Minehead Golf Club

Minehead & West Somerset Golf Course

Our 18-hole, 6264 yards, par 72 course displays the best characteristics of links play with some parkland features. It has excellent greens, it is a delight to play all-year round and is suitable for golfers at all levels of experience. You will be inspired by beautiful views, challenged by great golfing conditions and invigorated with the wonderful sea air and exercise. We hope to see you soon.

History of the Course

In 1882 a Dr. Clark, a Scotsman and medical practitioner, arrived in Minehead to take up the position of medical officer at Dunster Hospital. Soon after his arrival he started looking for suitable ground to practise his national game of golf. He finally fixed on the old rabbit warren, land bordering the shore of the Bristol Channel between Minehead and Dunster.

An advertised meeting took place in the old Plume of Feathers to consider forming a golf club. At the time there were only 20 other English clubs, one of which was in Bath. As Bath later moved their course, Minehead can claim to the oldest course in Somerset.

The proposed course was to be 3250 yards with 12 holes on part of the Luttrell family estate and would cost the club seven shillings and ten pence a year (39p). The course was designed by the Royal North Devon professional, Johnny Allen, but as a 9 hole course, which was finally increased to 18 holes in 1901.

The first club house was a conversion of a cottage by what was the first tee and has now become a trolley store. A.J.Hobley, our first real professional built a house by the18th Green, it was extended to become part of the present club house. Interestingly although the club had the telephone as early as 1905, electricity was only installed in 1959.

On several occasions the close proximity to the sea has caused damage to the clubhouse and various changes have had to be made to the course due to the encroachment of the sea.

The Golfing Annual of 1889 describes the course as being ‘as good a course as one could wish for, undulating in character and well covered in excellent turf. There is a sprinkling of hazards, some natural and some man made and the putting greens are of medium size and in first class order.’ We feel that this quotation remains true to the present day.