Teignmouth

Teignmouth Golf Club is delightfully situated on a high plateau more than 800 feet above the quaint Victorian seaside resort of Teignmouth. On a clear day, the views from the golf course and the charming clubhouse terrace are simply breathtaking, with Portland Bill to the east and Dartmoor to the west.

One of the finest golf course architects of the “Golden Age” laid out the course at Teignmouth Golf Club. In 1924, Dr Alister MacKenzie of Augusta National fame, received a modest sum of £3,500 for his work here and some of the Dr’s best holes can still be found in South Devon.

The golf course at Teignmouth is routed across Haldon Moor, ground that many people back in the 1920s considered impractical for golf. But MacKenzie already had two magnificent Yorkshire moorland courses at Alwoodley and Moortown under his belt. The Teignmouth sceptics were soon quietened.

Dr MacKenzie’s “signature” of sloping, multi-tiered greens are in evidence at Teignmouth, in fact, little has changed since the 1920s, including the course yardage which is still only 6,082 yards from the back tees. The yardage may be modest but par is a lowly 69 from the white tips and this is a windy, exposed plateau, so do not expect an easy ride out on the golf course.

Negotiating the six par threes is key to carding a good score at Teignmouth but none of these one shotters yield an easy par. The 16th is shortest par three on the card, measuring a mere 125 yards, but this hole is not called “Hell’s Mouth” for nothing. This innocuous looking par three is all about finding the green on the low side of the flag. Do not leave yourself a downhill putt on this hole or you’ll probably end up with a bogey or worse.