St Mellons Golf Club, Cardiff

First opened in 1936, St Mellons is a lovely parkland course on the eastern edge of the bustling Capital city of Cardiff. It is unique in that it straddles two counties - Gwent and South Glamorgan - but because the Clubhouse is in Gwent it is to that Union that the Club belongs.

The course is laid out in the shape of a clover leaf and provides one of the best tests of golf in South Wales.

Since the course was opened some of the worlds finest players have played it including Lyle; Barnes; Torrance; James; Darcy and Antonio Garrido. Indeed, Garrido held the touring Professionals course record for many years.

In recent years the test provided by the course has led to St Mellons providing several Welsh Internationals.

The course provides the visitor with a pleasant walk from the first testing par four through two copses and so on through seventeen other very individualistic holes. The third, a par three, carries the name 'Cottons Choice'. This after the comment made by the late, great Henry Cotton who rated this hole very highly.

The course comprises 3 par fives; 5 par threes and 10 par fours. The par threes will make or break your card but the two finishing holes are absolutely superb par fours that will make you smile or cry, if you have a good card going but holes that you will long remember.

Visitors are very welcome at St Mellons which is just 15 minutes drive from the highly rated Celtic Manor; just off junctions 28 and 30 of the M4 and 35 minutes from the Second Severn Crossing. This location makes it the ideal venue for players from South Wales and for those from the other side of the Severn!