North Wales Golf Club

This venerable old links course was created in 1894 by a Cheshire businessman named Tancred Cummins, assisted by an associate (and member of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club), Harold Hilton, who had been Open Champion two years earlier. Mr Cummins would go on to serve the North Wales club as captain and secretary for a total of 38 years, until 1933.

Another Royal Liverpool member – and 1890 Open Champion – John Ball, presented a putter to the club shortly after it was formed and this trophy is still competed for annually. The Hoylake connection doesn’t end there as the North Wales badge includes the words “far and sure”, taken from the Royal Liverpool Golf Club motto.

Situated just across the estuary from the wonderful Conwy golf course, North Wales is laid out on Llandudno’s lovely West Shore, offering an interesting variety of holes that run out along the rail line then back along the shore, with small and tricky greens throughout.

There is only one par five and three short holes on the inward half, so par for the back nine is only 34. Two of the par threes are played back-to-back at the 16th and 17th holes and Mr Cummins, the club founder, having originally purchased the land for the course from the Church Commissioners, presumably attempted to minimize any cryptic offence by naming them “O.L.” and “L.O” – Oh hell and hello!