Dartmouth Golf and Country Club: Devon Golf with a Touch of Luxury
First Impressions and Setting
Set amidst the rolling hills of the South Hams, just a short drive from the historic port town of Dartmouth, Dartmouth Golf and Country Club offers an engaging blend of quality golf, modern facilities, and relaxed countryside charm. Whether you’re visiting for a day’s play or planning a longer stay, this well appointed resort provides a balanced mix of sport and comfort, appealing to both serious golfers and leisure travellers alike.
From the moment you turn off the main road and wind your way down towards the resort, the scenery begins to impress. The course is laid out across 225 acres of stunning Devonshire countryside, with mature trees, flowing fairways, and elevation changes that offer up some genuinely striking views across the surrounding landscape. There’s a peacefulness to the place, but also a sense of quality, this is a venue that takes its golf seriously without ever feeling pretentious.
The Resort Experience
Dartmouth Golf and Country Club is more than just a golf course, it’s a full service resort designed to cater to a broad range of visitors. The on site hotel and spa offer comfortable accommodation, a well equipped leisure suite, and a modern spa facility that proves popular with golfers and non golfers alike. For couples or groups looking to combine golf with relaxation, it’s a compelling option.
There’s also a bar and restaurant offering locally sourced food and panoramic views of the course. The atmosphere is informal and welcoming, with attentive staff and a steady mix of holidaymakers, golfing societies, and members passing through.
The Championship Course: A Thoughtful Test
The Championship Course at Dartmouth is the main attraction, and it delivers a thoroughly enjoyable round that combines challenge, strategy, and scenic variety. Designed by Jeremy Pern, a former course architect for Robert Trent Jones the course was opened in the early 1990s and has matured beautifully over the years.
Measuring just over 7,100 yards from the back tees, it’s long by UK standards, but multiple tee boxes ensure it remains playable for a wide range of abilities. More importantly, it’s not a course that simply rewards length. This is a layout that values smart decisions, careful positioning, and a measured approach, especially off the tee.
The terrain is hilly in places, but the routing is intelligent, and buggies are available for those who prefer not to tackle the inclines on foot. Fairways are generous but often framed by trees, water hazards, or well placed bunkers, while the greens are large, subtly contoured, and consistently well maintained.
Highlights and Standout Holes
The front nine begins with a relatively gentle opening stretch, but things soon pick up with a series of holes that demand full concentration. The 4th hole, an extremely tight par five, invites the longer hitter to take a bold line over a corner of trees, but anything offline brings serious trouble into play. It’s a perfect example of the course’s risk reward philosophy.
The par 3 5th is one of the most picturesque holes on the course, played from an elevated tee across a valley to a green nestled in a wooded hollow. Distance control is everything here, and the swirling wind can make club selection tricky.
The 9th hole, a long par five, plays uphill towards the clubhouse and requires three well struck shots to reach the green in regulation. It’s a tough finish to the outward nine and sets the tone for a back nine that ratchets up the challenge.
On the inward half, the 15th stands out, a downhill par four off the tee with a tough second shot over water to a slightly elevated green, where precision and distance control is required as well as nerve to navigate the slope and bunkers that lie around a narrow putting surface.
The closing hole, a picturesque par three playing down into the valley with water lurking short of the green, brings the round to a satisfying conclusion. It’s a hole that asks for a committed tee shot to find the green especially when playing into the prevailing wind.
The 9 Hole Dartmouth Course
In addition to the Championship Course, Dartmouth also offers a 9 hole, par 33 layout, ideal for beginners, high handicappers, or those looking for a shorter, more relaxed round. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a pushover, there’s still enough challenge here to keep things interesting, particularly around the greens.
It’s also a great warm up option before tackling the main course, and a valuable resource for those working on their game. With practice areas and a covered driving range nearby, Dartmouth has all the facilities needed for a productive golfing break.
Conditions and Course Maintenance
Course conditioning at Dartmouth is consistently high. The greens are quick and true, the bunkers well maintained, and the fairways lush without being overly soft. Despite the region’s high rainfall, the course generally holds up well year round thanks to good drainage and attentive green keeping.
One of the real strengths of the course is the variety of lies and stances created by the natural undulations. Rarely will you find yourself on perfectly flat ground, which adds a layer of challenge to approach shots and demands more thought than a typical parkland layout.
Facilities and Service
The clubhouse offers all the essentials, including a well stocked pro shop, changing rooms, and a welcoming lounge area with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the course. The restaurant and bar serve everything from coffee and bacon rolls to evening meals, and the terrace is a pleasant place to unwind after a round, particularly during the summer months.
For those staying on site, the hotel rooms are modern, spacious, and comfortable, with golf packages available that include meals, rounds of golf, and use of the leisure facilities. The spa includes a pool, jacuzzi, sauna, and treatment rooms, an ideal way to relax after 18 holes.
A Versatile Destination
What makes Dartmouth Golf and Country Club particularly appealing is its versatility. It works well as a weekend break, a stop on a longer Devon or Cornwall golf tour, or even as a full holiday base thanks to the range of amenities on offer.
The nearby town of Dartmouth is well worth a visit, offering a picturesque harbour, independent shops, and excellent restaurants. It’s also close to other notable attractions such as the South West Coast Path and Dartmoor National Park, making it a good choice for couples or groups with mixed interests.
Final Thoughts
Dartmouth Golf and Country Club strikes an excellent balance between golfing quality and relaxed hospitality. The Championship Course is challenging without being punishing, scenic without being overly engineered, and enjoyable across a broad spectrum of ability levels.
Add in good accommodation, friendly service, and a peaceful rural setting, and it becomes easy to see why the resort has built a loyal following among UK golfers.
It may not have the pure links pedigree of some coastal courses or the prestige of more established championship venues, but for value, variety, and comfort, Dartmouth offers a thoroughly satisfying golfing experience, and one that’s well worth the trip.
Joe Killoran, Editor, 8 Hcp