Course Ratings
Royal St. David’s Golf Club (Harlech, Wales)
Course Info
Royal St. David’s Golf Club, Gwynedd, Harlech, Wales, LL46 2UB
- Blue Tees – 6629 Yards
Course Rating: 73.6
Slope: 129 - White Tees – 6403 Yards
Course Rating: 72.5
Slope: 127 - Yellow Tees – 6225 Yards
Course Rating: 71.7
Slope: 124 - Red Tees – 5783 Yards
Course Rating: 74.3
Slope: 129
Price
Golf Course
Facilities
Hospitality
Overall Experience
Golf Course
Where to start with Royal St David’s? Again, it has a widely well-regarded reputation and is seen as the jewel in the Welsh crown. The views were unbelievable. Harlech Castle straight ahead. Mt. Snowdon to the left, it really was spectacular.
I must admit, this course just didn’t live up to its reputation for me. The course is probably a brilliant course for a scratch golfer who is a long hitter, but I didn’t feel like it catered for the average handicapped golfer. The front nine was better than the back nine. Off the yellow tees, there were some long holes of well over 420 yards but with a mixture of scorable holes, including two par 5’s and two par 3’s. The back nine was when I felt the course become difficult and unenjoyable. A lot of long holes including a 220-yard par 3. Granted, conditions didn’t help. There was a strong wind which made holes even harder than they already were, but overall, it just felt slightly too difficult for higher handicapped players. As a 9 handicapper, I found it hard, so you can imagine how difficult it was for double figured players.
The condition of the course was ok. We had been told in the pro shop that irrigation work was being done and there were areas that were visibly under construction. Tees and fairways were decent, they had been cut and there weren’t many bald patches on either. The course did have very thick rough in places and if it was found, it became very difficult to get out of it in certain parts.
I expected a little more from the greens. They were quick, but I expected them to be a lot quicker, considering its reputation. They weren’t easy to put on as there were a few sloppy greens and made even 4 footers not a gimme. The only green that was badly affected by the irrigation was the 15th green but they had tried their best to put the pin as far away from it as they could.
A 16-handicapper said ‘I was really looking forward to playing here and while the front 9 was ok, I felt as a whole that it was just too difficult for me, I just don’t have the long hitting required to make the scores needed to score well here. Wind played a factor but I still think it would have been tough anyway.
Facilities
There are practice facilities available at the club which include a chipping area, putting green and a driving range.
Balls for the driving range were available next to the range which was detached from the pro shop. You had to purchase the balls at the shop but collect them at the range. The range was very spacious and long and would certainly cater for a lot of players.
The chipping area was next to the putting green and the range and had several different areas you can chip from. There was also a deep bunker you can practice from too. The condition of area and bunker was fairly good and was an area you could spend time at.
The putting green was big. Lots of holes on it and you had opportunities to practice all sorts of different putts, short and long. The speed of the putting green was average. At the time I thought it wouldn’t reflect the course, and while on the course they were quicker, they weren’t that much quicker.
Hospitality
The Pro Shop and Clubhouse was underwhelming. They were decent enough but for the standard we were expecting, it was underwhelming. The Pro Shop was small, but it did cater for both men and women and had a lot of St David logoed souvenirs including clothing, balls and ball markers. Course guides weren’t available.
I never actually went in the clubhouse but from the outside it was tatty and needed a bit of renovation. I could see inside and again it wasn’t what I thought it would be. While it looked ok, for the reputation we were expecting, we were expecting a little bit more.
Price
Value for money is a big sticking point here. £110 was paid for the round and for the experience I had, it was nowhere near good enough. Considering I had paid £80 less for the round at Conwy the day before, it was like chalk and cheese. There is an argument that the prices could be the other way round. After we had played, the person who organised the weekend, emailed the general manager who listened to our concerns and apologised. He then offered a free 4 ball next summer when he said hopefully things will be significantly better.
St David’s offers a variety of memberships and are split into categories. The highest membership is a Category A membership of £770.00 before joining fees. There are different categories for players aged between 21 and 30. They also offer distance memberships which depend on how far away from the course you live, which is a really good idea, considering Harlech has a lot of tourists and people who own holiday homes and caravans. There are also junior memberships available too.
Experience
I would like to think this course is better than what we have seen. It felt like the course lives on its reputation and gets visitors a lot based on that. Hopefully going back next summer will give the course a chance to redeem itself, however, the difficulty of the course will not change and therefore will still be as difficult as it was this time. It wasn’t worth the money we paid and I wouldn’t advise people to pay that much until it has improved.
Who This Course Is For
Final Verdict
Best for: Low-handicap, longer-hitting golfers who want a tough test in a spectacular setting.
Also great for: Golfers who prioritise views and reputation, and don’t mind difficult long holes (especially in wind).
Not ideal for: Average and higher handicappers looking for an enjoyable, scorable round, or anyone sensitive to value for money at £110.
Royal St David’s has an incredible backdrop and a well-regarded name, but on this visit it felt like it was trading on reputation rather than delivering the experience the price suggests. Until conditions and overall polish improve, I wouldn’t recommend paying that fee, especially if you’re not a long hitter or you want a more forgiving day out.
Who This Course Is For
Best for: Low-handicap, longer-hitting golfers who want a tough test in a spectacular setting.
Also great for: Golfers who prioritise views and reputation, and don’t mind difficult long holes (especially in wind).
Not ideal for: Average and higher handicappers looking for an enjoyable, scorable round, or anyone sensitive to value for money at £110.
Final Verdict
Royal St David’s has an incredible backdrop and a well-regarded name, but on this visit it felt like it was trading on reputation rather than delivering the experience the price suggests. Until conditions and overall polish improve, I wouldn’t recommend paying that fee, especially if you’re not a long hitter or you want a more forgiving day out.