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UPDATED 19/06/2025
While you may picture bodyboards, buckets and spades on a Cornish holiday, many flock to the Duchy for its outstanding golf courses. Swapping sandy toes for spikes and sun hats for visors, did you know Cornwall is home to one of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World? We’re talking about the iconic St Enodoc, of course.
According to recent data from Sports Marketing Surveys, over 5.6 million adults played full-length golf courses (nine or 18 holes) in Great Britain and Ireland last year. The numbers show golf is not just holding its own post-pandemic, but growing steadily in popularity, with participation continuing to outpace figures from just a few years ago.
Whether you’re a seasoned golfer chasing birdies or just teeing off for the first time, Cornwall’s coastal courses offer something special. And with those sweeping sea views, you’ll love the setting as much as the sport. From dramatic links challenges to relaxed inland rounds, we’ve picked out some of our favourite courses across the county that deserve a place on every golfer’s radar.
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Where: Mawgan Porth
Course type: heathland course
Holes: 18-hole courses
Prices from: £27.50-39.50
Mawgan Porth (previously Merlin Golf Club) is a stunning 18-hole, heathland course which is nestled on a hilltop affording some fabulous sea views while you line up your shot. It offers open rolling greens and challenging wind-swept holes, for all standards of player.
Ideal for both casual rounds and serious play, the standout challenge is the renowned 11th hole, which is a risk‑and‑reward, driveable par‑4 framed by out‑of‑bounds on both sides; this hole demands strategic accuracy and nerve in the coastal wind. After a round well played (or at least enjoyed!), reward yourself with a well-earned pint and a bite in the friendly clubhouse – the perfect 19th hole to swap stories and tally up the scorecard, or head to the driving range to sharpen up your swing.
Where: Rock
Course type: links course
Holes: two 18-hole courses
Prices from: £30-200
When it comes to golfing in Cornwall, St Enodoc is the crème de la crème. Historically, writer Sir John Betjeman, who is buried in the churchyard of St Enodoc’s church, around which run five holes of St Enodoc’s ‘Church Course’, was once a member. St Enodoc inspired him to write his poem Seaside Golf.
St Enodoc Golf Club is on the north coast, overlooking the Camel Estuary with Padstow on the far side, and the Atlantic to the north. The location is on the high sand dunes, making it an idea spot not only for golf but for sea views too. The golf club has two of the finest links golf courses in the county.
Where: Bude
Course type: links course
Holes: 18-hole course
Prices from: £35-80
Bude is most famous for its beautiful beaches and epic surf, but it also has a stunning golf course. Close to the town and the beaches, Bude & North Cornwall Golf Club is a challenging links golf course in Cornwall.
Expertly maintained, the 18-hole course overlooks the sea and has been a popular choice for over 130 years. Playable all-year round, the drainage systems are excellent, making it one of Cornwall’s strongest golf courses. It offers players of all abilities a rare opportunity to experience an old-style links with many blind shots and fast undulating greens.
Where: Newquay
Course type: links course
Holes: 18-hole course
Prices from: £35-60
The location of Newquay’s Golf Links could be seen as one of the finest in the world, along the whole length of the wonderful stretch of sand at popular surfing spot Fistral Beach, alongside stunning views across the Headland.
A beautiful, yet challenging 18-hole course, it’s renowned for having some of the best greens in Cornwall, and is well protected by some well-placed pot bunkers. Built in 1890 it’s a landmark of natural beauty, and a rewarding course for a spot of golf.
Where: Portreath
Course type: parkland
Holes: nine-hole course
Prices from: £10-15
Gwel an Mor’s ‘Famous Nine’ nine-hole course, opened in 2017 and the design is inspired by some of finest holes from the world’s best courses.
The largest all-weather greens course in the UK, the par 3 course is challenging but its unique design is captivating for everyone from professional golfers to those just starting out.
Beautifully maintained and with stunning views out to the sea, the Famous Nine is certainly worth a visit while holidaying in Cornwall. Unlike most golf courses, you don’t need to prebook the Famous Nine Golf Course, making it a great option for casual golfers.
Where: Lelant, near St Ives
Course type: links course
Holes: 18-hole course
Prices from: £35-70
The oldest existing course in Cornwall, West Cornwall Golf Club was founded in 1889, and overlooks both St Ives Bay and Hayle Estuary, making it a rather picturesque course for an 18-hole round. the views are superb. The railway track runs alongside the course and the links land gives perfect golfing all year round.
Not far from holiday hot spot, St Ives, this is a true links style golf course with undulating banks and dunes, and the fantastic drainage system ensures that can be played all-year round. Golfers will have the added challenge of Cornish breeze, with the wind coming off the coast but we think you’ll agree it’s worth it for the scenery.
Where: Trevose, near Padstow
Course type: links course
Holes: one 18-hole course, two nine-hole courses
Prices from: £80-130
A popular golfing destination in the South West, Trevose Golf Club is considered to be one of the finest links courses in all of the UK. Right on the edge of the Atlantic coastline, just four miles from pretty Padstow, golfers can enjoy a longer round of 18 holes at the Championship course, nine thrilling holes at its Headland course or take on the Short Course set around the Chapel of St Constantine’s. The Short Course is a par 3/4 course designed for less experienced golfers or experienced players looking to hone their short game before the main event.
Whichever course you decide on, Trevose is a stunning golf course and the location helps the course to be playable throughout the year and its condition is maintained to the highest standard.
Where: Falmouth
Course type: links course
Holes: 18-hole course
Prices from: £30-80
Falmouth has plenty to offer visitors and Falmouth Golf Club is no exception. With a combination of links and parkland style golf, golfers can expect a mature and beautifully maintained golf course, overlooking the south coast including Falmouth Bay, with stunning views over to Pendennis Castle and St Mawes.
The 18-hole golf course offers a good challenge, with its pretty tree-lined holes alongside panoramic sea views. A well-drained course, it’s kept in excellent condition all through the year.
Rebecca Moore
LOCAL EDITOR AND CORNISH AFICIONADO
Rebecca Moore is a seasoned editor and content writer with over a decade of experience, specialising in Cornwall’s unique lifestyle, travel, and culinary scene. Her expertise has been featured in media outlets such as The Sun, Express, and Cosmopolitan. A proud Cornish resident, Rebecca’s authentic insights help readers explore the best of the Duchy.
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