Carlyon Bay occupies a clifftop site overlooking St. Austell Bay on the south coast of Cornwall, approximately two miles east of St. Austell town center. The course was designed by J.H. Taylor, the five-time Open Championship winner and noted golf architect, and opened in 1926. Taylor, who grew up in nearby Northam, brought his knowledge of links-style golf to this exposed coastal setting, though the terrain here is more parkland in character than true linksland. The layout makes use of the natural elevation changes along the cliff edge, with several holes running parallel to the coastline and offering views across the bay. The routing features a mix of elevated tees, sloping fairways, and greens that reflect the undulating topography of the site. The course measures just over 6,000 yards from the back tees, typical of Taylor's designs from this era, and the prevailing southwesterly winds off the English Channel add challenge to club selection and shot-making. The property has long been associated with the Carlyon Bay Hotel, which sits adjacent to the course and has served holiday visitors to Cornwall for decades. Carlyon Bay represents one of several courses Taylor designed in the southwest of England during the interwar period. The combination of coastal scenery, accessible length, and the Taylor pedigree has made it a fixture in Cornish golf, though it remains primarily a regional course rather than a championship venue.