Borth & Ynyslas

Borth & Ynyslas is not the longest course on the NCG Top 100s: Wales list at just 6,100 yards. However, thanks to the coastal winds, it will play tougher than you might first think.

 

It is almost worthy of a place on the list thanks to its incredible location on the western coastline of Wales alone, let alone how good the course is!

 

Harry Colt has had a hand in the design, which sees the course run up and down the coastline, in a true links, out-and-back fashion.  

 

  

Visit the Borth & Ynyslas website here.

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Borth & Ynyslas was established in 1885, and lays its own claim on being the oldest golf club in Wales.  

 

Harry Colt – the man behind the New Course at Sunningdale and Swinley Forest – came in to redesign the layout of the course shortly after the Second World War, and the course today remains relatively unchanged from Colt’s work.

 

It is the only true links course in the area and has been the host of the Golf Union of Wales Championship on several occasions.  
 

The layout at Borth & Ynyslas Golf Club is on one of the thinnest slivers of land that you will find across the entirety of the United Kingdom. It is one of the shortest courses you will find on the NCG Top 100s: Wales list at less than 6,100 yards, but thanks to its location, the coastal conditions can make it feel a lot longer, and a lot tougher. 

 

After a gentle opening, the 2nd and 3rd feature the coastline and beach on their left side. 2 is the hardest hole on the course, a par 4 playing more than 450 yards from the tips. Anything right on the 2nd will end up on the road that runs through the course, so accuracy off the tee is at a premium. The 3rd is shorter, but anything left of the fairway is gone. Get through the opening three unscathed and you are rewarded with the first par 5, the 4th. At just 511 yards, this is one where a par might feel like a disappointment for most.

 

5 and 6 are shorter par 4s, and offer good scoring chances, while the 7th is the opening par 3 at Borth & Ynyslas. It is a downhill short hole that plays slightly less than its carded distance. Four greenside bunkers await any errant approaches. The 8th is the second par 5, and the longest hole on the property, and features OOB down the entirety of its right side thans to the main road. It bends round the road, so a drive down the left side is ideal to open out the hole. The front nine closes with another par 3, with your approach played to the smallest green on the property.

 

The back nine starts with a strong par 4, before the shortest hole on the course. The 11th is less than 170 yards, but with three bunkers sitting in front of the green, and plenty of gorse and thick rough behind, club selection is crucial. 12 and 13 are both good birdie opportunities, with the latter being the final par 5 on the card. It is less than 480 yards and winds its way back towards the beach.

 

The closing stretch features a pair of long par 3s, coming at 14 and 16. The former hits 200 yards from the tips, and anything right of the green may well find itself on Borth Beach. 16 is inland, and left is not the place to miss on this 180-yarder. In between lies the 15th - another good scoring chance at less than 330 yards, and with a wide fairway to boot. 17 is also relatively short, while the 18th pushes towards 400 yards. The closing hole at Borth & Ynyslas is a cracker, as you tee off over the single track road that winds its way through the course, before then playing your approach to a green guarded by no fewer than six greenside traps.

 

Where is Borth & Ynyslas Golf Club located?  
Borth & Ynyslas Golf Club is situated on the very western coastline of Wales, just a few miles north of Aberystwyth. Players will be treated to stunning views over Cardigan Bay, and out to the Irish Sea. The A497, which runs between Bangor and Haverfordwest, is a mile or so from the golf course. 

 

Borth is the closest train station, and it is just half a mile south along the coastal road. Trains run through Borth on the line between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth. In terms of air travel, there is nothing close to Borth & Ynyslas due to its location on the western coast of Wales. Liverpool John Lennon, Manchester, Cardiff, and Birmingham Airports are all around three hours from the golf club, depending on traffic.

 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Wales venues nearby?
Borth & Ynyslas is one of several venues on the western coastline of the country to occupy a space on the NCG Top 100s: Wales list. Aberystwyth is ten miles south, while Aberdovey is 25 miles north, once you've driven around the Ynyslas National Nature Reserve. Royal St David's, Cardigan, Welshpool and Llandrindod Wells are all within 50 miles of Borth as well.

 

What golf facilities does Borth & Ynyslas Golf Club offer?  

Along with the golf course, Borth & Ynyslas also has a practice facility next to the 18th tee. There is a driving range and a short game area, with a putting green, chipping green and practice bunker. 

What are the green fees at Borth & Ynyslas Golf Club?  
The price of a green fee at Borth & Ynyslas Golf Club changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.  

 

For more information on current green fees at Borth & Ynyslas, visit their website here. 

 

  

Visit the Borth & Ynyslas website here.

Go back to the NCG's Top 100s Homepage.