ROYAL NORTH DEVON ****
England’s oldest course – and the oldest links outside Scotland – Royal North Devon, known locally as Westward Ho!, is the complete antithesis to the modern style of layout so favoured by developers in Asia – and a must-visit for anyone who considers themselves a true aficionado of the game. Established in 1864, RND is links golf at its most raw. There is scarcely any definition to the fairways, which are classified as common land and are more often than not populated by sheep, and the greens merely follow the natural contours of the land. But herein lies its brilliance. The best holes are down by the shore and take advantage of crumpled terrain. It’s along this stretch that you encounter huge clumps of the infamous sea rushes – a tall, spiky marine vegetation that can be even more hazardous to your score than the majority of the deep sleepered bunkers that punctuate the course. Although you wouldn’t want to stray into “Cape” bunker, one of the biggest in the land that gobbles up under-hit drives at the par-four fourth. RND’s most famous son is J.H. Taylor, the five-time Open champion, and a large part of the atmospheric clubhouse-cum-golfing museum is dedicated to his achievements. At Westward Ho! you really are
following in the footsteps of champions.
YARDAGE: 6,653
PAR: 72
Designed by Old Tom Morris and Herbert Fowler
Greens Fee: From £48
Contact: royalnorthdevongolfclub.co.uk
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