Wales' most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl Golf Club

Located on Wales' south coast near the capital city of Cardiff, Royal Porthcawl Golf Club is this tiny country's most prestigious links. The golf course hosted the 1995 Walker Cup (when Tiger Woods competed) as well as numerous other top golf tournaments.

Royal Porthcawl G.C. has an expansive look to it, overlooking the sea at every tee. The first three holes play right along the coast to the left, while other holes play through more inland, rolling land. Holes 14 and 15 are a spectacular one-two punch, both long, challenging par 4s. Its deep pot bunkers are penal and plentiful, especially on the par 3s.

Another unique aspect to Porthcawl is its imaginative routing. Unlike many other traditional links, each hole plays a different direction than the preceding one.

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club - 18th green

A view of the 18th green and first hole in the background at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Wales,

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Royal Porthcawl Golf Club - hole 1

The first hole plays right along the coast at Royal Porthcawl.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club - hole 3

A view of the par-4 third hole at Royal Porthcawl.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club

A view of Wales' most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl G.C.

Royal Porthcawl's par 3s are heavily guarded with deep pot bunkers.

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Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Wales

A view of Wales' most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club - hole 5

A view of the uphill par-5 fifth hole at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl golf course

A view of Wales' most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl GC

A view of Wales' most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl golf course in Wales

A view of Wales' most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl Golf Club.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl GC in Wales

A view of Wales' most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl Golf Club.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club - Wales

A view of Wales' most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl G.C. - Wales

A view of Wales' most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl Golf Club.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Wales

Royal Porthcawl has views of the sea at every turn.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Wales most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl Golf Club

A view of Wales' most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Wales most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl GC

A view of the long par-4 15th hole at Royal Porthcawl.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Wales - Royal Porthcawl

A view of Wales' most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl golf course

A view of Wales' most prestigious links: Royal Porthcawl.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf

Royal Porthcawl - 18th green

A view of the 18th green at Royal Porthcawl golf course.

Brandon Tucker/TravelGolf