One of the many stunning views on this tour of South Wales, the 17th at Pennard Golf Club

1st tee at Southerndown GC Halfway hut at Royal Porthcawl13th at Kyle and Kenfig

Links golf in Wales sometimes gets lost in the shadows of the great Scottish and Irish venues – and that’s something I’m more than happy to address. So here I am on a four-day tour of South Wales taking in some of the region’s great links courses. Leading the way is Royal Porthcawl, which sits comfortably in Golf Monthly’s Top 100 courses. But there are plenty of other tracks in this beautiful part of the world for you to enjoy – hidden gems like Cardigan, Southern Down and Newport Links plus well-known courses like Pyle and Kenfig, Pennard and Ashburnham.

Add in some stunning hotels, great local produce and jaw-dropping vistas – along with a warm welcome – and it’s the destination of any golfer’s dreams. The good news is if you go at the right time of year and day, you could be the only golfer/fourball out there, which is great news when you want to stand on the back tee at the 14th of Pennard Golf Club and just take in that view over to Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower Peninsula. It’s moments like these that you’ll want to share, so make sure you have your camera or i-Phone at the ready for this trip.

Southerndown Golf Club

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club

Pyle and Kenfig Golf Club

Pennard Golf Club

Ashburnham Golf Club

Cardigan Golf Club

Newport Links Golf Club

Celtic Manor Twenty Ten Course

The Vale Resort Lake Course

Machynys Peninsula Golf and Country Club

St Pierre Old Course

Ashburnham's 15th green Views from Cardigan GC 6thSunset at Newport Links 15th

All golf photography taken on the day of play © James Mason