I recently returned to Weston-super-Mare Golf Club to film for a Golf Monthly shoot, and it brought back some wonderful memories of the last time I actually played the course — probably four or five years ago now. Walking back through those gates, it all came flooding back, and in the best possible way.
A Club Born in the Victorian Era
The club’s origins stretch back to 1892, formed following a public meeting at the Grand Atlantic Hotel, chaired by Sir Richard Paget MP. The man tasked with laying out the course was prolific architect Tom Dunn, whose survey report concluded the land was suited for a golf link “second to none in the world.”
Then in 1922, Alister MacKenzie was commissioned to alter and modify the layout — and what you play today is essentially his vision. The man behind Augusta National left his fingerprints all over this place, and it shows.
A Links Course That Punches Above Its Weight
This is not a course with an abundance of land. It stretches to around 6,245 yards and sits in a modest seaside town — but MacKenzie created something that gives you every bit of an authentic links feel. The bunkering throughout is, for me, the absolute gem of the place. Strategic, thoughtful, and it rewards golfers who take the time to read it.
Built on sand and sitting on the coast at the southern end of the seafront, with views across the Bristol Channel towards Wales, the course holds up beautifully in winter and rarely closes — something the locals absolutely make the most of.
The Greens
In early April, the greens were as good as any I’ve played anywhere. Firm, fast, absolutely true, and with an incredible covering of grass. A real testament to the green staff currently looking after this golf course.
Don’t Trust the Flags
Weston-super-Mare has a wind quirk unlike anything I’ve come across. On holes one to four, the flags flutter towards the beach — instinctively suggesting the wind is coming from your left. But get the ball in the air and it’s actually whipping over the hedgeline from the right. The locals have that knowledge locked in. You won’t — at least not on your first visit.
Standout Holes
The 15th is the recognised signature hole — a 458-yard par four with a blind tee shot, out of bounds right, and an offset green protected by a treacherous bunker at the front corner, drawing comparisons to the Road Hole at St Andrews. Par here feels like a birdie.
But personally, the par three 7th and par three 14th are the holes that lingered longest in the memory. Stunning from the tee, and a genuine challenge in any wind.
Worth the Visit
The pro shop has had a fantastic update in the last five years. The clubhouse retains a warm, welcoming feel — though a little more investment there over time would really make this place pop as a must-visit destination in Somerset.
If you’re building a links trip in this part of the world, pair it with Burnham and Berrow and you’ll have a brilliant flavour of Somerset links golf. Weston-super-Mare has been quietly going about its business since 1892. It deserves to be better known.
Dan Hendriksen, PGA Professional