Pennard Golf Club Course Review

One of the most distinct courses in the Top 100 with astonishing views; great fun for golfers of all standards, and absolutely full of the feelgood factor

A view across the sand hills to par-3 thirteenth
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Rob Smith
By
published

One of the most distinct courses in the Top 100 with astonishing views; great fun for golfers of all standards, and absolutely full of the feelgood factor

Pennard Golf Club Course Review

Top 100 Ranking 2021/22 - 98 Previous Rankings 2019/20 - 95 2017/18 - 97 New Entry

Summer Green Fees

Round - £75 Mon-Thurs, £85 Fri & Sun

Visitors: welcome any day but Saturday

Medal Tee: Par 71 - 6,420 Yards

www.pennardgolfclub.com

Changes since previous ranking

New irrigation system for tees, greens and approaches installed autumn/winter 2019/20. New tee box installed on the 16th. Addition of new, naturalised bunkers on 1st, 3rd, 9th & 16th.

Pennard Golf Club Course Review

One of the more recent entrants into the Golf Monthly Top 100, Pennard enjoys a magnificent clifftop setting with quite dreamy views down to the sea.

The seventh hole at the links in the sky

Golf has been played here since 1896 with the course benefitting from a major James Braid makeover in 1908.

The club understandably and very reasonably trades on its styling as the Links in the Sky as there are plenty of linksy humps and bumps here despite the course floating some 200 feet above the Bristol Channel. Looking down on the estuary from the 6th and 7th, you will completely understand why.

Pennard from the sky

Links in the Sky

This elevated location means that wind will often be a very significant factor, and there are also sloping fairways in places which will enforce the need to improvise and be creative. In terms of the individual holes, there is much of interest all the way.

For example, the short par-4 7th is actually a lot trickier than its yardage would suggest. And if for some reason the hole itself doesn’t grab your attention, there is a Norman castle on the right and the remains of a church on the other. It is believed that a village once stood here, but that it was wiped out in a sandstorm.

The back nine is particularly exciting with three of each par. It also works its way up and down a little closer to the sea. There is a real string in the tail at the closing three holes.

The 16th is not a long par 5, but the sea views as you walk up the sloping fairway are breathtaking. This is considered to be the signature hole, while another sloping fairway at the closing hole favours a left-to-right shot and is hard to hold, especially when the ground is firm.

A fabulous far-reaching view from the sixth fairway

Some purists may say that this is not a thoroughbred links, or perhaps that in places the course is a little quirky. Regardless, this is a fabulous place to play golf and to simply enjoy the allure of being out in beautiful nature.

Assessor Feedback

Hard enough when the weather is good and you can enjoy the views… brutal when it isn’t.

GM Verdict

One of the most distinct courses in the Top 100 with astonishing views; great fun for golfers of all standards, and absolutely full of the feelgood factor

Rob Smith
Rob Smith
Contributing Editor

Rob has been playing golf for over 45 years and been a contributing editor for Golf Monthly since 2012. He specialises in course reviews and travel, and has played approaching 1,250 courses in almost 50 countries. In 2021, he played all 21 courses in East Lothian in 13 days. Last year, his tally was 78, exactly half of them for the first time. One of Rob's primary roles is helping to prepare the Top 100 Courses of the UK&I, of which he has played all, as well as the Next 100 where he is missing two in Scotland and two in Ireland. He has been a member of Tandridge for over 30 years where his handicap hovers around 15. You can contact him at r.smith896@btinternet.com.

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