Rhuddlan

Despite coming up to 100 years old, Rhuddlan Golf Club is one of the younger venues on the NCG Top 100s: Wales list.  The club was founded in 1930, with Fred Hawtree the man to design the course, one that has hosted many national and county championships throughout its history.  More recently, the Faldo Series Welsh Final chose Rhuddlan as its venue, hosting the event at the club in both 2021 and 2022. The course was reconfigured in the latter of these two years to change up the routing.

Set in the beautiful Vale of Clwyd, the course offers fine views and a sheltered climate screened by the Clwydian Range. The undulating parkland layout measures almost 6,500 yards from the back tees, and more than 6,250 yards from the yellows. The Par 70 layout is very much split in half with two distinct nines, and the challenges come at you thick and fast on the closing side of the course.  After a gentle opening hole, the 2nd is a 435-yard par 4 which turns left around the tree line. A bunker on the corner of the fairway will take any errant drive left of the fairway. 3 is the easiest and shortest hole on the course. The 160-yard par 3 has two greenside bunkers, but it is a large green and one which should not cause too much trouble. 4 sees the first sign of water, with a small feature on the left side of the fairway, but that should not come into play as the landing zone on this par 4 is past that.   The 5th is then a risk-reward hole. At just 310 yards, some may take this on, but there is a ditch that runs across the fairway at the 250-yard mark. Most will lay up short before having a short iron or wedge into the green. The short par 4s continue with the 6th, but there are two large trees that your drive must be played through so you have a clear shot to the green. 7 is then the hardest hole on the front nine with water at the side and back of the green, while the par 3 8th has a stream running in front of the green. The final hole on the front side is another short par 4 that requires your full attention. Trees right and water left off the tee, you need accuracy over power to make par or birdie on the 9th.  The back nine is the harder of the two halves at Rhuddlan, and it begins with the tough 10th. A 430-yard par 4 with a semi-blind tee shot and plenty of sand and water to catch you out, a par is a good start to the closing side of the card. 11 is the hardest hole on the course, thanks to out of bounds off the tee left, trees all the way down the right and the clubhouse watching on as you tee it up. 12 is the first par 3 on the back nine, and a tricky one as the tee box is sheltered from the wind. A stream runs diagonally in front of the green and will catch anything slightly mishit.   You must wait until the 13th before you find the first of two par 5s at Rhuddlan. 13 is the longest hole on the property at 545 yards, while the 15th is the easiest on the back nine and reachable in two for most at just 500 yards. In between is a 465-yard par 4 from the tips, the hole that used to kick things off at Rhuddlan. Two tough par 4s, both over 400 yards, bring you to the last hole, as Rhuddlan now finishes with a par 3. It is only 184 yards, but it is one of the toughest greens to hit on the course.

Where is Rhuddlan Golf Club located?
Rhuddlan Golf Club is one of the northernmost golf courses in Wales, just a few miles from the northern coastline of the country, and the towns of Rhyl and Prestatyn. It sits at the corner of the A547 and the A5151, and the club is around 25 miles from the Welsh border with England. The nearest train station to Rhuddlan Golf Club is in the town of Rhyl, just three miles north of the venue. The station is serviced by many different train companies, with trains to several major destinations. Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport, Cardiff Central, Birmingham International and London Euston can all be reached from Rhyl Station, along with Holyhead and Llandudno to the west. As with all venues in north Wales, the two nearest major international airports are both in England. Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Manchester Airport are both comfortably within an hour’s drive from Rhuddlan. Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Wales venues nearby?  
Both Prestatyn and Abergele are within eight miles of Rhuddlan, while the likes of Conwy, Llandudno Maesdu, North Wales and Northop are also within 25 miles.
What golf facilities does Rhuddlan Golf Club offer?
Along with the championship golf course, Rhuddlan Golf Club also has some great practice facilities. There is a driving range at the northern section of the property, along with a shorter area for wedge and approach practice. The putting green sits in front of the clubhouse.  
What are the green fees at Rhuddlan Golf Club?
The price of a green fee at Rhuddlan 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 Rhuddlan, visit their website here (opens in a new tab).  Visit Rhuddlan's website here (opens in a new tab).Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.

Greg Webber: The combination of shaped holes and water features provides plenty to focus the mind.  The ongoing bunker refurbishment programme is continuing to improve this attractive, lush, well-presented parkland course.

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