Trevose Golf & Country Club Review

First impressions are powerful in all aspects of life. That's especially true when you step on the first tee at the Trevose Golf & Country Club, located close to the historic town of Padstow, in north Cornwall. At the first tee, there's a clear view of the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to the vast ocean, you'll see the Trevose Head and the quies, the three rocky formations that jut out above the surface of the nearby Atlantic Ocean, not far from Trevose Head. Golfers have enjoyed this view since 1925 and it never gets old. In fact, on many occasions during the round, you will get a similar view of the Trevose Head and the quies, each time from a different angle.

The Championship Course at Trevose, a brilliant 18-hole layout, was designed by Harry Colt. Currently, the club also offers two other courses to play - the nine-hole Headland Course, a nine-hole layout and the Par 3 Short Course, both of which are designed to give you a chance to work on your iron play.

As you play the Championship Course take the time to get a glimpse or two of the golden sandy beaches and the dramatic seaside vistas of Constantine Bay. To say that the views are stunning is an understatement. When playing the Championship Course, the first nine holes hug the coastline and the sand dunes. It's difficult taking your eyes off the nearby Atlantic Ocean and the majestic Trevose Head. The highlight of the front nine is when you play the par five, fourth hole, which is the signature hole at Trevose. The two-tiered fourth green is very close to the Atlantic Ocean and the local lifeboat slip, which is controlled by the Royal Naval Lifeboat Institute. As you stand in the middle of the 4th fairway, the Constantine Bay forms the backdrop beyond the green. It's an attention-getting scene, to say the least. Another memorable moment at Trevose is the tee shot on the 5th hole. The teebox is just yards away from the sea. If the wind is blowing in the right direction, you might feel sea spray on your backswing while hitting your tee shot on the 5th hole. The back nine at Trevose is played away from the seashore and heads back to the clubhouse, but the sea is never out of sight. What's so special about Trevose is that you can always hear the sound of crashing surf from any location on the course. No other course along the Atlantic Links can make that claim. The ever-present sound of the nearby waves is to be expected and in some odd way, it's truly soothing and relaxing. Because Trevose is a true links course, the ever-changing winds will also give this course a different look every day that you play it. Rarely do you play Trevose on a calm, wind-free day.

If you need a refreshment of some kind while playing Trevose, there is a snack shop - the Halfway House - next to the 11th tee.

Recognizing the need to remain fresh and yet allow golfers to continue to enjoy this great layout, Trevose has hired renowned golf course architects, Mackenzie & Ebert, to review and upgrade the Championship Course. Mackenzie & Ebert is retained by seven of the 10 Open Championship venues, including Turnberry, Carnoustie and Royal Portrush.

At Trevose, the work has focused on the adoption of a consistent bunkering style and a return to the traditional rough-edged bunkers, a characteristic of many courses designed by Colt. A number of new greens have been constructed and there's been an extensive reshaping of more than half of the green complexes, all inspired by the best of the original greens like those at the 7th and 10th.

Work is continuing in 2017 with the major project of reconstructing the signature 4th hole, which involves re-bunkering the hole and creating a visually-striking new green which is approximately an acre in size that will provide spectacular views over Constantine Bay and Trevose Head.

"The plan is a reflection of our ambitions for Trevose -- to reinforce its position in links golf, offer the best possible facilities to our members and visitors, and to attract further regional and national events," comments Trevose's general manager Nick Gammon, whose family has owned the resort for three generations.

One of the most powerful testimonials on Trevose comes from former European Tour/Ryder Cup player Peter Baker who said this about Trevose: "One word - great! You must visit Trevose."

He is not alone in his praise of Trevose.

"Trevose is up there with Colt's best," said fellow European Tour/Ryder Cup player Paul Way.

With access to the Constantine Restaurant, a full service bar, three resurfaced tennis courts, an outdoor heated pool, a covered driving range/golf Performance Centre, seven local beaches, many coastal walking path opportunities, and many affordable, comfortable, and first class 4 and 5-star self-catering apartments and chalets, Trevose Golf & Country Club is one of Cornwall's ideal stay-and-play destinations, whether or not you play golf. Because of its geographic location - which includes various Cornish locations made famous by the TV series, Poldark -- the Trevose experience is as alluring to non-golfers as it is to golfers. Trevose truly prides itself on being able to provide a friendly, welcoming escape -- with family values running through the veins of the resort. Always has been and always will be.