Wales Golf As It Should Be Golf Course

1. Marriott St Pierre, Old Course 576 yards, par 5

Designed in 1961, St Pierre has hosted Euorpean Tour events plus the Solheim Cup and the Curtis Cup. A long opening hole where you will need an accurate tee shot to the right side of the fairway to avoid the trees from blocking out the green for your second shot. Avoid the fairway bunker with your second shot and the two large bunkers that guard either side of the green.

2. Royal Porthcawl 477 yards, par 4

These magnificent links have hosted the Amateur Championship and the Walker Cup. The drive at the 2nd requires a long carry that needs to be positioned on the right of the fairway. The second shot into the green requires nerve and accuracy, because there is out of bounds to the left of the fairway and behind the green.

3. Nefyn & District 397 yards, par 4

Ten of Nefyn's holes run alongside the sea and the experience is such that the club's boast is that few people play there only once. The 3rd is one of the most visually stunning holes in golf. Aim your tee shot down the right to avoid the fairway bunker, but not too far right or you will stray over the cliffs into the sea! From the safety of the fairway, it is a short iron into a green sloping from back to front.

4. Tenby 440 yards, par 4

Founded in 1888, Tenby is the oldest golf club in Wales. An accurate tee shot at the 4th is required in order to be able to reach the green at this long par 4 through a valley and over a mound to a bowl-shaped green. Ring the bell for the next players!

5. Pennard 165 yards, par 3

They call Pennard the "links in the sky" because although it has all the trappings of a seaside links course it is perched high on a cliff-top west of Swansea. Don't be fooled by its length of 165 yards. A well struck mid-iron should see you home. Miss the green or find one of three greenside bunkers and you will do well to make your par.

6. Royal St David's 403 yards, par 4

The Links of Royal St David's is not long, but the wind invariably spreads trouble among the dunes - professionals have described it as the world's toughest par 69. Gorse bushes line the 6th fairway with a central bunker located just before the green. Take careful aim for this very tight tee shot, as you will need to hit the fairway in order to attack the pin.

7. The Rolls of Monmouth 526 yards, par 5

To call this the Rolls Royce of golf courses is not too fanciful because the clubhouse used to be the workshop where the first Rolls Royce engine was built. At this hole, make sure you avoid the large tree on the right of the fairway from the tee. If you do, you can try to carry the stream in front of the green to get home in two shots, but avoid the bunker on the right of the green.

8. Southerndown 419 yards, par 4

The bracken and gorse-lined fairways of Southerndown are perched high aloft and look down on Porthcawl, amid the many other glories of a beautiful view. Long hitters beware of bunkers on the 8th where the fairway narrows. For position drive short-left of the left fairway bunker to leave a mid-iron approach shot.

9. The Vale, Wales National 387 yards, par 4

The Vale is the headquarters of the Welsh PGA and it is not difficult to see why. The 9th is a tight driving hole where you need to carry the road and find the fairway. The green is guarded by a lake on the right, so aim for the left half of the fairway to avoid the lakeside trees with your approach.

10. Holyhead 478 yards, par 5

The course is at it most spectacular in spring but, dominated by the moods of the wind, is testing at any time.Gorse stretches all around the 10th hole that plays as a par 5 from the back. Find the fairway and you will have a good chance to reach the well-bunkered green in two.

11. Pyle and Kenfig 'Valley Hole' 524 yards, par 5

Situated next door to Royal Porthcawl, Pyle and Kenfig possesses much higher dunes and deeper, disconcerting valleys in a layout that offers plenty of diversity. The 11th is a long dogleg to the left requires an accurate drive to carry the rough. The sloping green is 60 yards beyond the fairway bunker and is perched on a high rise of sand dunes in a small valley..

12. Aberdovey 149 yards, par 3

The course is situated at the mouth of the Dovey and wends a traditional route out and back, with sand dunes as sentinels and the wind as friend and foe. The 12th is a short, slightly uphill, but dangerous hole, with a green tucked next to out of bounds and the sea, so keep your tee shot to the left of the flag.

13. Celtic Manor Resort, Twenty Ten Course 395 yards, par 4

The par 72 Twenty Ten course, home of the Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open and venue for the Ryder Cup 2010, has been described as a "fantastic course in a fabulous location" by Seve Ballesteros. The driving line at the famous 13th is to the middle/left of the fairway, but make sure you pass the corner of the dogleg. You have to hit the fairway as the approach is to a tight, raised, narrow green, with water short and slopes off to the right and back.

14. Porthmadog, "Himalayas" 389 yards, par 4

Porthmadog's intriguing mixture of a healthland front nine and links back nine is captivating. None come tougher or more fascinating than the 14th. Called the Himalayas, it demands you drive over a huge natural bunker that hides the fairway from the tee. If you get your drive in the fairway then take care with your approach as there is out of bounds to the left and behind the green.

15. Ashburnham 471 yards, par 4

Overlooking Carmarthen Bay, this is one of the classic Welsh links courses. The 15th is a very long par 4 that will need you to find the fairway with your tee shot in order to reach the green in two. An elevated tee allows good views of the very long rough down the right side of the fairway.

16. Cardigan 195 yards, par 3

One of the most startling of the unsung courses of Wales is to be found high on a hill overlooking the Teifi Estuary at Gwbert, two miles from the historic town of Cardigan. This is a long par three with intimidating gorse from the tee to the green. Make sure you take enough club to carry the large bunker at the front right of the green.

17. Conwy 389 yards, par 4

Conwy has given its name to a river, a mountain, a magnificent castle with a complete ring of medieval town walls and championship links golf course that played a distinctive role in two World Wars. Gorse surrounds the 17th hole and will cost you shots if you find it rather than the narrow fairway. A mid to short iron approach to a green sloping from back to front should set up a birdie chance.

18. Northop Park 440 yards, par 4

For a relatively newly-laid course, Northop has achieved maturity and reputation very rapidly. In its first season it hosted the 1994 Welsh PGA National Championship. The 18th is a tough driving hole that invites you to take off as much of the tree-lined dogleg as you dare. From there an accurate iron shot is needed to a large green that sloped towards the front right.