards Exeter, the G70 purred down the motorway (there’s more on the car at the bottom of the feature) and I was feeling very relaxed as I neared the first stop on my golfing adventure to the south Devon coast. I was headed to the spectacular clifftop course at Thurlestone. Navigating the narrow Devonshire lanes from Teignmouth was something of a challenge, but with the smooth-running Genesis offering great visibility and sporty manoeuvring, that task was made considerably easier.

Thurlestone Golf Club

Pulling up in the car park at Thurlestone Golf Club, the sun was shining and – until I opened the door and stepped out – I wasn’t quite aware of the test we would be facing. The wind was, to say the least, a little on the strong side. I’m no Michael Fish but, although it certainly was not a hurricane, it was very, very blustery.

Situated in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty within the South Hams area of Devon, the club at Thurlestone dates from 1897, although there was a nine-hole golf course laid out on land donated by Hubert Brunskill two years earlier.

The course was extended to 18 holes by J.H Taylor in 1911 and, after the club acquired more land in the 1920s, the great Harry Colt was employed to remodel the course. Further alterations were made by Hawtree and Sons in the early 1970s.

It’s an excellent track offering great variety and some spectacular holes. The playing surfaces were in exceptional condition when we visited and, although there had been recent rain, fairways were running well and greens were firm.

The wind made the test considerably more exacting than it would normally be and I had to consider what it might be like to play on this beautiful tract of land in more sedate conditions. I would say, it’s not an overly challenging course and is playable for golfers of varying standards. I think that’s really something to point out about golf in this part of the world – It’s fun, rather than brutally challenging, yet it offers proper quality. Our chats often revolved around the concept that this was much more than just holiday golf, but it was perfect for a golfing holiday.

We actually played Thurlestone when the wind was in the opposite direction to the prevailing. That meant we, largely, had the wind helping on the first 11 holes before a long old run for home.

The 11th green sits at the furthest point from the clubhouse and it’s a stunning spot. Take a moment to look out across the water towards Burgh Island and its famous art-deco hotel.

The last seven holes contain three excellent par-5s (including the 18th) which, in normal conditions, should give most players a good chance to recoup some shots. But with winds gusting to 45mph and against us on the 12th and 18th, survival rather than birdies was the objective.

Back in the comfortable and friendly clubhouse we reflected on what an excellent and attractive layout Thurlestone is. A blend of links and clifftop, it’s full of character and subtlety and is quite simply, great fun to play.

Staying in Teignmouth

Our lodgings for the few days we were spending in the area were the excellent Riviera Apartments on the sea front in Teignmouth. Spacious and modern, they’ve been built over an old, listed cinema/theatre. There are five apartments and each delivers comfortable accommodation together with sprawling balconies offering great views of the town and the coastline. Teignmouth is a typical seaside town with some good pubs to trawl round – Ye Olde Jolly Sailor is a particularly good one. Apparently, a pub has been on the same site as far back as 1132.

After a few pints to toast the grand old age of the boozer, we were ready for bed and a good night’s sleep to prepare for round two of our tour. We woke to slightly drizzly and grey conditions for a morning round at Teignmouth Golf Club.

Teignmouth Golf Club

Teignmouth Golf Club is not far out of town but it’s 800 feet above sea level, offering tremendous views of the surrounding countryside – the sea and the nearby moors.

The club dates form 1924 when a committee was formed by a local, Dr Morton Palmer. They called upon another Dr to provide the design for an 18-hole course, Dr Alister MacKenzie – he of Moortown, Alwoodley and, of course, Augusta fame. The war and alterations in the mid 1970s have changed the course but many features of MacKenzie’s design remain.

It's a very interesting track, predominantly heathland in nature although with distinct elements of a links, despite its elevation.

We received a tremendous welcome from the team and the members at Teignmouth, particularly the Golf Operations Manager Rob Selley who gave us a little speech on the club and what we ought to be watching out for on the course - we should have taken more heed!

Like Thurlestone, the condition of the layout was fabulous, particularly as we played fairly early in the season and the weather had not been conducive to ideal growing conditions to that point. The greens were excellent and all closely mown surfaces were a joy to play from.

The course begins with a par-5 which should ease you into the game but, after being announced on the tee by Rob Selley, (another brilliant touch), the reality of playing to a fairway lined by trouble on both sides kicked in and was more than a touch daunting. It’s relatively generous though and that’s a theme most of the way round. Trouble waits the seriously errant ball but, generally speaking, the targets are pretty wide and the rough not scarily punishing.

