“I know of no place in North Wales where the refined lover of a picturesque scene, the sentimentalist or the romantic can give further indulgence to his inclination”

 

That was Thomas Pennant, writing about Llangollen in 1778. Naturalist, zoologist, traveller and friend of Voltaire, no less, Flintshire-born Pennant got Llangollen absolutely right.

 

And it’s perhaps unfortunate that he wasn’t around some 130 years later when the Vale of Llangollen Golf Club first opened its fairways to the world. No doubt Pennant would have been equally moved by the 6656 yards of this glorious championship course, playing alongside the tumbling, if sometimes tempting, waters of the River Dee and the whole circled by he majestic hills of North Wales.

 

Home of the Eisteddfod, a world-wide celebration of Welsh song and verse, Llangollen is also home to one of the great celebrations of golf. The ninth hole is said to be the most magnificent golfing hole in Wales and the remaining seventeen will give you scenery that puts postcards to shame. Maybe that’s just as well because Llangollen will challenge you. Legend has it that King Arthur set up shop in this part of the world but, even with Excalibur in his bag, Arthur might have found Llangollen a tad tricky.

 

It’s parkland, it’s inland and it’s thoroughly beautiful. The HSBC rankings accord it Gold Status. Look on the Web for players’ reviews and the familiar word is ‘fantastic.’  And if the Eisteddfod welcomes the world, then its companion golf course also offers a similar and welcome invitation.

 

(NC.)