Porthmadog Golf Club

Porthmadog Golf Club occupies a distinctive setting on Morfa Bychan, a links-like peninsula on the Cardigan Bay coast of North Wales. The course was designed by James Braid, the five-time Open Championship winner who became one of Britain's most prolific golf architects in the early twentieth century. Braid's work here reflects his characteristic approach to natural terrain, routing the holes across undulating duneland with views toward the Snowdonia mountains inland and the Llŷn Peninsula across the water. The layout plays across sandy, free-draining ground with the kind of firm turf and natural contours typical of links golf, though the course sits slightly elevated from the beach itself. The land features gentle rolls and ridges that Braid incorporated into his green sites and fairway corridors, creating strategic interest without excessive length. Prevailing winds from the Irish Sea add variability to club selection and shot-making throughout the round. Porthmadog represents the accessible, members-focused side of Welsh golf rather than championship ambition. The club maintains a traditional atmosphere, serving the local community and visitors exploring the Snowdonia region. The course offers a straightforward test of links golf fundamentals—managing the wind, reading ground contours, and playing bump-and-run approaches—in a setting that balances sporting challenge with the scenic character of the North Wales coast. It remains a representative example of Braid's regional design work during Britain's golden age of course construction.