Stepping onto the grounds of Royal Porthcawl earlier this year for the very first time felt like a journey back in time, yet this club is perfectly set up for a thoroughly modern Major. As the AIG Women's Open heads to this magnificent Welsh links this week, I can tell you, the players are in for an experience unlike many others on the calendar.
What's really exciting is that while Royal Porthcawl has a rich history of staging major amateur and professional tournaments, this will be the first time the club welcomes the AIG Women's Open, marking a significant moment for Welsh golf and women's sport.
Forget your modern, sprawling clubhouses. Here, it’s a charming, timber clubhouse that greets you, sitting near the edge of the sea. It’s one of the closest I’ve ever seen to the water, and that immediate proximity to the Bristol Channel isn't just picturesque, it’s fundamental to everything Royal Porthcawl is about.
In fact, you can see the sea from every hole, and on a clear day, your eye can stretch across to Somerset and the beautiful Gower Peninsula. Beyond the stunning views, I also received a warm Welsh welcome from the staff and members, which instantly makes you feel right at home.
The course is quite unusual for a links of its age, as there's no out-and-back routing, meaning the wind will play a different role on various holes at this final women’s Major of the year. The wind, even on a calmer day, is a constant companion and every shot requires thought, precision, and often, a healthy dose of creativity.
When I played Royal Porthcawl, like all links courses, I found the bounces can be unpredictable, the lies tight, and the greens firm and fast. Players will need to master the art of the chip-and-run, control their trajectory, and most importantly, keep their wits about them when the weather inevitably decides to add another layer to the challenge.
On many holes, there's this wonderful sense of isolation, just you, the course, and the expanse of the landscape. Though, it'll be a far less solitary experience for the best female players in the world, with plenty of fans out watching. Royal Porthcawl is, in fact, a superb spectator course with plenty of vantage points, like the area around the 15th tee, where you can also catch views of the 16th, 2nd, and 13th holes.
Key Challenges On The Links
The course is a proper, old-school links test, with a raw, rugged beauty shaped by nature, not by earthmovers. While there aren't massive towering dunes like you'd see at Royal Birkdale, there are subtle undulations and natural contours that bring their own unique challenge.
And players need to watch out for those classic links-style pot bunkers, as they're strategically placed to gobble up any errant shots. They will definitely need to be patient and sometimes just take their medicine if they find themselves in one of those deep traps.
For the AIG Women's Open, the normal 18th hole becomes the Championship 1st, and the usual 1st hole becomes the 2nd, and so forth. This means the opening holes will now flank the boardwalk and beach, leaving little room for error, especially with a prevailing westerly wind. That boardwalk, incidentally, is part of the Welsh Coast Path, which spans the entire 870-mile coastline of Wales.
As you move inland, the character subtly shifts, but the challenge remains. The 8th hole is a par-3 that, despite being the shortest hole on the course at 122 yards, is far from straightforward. Its small, tiered green surrounded by six bunkers certainly calls for a brave and precise tee shot.
The back nine, in particular, features a number of tricky holes. The 422-yard par-4 16th hole marks the beginning of Royal Porthcawl's difficult finish. It features an elevated tee shot into the prevailing wind and a treacherous approach to a raised green where anything short, long, or right will likely roll off.
Finally, the par-5 18th hole, at 504 yards, presents an exciting eagle opportunity. But players shouldn't be fooled by that chance for glory. It’s a blind tee shot and there’s not much fairway to play with, and bunkers surround the green. This hole will certainly provide plenty of drama and has the potential to make or break a championship (and a player!).
For the best female golfers in the world, this course will be a true examination of their skills, their temperament, and their ability to embrace the unpredictable joy that only a genuine links course can offer. I can't wait to see how they tackle it.
