Recognised as one of England’s premier links courses, the Church Course at St Enodoc in Cornwall continues to shine with impressive positions in a couple of recent golf course rankings.
This summer Germany’s Golf Journal magazine published its first ranking of the ‘Top 100 Golf Courses in Europe’ combining courses from both the British Isles and continental Europe. St Enodoc was awarded 51st slot in the ranking with the heralded Royal County Down, Turnberry’s Ailsa Course and Royal Dornoch golf courses headlining the list. The Munich-based publication’s most important criteria were difficulty and design of the course, followed by scenery and facilities ranging from the clubhouse to the practice area.
Closer to home, top UK magazine Golf World recently revealed the Church Course in 39th place in its ‘Top 100 Golf Courses in Britain & Ireland’ as voted by a panel of experts and Golf World readers. This list recommends the best courses for golfers to play and where they will have the most memorable experiences.
This tops a good year in the rankings for St Enodoc as in January it was included in Golf Digest’s inaugural ranking of the ‘World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses’. One of just 11 courses in England that feature in the listing, St Enodoc was awarded 99th position and was described by the authoritative US magazine as ‘A rollicking James Braid design on the southwest toe of England, lengthened in the past decade but still short and odd enough to be a cult favourite’.
Founded in 1890, St Enodoc has always fared well in course ranking thanks to its classic James Braid design, its naturally-undulating fairways that ensure a challenging, yet interesting test as well as its ideal location in Rock overlooking the north Atlantic Ocean and Camel Estuary that gives it magnificent views of the water from almost every hole.
To match the quality of the course, the clubhouse’s restaurant and bar underwent a major renovation project this year and the result is a stylish, yet comfortable refit that will further enhance the golfer’s experience of visiting St Enodoc.
Testament to the quality of the course, the Church has hosted numerous amateur golf events, most recently the 2014 English Women’s Amateur Championship which was held in July. The English Counties Championship was also staged over the Church Course in 2005 and 1989 whilst the English Ladies Amateur Championship was held there in 2002 and 1993.
For the quality of the course, St Enodoc remains extremely reasonable to play with green fees in the summer priced from £75 and just £45 in the winter.
St Enodoc is a member of the Atlantic Links, a group that comprises the six premier championship links courses in south west England that together form a tantalizing trail of golf set against the dramatic backdrop of the north Atlantic Ocean. The other Atlantic Links are Cornwall’s Trevose, Royal North Devon and the East and West courses at Saunton in Devon and Somerset’s Burnham & Berrow.
St Enodoc www.st-enodoc.co.uk