Morlais Castle Golf Club

Morlais Castle Golf Club, built on the site of the ruins of Morlais Castle (which can be seen behind the 2nd green), boasts a rich history, with the castle itself dating back to 1270 and built by Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Lord of Glamorgan.

The course is routed on high ground some 600 feet above sea level and benefits from beautiful and extensive views of the surrounding Brecon Beacons including on a clear day, unrestricted views of the highest mountain in the range Pen Y Fan, which can be seen clearly from the 2nd tee.

The round starts with gusto on the finest firm turf and on the holes with the most strategic intrigue. The run of three par-4’s from the 2nd is quite the trio and not easily forgotten, with the right amount of variety and test to please all standards of player.

In the middle of the round the course moves away from the best ground and briefly feels more parkland in nature, before returning once again to the ground occupying the opening holes, and the run 13-16 will re-ignite the architectural fire for many.

The golf course has been through many stages of development, best described in an extract from ‘James Braid and his 400 Golf Courses’ by John F. Moreton & Iain Cumming.

‘Morlais was an old club, its course nine holes on rugged terrain. The club wanted advice and (James) Braid arrived to "redesign" the course, and to plan another nine. Unfortunately, in South Wales, the Depression hit hard, and the new nine were never built, but Braid's radical changes for the original nine were to be implemented as and when money was available. This took ten years, 1928-1938.
The president for 2000 joined as a junior in 1942, and his long experience of the course caused him to write:

Only a golfing genius could have the skill and experience to plan nine holes on such rugged, limestone-strewn ground and to use its natural features to create a testing but enjoyable course.

Morlais Castle moved to eighteen holes during the period 1986-1989.’