Welcome to UK-GolfGuide's page which contains feedback from site users who have played at Pennard Golf Club.

Whilst UK-GolfGuide.com attempts to turf out the more unhelpful or just plain daft contributions, some may slip through. If you have played the course or hold a different opinion to those of the contributors, feel free to use the Add your Comments icon to provide a broader spread of views. If you have a gripe with the club then take it up with them directly - please don't use this facility for airing grievances!.

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STEVE BENNETT (England) 23/10/07

Many courses struggle for a unique selling point; not this one as the description “the links in the sky” is spot-on. Played there in late October on a very cold and breezy morning with my brother and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and views across the course and out to sea. I have a lot of affection for this particular spot on the Gower peninsula having spent two weeks here in the summer of 1976 learning how to survey and map the valley below (Pennard Pill) all the way down to the sea. This more recent golfing visit was a lot more enjoyable.

I am a seaside golf fan although I play most of my golf inland; one day I hope to retire to the seaside and play all my golf on courses like this. In short if you like links golf then you will love this. Pennard is long enough to be a challenge, has rolling fairways and very demanding approach regions to the very sloping greens. At one hole my brother who was on the front of the green had to putt of the green over a mound to get to the pin at the very back of the green; this was on the tough par 3 fifteenth. On another, the seventh, my well-struck drive hit a fairway ridge and rolled back to the foot of the swale giving me no chance of seeing the line directly for the approach. If you enjoy this kind of mental challenge then this is a course to head for. Above all if you are a slightly dodgy putter then seaside greens are, if you are like me, a tonic. I putt much better on these faster and most important truer greens. My normal home club has nice enough greens but nothing like seaside ones. At Pennard, they are firm and this means they do not get bobbly; pitching onto them hardly leaves a dent unlike the craters I can cause at “home”. But most importantly they are true and I had a rare day of sinking long putts on the 6th and 17th and plenty of ones of “that length” on the 1st, 2nd, 6th, 8th, 10th and 14th but the putting highlight has to be the 16th. Rarely have my brother and I enjoyed three-putting so much … I ended up behind the pin (don’t) in the light rough and he was pin high (not recommended either). I putted down the slope and did well to stop it on the green, and it is a big green! Simon was in hysterics until I putted uphill stone dead. His putt from left of the pin ran to the hole, turned sharp right and trickled inexorably back down to where my putt had gone. I was doubled up by this stage.

Plenty of other reviewers have given a description of the course; I have little to add to this except to say that if you are left-handed and slice it a bit, like my brother, or a right-handed drawer of the ball then this course suits perfectly as nine of the holes are genuine dog-leg left holes added to which on par three’s like the 2nd and the 15th a drawn shot to the green is demanded. By the way also the photos on the web site give you a good idea of what to expect. Perhaps read Andrew Greig’s fantastic book on golf called “Preferred Lies” where he writes about seaside courses being the source or mother-lode for the game to get a feel for Pennard. Although Andrew Greig pays no reference to this course, his book is located entirely in Scotland, I would imagine that Pennard is the kind of course he would relish. Natural, no tricks, unfair bounces at times but the tremendous pleasure of having to manufacture shots. All I will say is it is a hidden gem and is excellent value for money at £40 for a midweek round and compares very favourably with some extortionate green fees at seaside courses within a 30 mile radius. New clubhouse is fine but windows upstairs not big enough to give the viewing panorama the position of the clubhouse ought to have; it was too cold to sit on the balcony. Changing facilities good but showers of the push-button variety which is irritating but I guess a water conservation measure. Not a lot available to eat at the time we finished which was after 2.30pm.

Finally, Pennard GC easy to find just to the west of Swansea and we did it from the north side of Bristol easily in a day. Having done Minehead & West Somerset GC in a day from the same start and Weston super Mare also I have no hesitation in recommending Bristol-based golfers to head across this way.

Value for Money	9
Challenge	7
Off Course	7

'Young P' (England) 01/04/07

Four of us headed to Pennard last weekend and had a great day on what is clearly one of those tracks that quite happily lurks beneath the radar and which doesn't feel the need to shout about itself – instead extending a warm welcome to those discerning golfers who are prepared to go out of their way to discover it.

As has been mentioned before, the pro here, Mike Bennett, is a LEGEND – you simply couldn’t wish to meet a nicer and more helpful person. What a shame more club pros aren't like him.

To me, Pennard is like one of those beasts from Greek mythology that is the composite of a number of different animals. This course is the sum total of the dramatic views of cliff-top courses like Nefyn and Thurlestone, the quirkiness and rollercoaster fairways of Perranporth and the common land aspect of Brora.

