Aberdovey Golf Club (Aberdyfi)

The course and its history

Golf at Aberdovey started with Arthur Ruck, an army officer who in the 1880s set out a rudimentary nine-hole course using flowerpots on the common between the railway and the sea. His nephew Bernard Darwin, later golf correspondent of The Times, played here as a boy and called it 'the course that my soul loves best of all the courses in the world'. The club was established in 1892. Like many links of that era it is an out-and-back loop, so the wind off the bay can change its character completely. New tees have lengthened the James Braid layout to a par 71 of up to 6,777 yards, and the club is the regular host of the Welsh Seniors' Championship.

Booking and visitor practicalities

Book tee times online. A provisional booking is held for up to seven days and confirmed once a deposit per person is paid, with the balance due 28 days before play. Cancellations more than 28 days ahead get the deposit back; between 28 and 7 days ahead you receive a credit for use within 12 months. From December to February, winter protection mats are used on mown areas, supplied free by the pro shop, and some areas may be out of play for maintenance.

Getting there

The clubhouse is on Station Road at Aberdovey. Golfers can still arrive by train along the estuary: the line stops at Penhelig and then at the station by the clubhouse gate.

Highlights

• Established in 1892; birthplace of the Welsh Golfing Union
• Bernard Darwin's favourite course
• Par 71, up to 6,777 yards
• Host of the Welsh Seniors' Championship

Good to know

• Bookings are confirmed with a deposit; balance due 28 days ahead
• Winter mats in use from December to February
• Mats are supplied free by the pro shop
• Railway station next to the clubhouse

Frequently asked questions