Royal St David’s Golf Club: Course Review, Tee Times and Key Info

At 49th in our Top 100 UK&I Course Rankings in association with Peter Millar, Royal St David’s is a traditional links with real strength in depth, characterised by strong par 4s

Royal St David's hole 10
The back nine at Royal St David's opens with the toughest hole on the course
(Image credit: Geoff Ellis (golfworking.co.uk))

Peter Millar 49

(Image credit: Future)

Royal St David's Key Information

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Address

Harlech, Gwynedd, LL46 2UB

Phone

01766 780361

Website

royalstdavids.co.uk

Email

admin@royalstdavids.co.uk

Visitor Times

All week subject to availability, discounts for online booking

Par

Men 69, Women 74

Slope

White/M 118, Red/W 125

Opened

1894

Architect

Harold Finch-Hatton

Golf Monthly Verdict

Royal St David's - Hole 14

(Image credit: Geoff Ellis, golfworking.co.uk)

A strong but very fair links watched over by Harlech Castle and defined by some stretching par 4s. The dormy house is very comfortable and there are some terrific packages for golf and accommodation that make this one of the best value golf venues in the Top 100.

Reasons To Play Royal St David’s

– Consistently strong throughout with a very tough finish

– Sublime views up to the mountains and of the castle

– The dormy accommodation makes it ideal for a well-priced golfing trip

Rankings

UK & Ireland Top 100 Golf Courses 2025/26 - 49

The very strong, traditional links at Royal St David’s has hosted a great many championships in its long history and is high up on the list of the best golf courses in Wales. There is still frequently plenty of wind with which to contend, adding to the challenge at this major-league test of golf. The terrain is mainly level linksland but the course has one of the more demanding pars in the Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland.

The club dates back to 1894, and it was given its royal status by Edward VII. The Duke of Windsor (later, Edward VIII), captained the club in 1935 while he was Prince of Wales. The course enjoys a somewhat protected setting for a true links as it is sandwiched between the dunes that border the beach and some higher ground to the east, on top of which sits impressive 13th-century Harlech Castle. I have stayed in the dormy house a couple of times and absolutely love it.

There are just two par 5s - the 7th and 8th - and each is potentially reachable. However, they run in opposite directions, so unless the wind does something very odd, you are not going to get lucky with both.

These two are countered by some monstrous par 4s, although a real joy here is the frequently fast-running fairways. This means that they are mainly manageable and even I can hope to reach a good number in two.

Dotted along the way are five attractive and varied par 3s. The shortest of these is the 11th which is played over bunkers to a narrow green, while the longest is three holes later where it’s 221 yards to a green that needs no sand for protection and will frequently require driver into the wind.

The viewing steps high up behind the 16th tee provide a rare glimpse of the sea and an elevated view of a seemingly modest par 4. Here, there are clusters of pot bunkers up at the green which add to the test.

The club is continuing to work on improving both the playing conditions and the visitor experience, and this is a strong links that places demands on good positional play. This is very much a golfer’s golf course, and it also has one of the most welcoming Top 100 green fees in the UK. Royal St David's makes for a superb location for a golfing break and I always look forward to returning.

Royal St David's - Hole 15

Looking back over the fifteenth green

(Image credit: Geoff Ellis, golfworking.co.uk)

What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said...

John Drake 2025
John Drake

Good routing and subtle fall off areas make approach shots just that little more challenging. A strong course and an excellent test on the back nine. Lacks the view of the sea from the course which would be a huge bonus if this was possible.

Emily Hudson 2025
Emily Hudson

The closing holes from 15 in are all gems.

Russ Groombridge 2025
Russ Groombridge

Royal St David’s is one of those courses that I love. Everything about the experience is unpretentious and understated, it let’s the golf course do all the talking and it’s an absolute gem.

John Winter UK&I Top 100 panel
John Winter

Set in a wonderfully scenic part of the country with Top 100 hospitality, well-priced dormy house accommodation and with Aberdovey just down the railway track, this is the perfect place to enjoy a short UK&I golfing break.

Royal St David's Location

Royal St David's Scorecard

Royal St David's Scorecard

(Image credit: Royal St David's Golf Club)

Best Courses Near To Royal St David’s

ABERDOVEY

ABERDOVEY

Aberdovey occupies a beautifully peaceful expanse of land between the beach and the railway line on the northern side of the Dovey estuary, surrounded by lush, green, rolling hills. It is one of the most charming and enjoyable courses in Wales.

NEFYN & DISTRICT

NEFYN & DISTRICT

This Next 100 course is blessed with a stunning setting and some of the finest views in golf. It is the holes on the promontory - The Point - that will blow you away… sometimes quite literally. The lighthouse hole will shine brightly in the memory, and there is even a footpath down to a beachside pub.

Places To Stay Near Royal St David's

Royal St David's Golf Club - Book now via the club

The very comfortable and convenient dormy house at Royal St David's is the perfect place to stay for a golfing break in this area.

Castle Cottage Inn - Book now via Booking.com

Castle Cottage Inn features accommodation with a restaurant and a bar. Continental and full English/Irish breakfast options are available each morning at the inn.

Victoria Inn, Llanbedr - Book now via Booking.com

Surrounded by the Snowdonia National Park, the 4-star Victoria Inn is a lovely place to stay. An original stove, flag-stone floor and antique furniture feature in the traditional, lively bar. Delicious, homemade food is served, made using local ingredients.

Royal St David's Gallery

Historical Top 100 Rankings UK&I

  • 2025/26 - 49
  • 2023/24 - 49
  • 2021/22 - 45
  • 2019/20 - 46
  • 2017/18 - 44
  • 2015/16 - 44
  • 2013/14 - 46
  • 2011/12 - 49
  • 2009/10 - 45

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Royal St David’s the best course in Wales?

Almost! It is actually second in the Golf Monthly rankings - the highest-placed in the north, while down on the south coast, Royal Porthcawl is our highest-rated in the country.

How tough to play is Royal St David’s?

Way more so that its modest slope rating would suggest! This will be especially the case if the wind is up, which it often is! This is a proper championship golf course, but despite that still very playable for all.

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 over 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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