As is often a feature on MacKenzie courses, the par-3s at Teignmouth are excellent, from the short 2nd protected in front by a gaping bunker to the superb 11th played over a challenging depression to a beautifully constructed green. Finally, there’s the long and difficult 18th where a strong, accurate blow is required.

Overall, Teignmouth is a strategist’s course where placement rather than power is to the fore. Keeping yourself in the game is the key and often driver is not the most prudent club from the tee. Short par-4s like the 17th tempt you to have a go, but the sensible play is a lay-up and a wedge in. It’s a clever design, but that’s what you would expect from a master like MacKenzie.

Warren Golf Club

The last of our trio of Devonshire golfing delights was Warren Golf Club at Dawlish Warren, just to the north of Teignmouth. There we found another unique and highly memorable course. Set over a narrow spit of land where the River Exe meets the English Channel, it’s a brilliant parcel of golfing terrain. From above it looks a little like a miniature version of the links at St Andrews.

From the moment you arrive in the old-school clubhouse, you get a feeling of tradition and character at The Warren GC. The walls are covered with brilliant old photos and mementos of events, champions and captains of the past and the atmosphere is that of a great, old-style English club. It’s quirky but charming and that’s the theme that continues onto the golf course. Walking to the first tee, there’s a green to your right alongside the railway tracks that I at first assumed to be a chipping ground. But then I realised it was the 18th green. That sets your nerve on edge a little as the way into it appears extremely challenging, over a road and into a tight spot betwixt 1st tee and boundary wall. But that was for later.

The course is unlike any other I’ve played. It’s a links but has hints of marshland about it too. On the theme of being a little different, this track delivers an interesting take on the old out-and-back links as it plays – out and back, and out and back. The first six take you to the furthest point on the spit, then 7 to 10 take you back almost to the clubhouse. 11 to 13 head back out before the run for home along the marsh.

As with all the courses we played, the greens were excellent and the conditioning generally was very good. It isn’t a long track at just under 6,000 yards from the whites, but it’s certainly no pushover. There are a selection of very challenging holes with ponds, ditches and nerve-inducing boundaries to contend with. The run for home is strong with a tough par-3 at the 16th followed by two par-4s requiring solid ball striking to get home in regulation. That final hole is indeed a daunting one – the clubhouse waits right and, on approach, you must be precise and powerful to make it safely to the narrow putting surface.

After negotiating that tough finish rather less than successfully, we enjoyed a hearty lunch back in the welcoming clubhouse.

What a few days we’d had. The weather had been challenging but it had not dampened, nor blown away our enjoyment of three delightful golf courses in a strikingly beautiful part of the country. South Devon is a golfing destination that’s ideal for a driving holiday, particularly if you’re lucky enough to be in such comfort as I was in the Genesis G70, and it delivers a great deal more than holiday golf. This area is not quite a golfing hidden gem but it’s certainly a lesser known one.

Genesis G70 Shooting Brake Review

Perhaps not many people in the UK, save real car fans, know too much about Genesis right now – It’s the luxury arm of Hyundai and it aims to compete with premier (mainly German) car brands – the likes of BMW, Mercedes and Audi. But Genesis is a big name in golf just now – There’s the Genesis Invitational at Riviera on the PGA Tour (won this year by Jon Rahm,) and the Genesis Scottish Open which will be held at the Renaissance Club from 13-16 July. Owing to this involvement, the brand is becoming increasingly well known to golf fans. And, given the quality of the cars and the value on offer, I think we’ll start seeing more of them in golf club car parks up and down the country.

The G70 Shooting Brake is an extremely good-looking compact Estate car that’s perfect for a golfing trip for one or two people. There’s plenty of space in the boot and the ride is incredibly comfortable.

The car is excellent on the motorway and I found it eating up the miles with little effort. If you set the adaptive cruise control, you barely have to do anything.

There’s quite a bit of tech and, even though I’m a bit of a “tech head,” it took me some time to get to grips with it.

One feature I absolutely loved is, when you put the indicator down, it gives you a video view on the dash of your blind spot on whichever side you’re heading – that’s superb on the motorways.

On the A roads, the car is super-fun to drive. It’s very sporty, particularly in the Sport mode when suspension is stiffened and the seats pull you in. Sport + Mode is even more fun if you want to have a real go for it.

This is a car that I think can compete with the likes of Audi and BMW – The performance is exceptional and the looks are striking. I had comments of both, “Is that an Aston Martin?” and “Is that a Jaguar?” during the trip. With their continued involvement in golf, I think Genesis will go from strength to strength within the golfing community in this country. If you’re a golfer and are interested, I would recommend the G70 Shooting Brake as a good starting point for the model to look at.