North West
Looking down over the entire course from the northern boundary
(Image credit: North West Golf Club)
This County Donegal club dates back to 1891 and is one of the founding members of the Golfing Union of Ireland. Close to the two fabulous links at Ballyliffin Golf Club, its lovely course enjoys an exceptionally attractive setting between water and mountains. Some land has been lost to erosion, so the footprint is quite compact, with every inch used to great effect to keep you interested all the way.
Beginning with a long par 4, the opening five holes hug the shoreline and can be particularly testing into the wind, but the par 5s that close each nine should offer hope of redemption. This is traditional links golf at its best in a glorious location.
North Wales
The par-4 2nd at North Wales is played into the prevailing wind
(Image credit: Geoff Ellis, golfworking.co.uk)
Llandudno is blessed with two adjacent but pleasingly different courses, with North Wales bordering the beach at Conwy Sands to the west of the railway and Maesdu the other side. Not far from the Next 100 links at Conwy Golf Club, the course opened in 1894 and was co-designed by Harold Hilton, founding editor of Golf Monthly.
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The lovely par-3 13th at North Wales plays into a bowl
(Image credit: Geoff Ellis, golfworking.co.uk)
Not especially long, it is still a fine test, with the occasional blind shot and greens in tricky locations. There is a fine loop from the 7th to the 11th at the southern end, but the stars of the show are probably the back-to-back par 3s at 16 and 17, both of which are memorable.
North Foreland
The par-3 7th at North Foreland is adjacent to the Captain Digby pub
(Image credit: Jason Livy)
Founded in 1903, North Foreland is beautifully sited on Kent’s north-east coast between Margate and Ramsgate. The club actually has two 18-hole courses: the Main and the delightful par-3 Northcliffe layout, perfect for practice or a quick 90-minute round.
The toughest hole on the course, the 12th is appropriately named Castle
(Image credit: Jason Livy)
The original course was replaced by Herbert Fowler and Tom Simpson in 1913, and the pair returned a decade later to refine their design. More recent changes by Martin Hawtree have been supplemented by a comprehensive bunker upgrade, resulting in a very entertaining downland/clifftop hybrid.
North Hants
The closing hole at North Hants is a strong par 4
(Image credit: Kevin Murray)
Bordered by the M3 and a mainline railway, North Hants is nonetheless blessed with a remarkably peaceful and attractive plot of heathland running through mature pine. The course’s strong design pedigree has drawn on the fertile minds of James Braid, Harry Colt and Tom Simpson.
The 3rd at North Hants is a beautiful par 5
(Image credit: Kevin Murray)
It opened in 1904, with three new holes designed by Donald Steel a quarter of a century ago. Most unusually, each nine opens with a very strong par 3. The feature hole is probably the par-5 3rd, while the club is rightly proud of its links with a resurgent Justin Rose.
North Middlesex
A well-bunkered par 3 concludes the front nine
(Image credit: Geoff Ellis, golfworking.co.uk)
It’s always a pleasure to recommend enjoyable layouts that aren’t so well known, and this very friendly club a few miles north of central London is home to one such course. It’s not quite 5,700 yards from the back tees, but the greens are well protected and there are several tricky doglegs.
The round finishes with a strong par 3 back towards the impressive clubhouse
(Image credit: Geoff Ellis, golfworking.co.uk)
The only par 5s come back-to-back at 6 and 7, and there are several short par 4s where strategic play from the tee may pay dividends. The 18th is a terrific 224-yarder over Blacketts Brook to a green below the attractive clubhouse. This is one of the best golf courses in London.