Mullion

If you were to go any further than Mullion Golf Club, you would be in the English Channel and almost touching France.

England’s most southerly golf course provides a sensory overload, thanks to the stunning views and the sounds of the waves crashing over the rocks below you.

It plays as a true links, and although it is one of the shortest 18-hole layouts in the country, don’t think you are in for an easy ride at Mullion...

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'The Mullion Golf Club’ - as it was formerly known at its opening – was founded in the late 19th Century.

Just six years after its founded, Mullion played host to the inaugural Cornwall Golf Union Championships, something it would also do 100 years on in 2001.

Following the First World War, the club struggled, and parts of the land were bought by the National Trust. However, shortly after, with more and more members coming back, the Trust agreed to the 18-hole layout being reestablished on the site.

Situated atop the cliffs of the southern coast of England, Mullion is a true links test, with incredible views out to sea. Gunwalloe Church Cove Beach occupies the western side of the course, as just one of the many issues you might face. Mullion is a very friendly 6,050 yards from the Whites, but the pre-round scan of the scorecard to mentally prepare yourself can only lull you into a false sense of security. Some imaginative bunkering provides most of the course's defence. What else would you expect from a true links?

The course begins with a demanding par 3 – one of almost 200 yards. There is something quite interesting about the opening hole, though. Your carry to the green plays over both the 18th and the 2nd fairways. Surely there aren't many - if any - other holes that demand you hit over two other holes? Add in that the opener usually plays into the prevailing wind, and you have a daunting first tee shot to get you on your way.

The 2nd and 3rd are lengthy par 4s, both of more than 400 yards. The former features a solitary pot bunker on the right side of the fairway, along with five more traps down by the green. Enjoy the view off the 3rd tee before getting down to business. As you make your way towards the sea, there is not too much trouble off the tee, apart from a ditch that runs some way off the fairway down the left side. The approach is the treacherous shot on 3, with six pot bunkers awaiting anything slightly mishit. The 5th is the first of just two par 5s at Mullion. Some will fancy their chances at reaching in two considering the yardage is only 485, but the nine pot bunkers – five down the right side and four down the left – might put you off that with your approach.

The eight-hole stretch from the 5th to the 12th is among the finest you'll find on any course. The 5th, a short par 4 along the clifftop that demands a blind tee shot and blind approach, is fantastic fun, while the 6th, a 290-yard par 4 that drops dramatically over the cliff edge, is so tempting it should come with a health warning. Out of bounds down the right is frustratingly close to the green and makes you second guess yourself at least three times before pulling the driver out the bag. Then onto the 7th, the only non-links hole on the course, but what a beauty. It meanders along the foot of the cliffs and ends up in front of Gunwalloe Church and the tiny, picturesque cove that frames it. Take a moment to soak it all in.

You absolutely cannot miss the green at the par-3 8th, due to the six pot bunkers dotted around it, along with the sheer drop down the right side. The 9th is the last par 5 at Mullion and, though it's quite a slog back up the hill, it's about as good a shot you'll get at birdie here. It's worth it when you get to the top, though, because the 10th hole is the showstopper. A right-to-left par 4 that sweeps down the hill and ends back near the cove again. There isn't really any trouble off the tee, so have some grip-it-and-rip-it fun, but it all starts getting a bit tighter with the approach and it isn't beyond the realms of possibility here to end up on the beach. Take a club less, because no one wants to be chipping off a picnic blanket.

The par-3 11th tee is situated on the cliff edge, so pray the wind is behind you, while 12 plays round to a very cool green complex that allows you to be a bit more creative with your approach. As the Stroke Index 2, this is a hole where you should probably be happy with a bogey. Come out of that stretch at anything around level to your handicap and you'll be laughing.

13 provides some respite after that incredible stretch of golf, but you still have to avoid the two fairway bunkers – one of which is in the centre of the fairway. There are four more traps down by the green. The 14th plays back out towards the coast, and is a dog-leg left along the cliff edge. The danger comes by the green, as anything long will find yourself in big trouble. The 15th is also a dog-leg left, but this time, the right side is guarded by thick rough and marram grass. Five more bunkers – a theme of this course – protect the putting surface.

The 16th is the last of the par 3s, and the shortest of the lot at just 125 yards. No fewer than eight pot bunkers protect the front edge of the green, with five of those in a row. A ditch is also down the right side, while there is thick grass and gorse behind the surface. Truly, a par 3 that proves that distance is not the be all and end all. 17 is a good birdie chance, providing you can get your tee shot to the top of the hill and past the marker post. Anything right will find itself on the main road, so keep your tee shot left. The road also runs past the green, so keep that in mind for your approach. The closing hole at Mullion moves away from the road slightly, but there is still plenty of danger. Five bunkers occupy the landing zone, while there are five more down by the green. It is a semi-blind approach to the final putting surface, with a big marker post sitting behind the green to provide you with the right aiming point.

Where is Mullion Golf Club located?

Mullion Golf Club is the soiuthernmost golfing venue in England, located at the very tip of Cornwall. It sits halfway between the towns of Penzance and Falmouth, while Gunwalloe Church Cove Beach sits on the seaward side of the course, while the Isles of Scilly are in view on a clear day. The city of Plymouth is some 75 miles to the east of Mullion Golf Club.

The nearest train station is in Falmouth, just under 20 miles from the venue. Trains run to and from Truro on an hourly basis. Newquay Airport is the main airport that services the southwest county of Cornwall, and that is just over 40 miles to the northeast of Mullion. For a wider range of flights and destinations, guests might take the longer drive to Bristol Airport, 180 miles away.

Are there any NCG Top 100s: England venues nearby?

Due to its location in the very southwestern tip of the country, there are not too many venues on the NCG Top 100s: England list within close reach. Perranporth is the closest – 40 miles from the venue. Trevose, St Enodoc, and Bude & North Cornwall are the other three venues in the county to claim a place on the list, but each of those is at least 50 miles away from Mullion.

What golf facilities does Mullion Golf Club offer?

Due to its proximity to the coastline, there is not the space for a full driving range at Mullion Golf Club. However, there is a short game area with practice bunkers, along with a putting green in front of the clubhouse.

What are the green fees at Mullion Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Mullion 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 Mullion Golf Club, visit their website here.