Course Ratings
Aberdovey Golf Club (Aberdyfi, Wales)
Course Info
Station Road, Aberdovey, LL35 0RT Voluntary
- White Tees – 6531 Yards
Course Rating: 72.5
Slope Rating: 125 - Yellow Tees – 6091 Yards
Course Rating: 70.4
Slope Rating: 121 - Red Tees – 5849 Yards
Course Rating: 74.9
Slope Rating: 135 - Blue Tees – 4720 Yards
Course Rating: 64.4,
Slope Rating: 109
Price
Golf Course
Facilities
Hospitality
Overall Experience
Golf Course
Aberdovey! What a course. And not just because I played one of my best rounds. The golf club was stunning and really enjoyable. I had seen this course on YouTube and was always intrigued to see what it would be like. I must admit, the design of the course, always had me thinking it may have been a little bit boring, because of it’s up and down nature and figure of eight at the end of the course. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The course itself wasn’t overly long or even overly difficult. Obviously weather conditions play a massive part in the difficulty with the course looking out over the dunes and into the sea. In this round, there was only a gentle breeze which was significantly stronger on the back nine.
There was a mixture of long and short par 3’s a couple of which had blind tee shots, especially the 3rd. The same could be said for the par 4’s which weren’t overly long but was protected by bunkers and mounds and accuracy of the tee was vital for a good score. The crown jewel was the fabulous 16th hole alongside the railway line. With it being a links course, the fairways were fairly wide, however straying offline would land you in thick rough, with no real option except to hack out and carry on. The course was in pristine condition, on both tees and fairways, and there really could be no complaints.
The greens were also in immaculate condition. Again, with it being a links course, the greens were quite big and not too difficult to hit. However, this meant a lot of putts from distance and required picking up the pace of the greens to keep the amount of putts you had down. The speed of them was spot on. They had great pace to them but needed reading as there was breaks in even the smallest of putts.
A nine handicapper ‘A fabulous course. Much more golfer friendly than Royal St David’s and was a joy to play on. The course was fair and allowed any standard of player to score. The condition of the course, the views and the service we received throughout the day meant it was so enjoyable and I would return in a heartbeat’.
Facilities
Aberdovey has a number of practice facilities for both visitors and members.
Outside the clubhouse was a putting green which includes a huge slope in the middle, which made longer putts fun and even at point allowed us to have a putting competition to make it fun. The speed of the green was fair and did represent the speed of the greens out on the course. You could tell it was well looked after by the green staff.
Just next to the putting green was a chipping area. I only had a chance to walk past it but there were various areas you can chip in including a bunker area too. Some of the ground was getting work done to it but it was still an adequate area to do some practice.
There is also a hitting area down the side of the first fairway. It didn’t look overly long as it was only about 100/150 yards long. However, as a first time visitor, I had no idea the hitting area was there and I had only seen it was there when I was walking down the first fairway.
Hospitality
The Pro Shop was very impressive. It was very big and well stocked with a lot of different clothing options and several different brands. There was also a large supply of clubs mostly TaylorMade, including the new stealth clubs. The shop also had collector items such as balls and balls markers etc. The ball markers, in particular, are one of the best I’ve seen. The service from the staff at the shop was exemplary. The Pro behind the desk, introduced himself and the golf course and explained any issues or anything of note that we needed to know. Very impressive!!
The clubhouse runs alongside the 18th green and while we never had time to stay in the clubhouse, I did have a wonder around and have a look and it was immaculate. Upstairs is the bar/lounge area which has a balcony which looks out over the 18th. Downstairs was the locker room, which again was in great condition and was quite large.
Underneath the bar area running alongside the 18th fairway are several rooms that visitors can stay in. It’s not something that you see very often but is a great idea for any players wanting to play the course multiple days.
Price
For a Sunday day rate, we paid £80. The price puts the course at the higher end of course in terms of cost, but undoubtedly it was worth it. There were areas under ground repair but not many and overall the quality of the course as well as the views and the service we received meant it was worth every penny.
In terms of membership, the highest rate is £715.00 before a signing on fee, which gives you full playing rights to the course. There are further memberships available, mostly for younger people and students. There are no senior memberships at the course, which is potentially why the highest rate is very generous.
Players also get various benefits with their membership, including 50% off visitors fees and also discounted fees off any other James Braid courses, which is a massive tick in any membership at any course, as there is over 300 courses on the James Braid programme.
Experience
Overall, I just loved this course. Everything about it was fabulous and it’s a course that if any golfer gets a chance to go to then they should. You won’t be disappointed. The design of the course Is interesting but ultimately, the standards that are set at Aberdovey, with service and the golf course, makes it a top tier golf course and one of the best in Wales.
Who This Course Is For
Final Verdict
Best for: Golfers who want top-tier links golf in Wales with pristine conditions.
Also great for: Any standard of player looking for a fair course where you can still score.
Not ideal for: Anyone who hates wind affecting difficulty, or who struggles when rough is thick and punitive.
I loved everything about Aberdovey. The design is interesting, the standards across the course and service are top tier, and if any golfer gets the chance to play it, they should take it. You won’t be disappointed, it’s one of the best courses in Wales.
Who This Course Is For
Best for: Golfers who want top-tier links golf in Wales with pristine conditions.
Also great for: Any standard of player looking for a fair course where you can still score.
Not ideal for: Anyone who hates wind affecting difficulty, or who struggles when rough is thick and punitive.
Final Verdict
I loved everything about Aberdovey. The design is interesting, the standards across the course and service are top tier, and if any golfer gets the chance to play it, they should take it. You won’t be disappointed, it’s one of the best courses in Wales.