The result is a compellingly unique and engaging track that keeps you interested all the way round, and which throws up some very good holes, particularly the par 3 5th (wonderful natural green), the four par 4s that follow it (the 7th, as observed elsewhere is especially scenic), the par 5 10th with bunkers cunningly placed both in front of AND behind the green for the steeply uphill approach, the driveable par 4 12th, the visually spectacular par 3 13th and the two par 5s at 16 and 17, the latter of which is especially tricky to score well on for such a short par 5 (especially when it's playing into the wind!). The par 4 18th is, like the 1st, the only hole where the heather really comes into play, and is a long, demanding finishing hole.

My only main criticism is that (like Brora) for the most part, particularly on the front 9, the course is not punitive enough off the tee. The pro informed me that a dozen or so local houses have grazing rights on the course – and one owner has taken full advantage of this with the result that the four-legged greenkeepers have digested large amounts of the heather that we all know is the curse of wayward drives.

However, one could easily argue that the obverse is true around the greens. In fact, on virtually each hole, the nearer you get to the green the stiffer the challenges become. If you're not lucky enough (or, rather, not skilful enough) to find the right place on the green, on certain holes you can quite easily be faced with a putt that – no matter how softly you caress it – will not even stay on the putting surface. At Pennard you get above the hole at your peril.

Pennard doesn't threaten the top bracket of links courses – but then it, quite rightly, probably doesn't care. It's unique enough to be treasured for what it is, and it knows it.

8.75/10

'Young P'

Value for Money	9
Challenge	7
Off Course	8

Kevin B. (England) 30/03/07

Played here midweek March 07 (£30 using the Daily Telegraph Open Fairways card ).

After reading good reviews in golf guides etc.this course didn't quite live up to my expectations.Sounding similar to one of my favourite courses Perrenporth i was hoping it could match it but unfortunately it didn't come close.

I wanted to like it but because of the high expectation levels i came away with an overall feeling of slight disappointment.

Normally i'm a big fan of rugged ,natural courses & the quirkier the better but although there were clusters of very good holes (1-3,5,7,8,11,14,15) these were interspersed with too many unenjoyable holes(4,9,10,12,17,18).

As you look across the course from high points it looks like a lunar landscape but it's so natural to the point that i thought it had a slightly scruffy feel to it.

A few times off tees we had no idea where we were going.Off the 8th tee we could see 2 marker posts that looked about 100 yards apart so we aimed imbetween them.We were equally bemused on the 4th as there didn't seem to be any hole definition & ended driving off over the green we'd just played after asking members.This could be simply rectified by a)putting a hole plan on the tee sign or b)on the scorecard.

I also found it a physically tiring course & thought it dragged a bit at the end due to a demanding last 3 hole finish (5,5,4) which sends you back out to one of the furthest points of the course.

Positives were good views in a very natural setting,a really good collection of par 3's, very fast ,interesting, undulating greens where you had to be ultra precise, nice sandy paths imbetween tees & greens & all the staff & members we encountered were very welcoming & friendly.

Despite the picture i've painted it beats most parkland courses hands down because it's so different & unique it is a course that is worth playing but i'm not sure if i'd want to play it again.

Kevin B.

Mike Partington (England) 08/09/06

Played last week in 30mph winds....flippin heck!!

Undulating, rugged terrain with serious changes in elevation gave way to large, sloping quick greens - don't get above the hole.

5, 7, 9, 10, 16 are 5 of the finest golf holes I've ever seen.

Several first-timers in the group were spellbound by the views and the challenge for the first hour.

You can't help but be staggered by this place.

In one word - unbelievable.

Value for Money	10
Challenge	9
Off Course	8

Kristo Tohver (Estonia) 22/02/06

Hi

Played Pennard last week and have to say I was amazed. The scenery was marvellous and course was well kept. There were some public footpaths through the course but the welsh were very friendly and a nice chat was always at hand. Lots and lots of blind shots so get your accuracy gloves on!

Someone earlier commented on the greens and that they might be a bit slow, well in the middle of February they were lightning fast for me.

Pro was very kind and helpful as were the rest of the staff. Definitely a recommended visit!

Value for Money	9
Challenge	9
Off Course	7

Gordon Ross (England) 07/12/05

Played here 6/12/05 on a glorious winter day. Golf just does not get any more rugged and natural than this, forget manicured parkland courses, this is the real deal!! The Pro could not have been more friendly or helpful, the course is superb and the catering adequate. If you are in the area, play this course!

Value for Money	7
Challenge	9
Off Course	8