£125,000 investment aims to future-proof championship links against rising water levels
FORMER Wales and British & Irish Lions star Scott Quinnell has officially reopened a key feature at one of Wales’ most prestigious links golf courses following major winter improvements.
The 15th hole at Royal St David’s Golf Club was unveiled on St David’s Day after extensive work saw both the green and approach fairway raised by more than a metre.
The £125,000 project was undertaken to safeguard the hole against the effects of a rising water table and increasingly wet winters, ensuring the long-term future of the course. The development comes just three years after the club invested £750,000 in irrigation.
Quinnell, who enjoyed a distinguished career in rugby union with Llanelli and rugby league with Wigan, is an ambassador for the club. He was joined at the reopening ceremony by club president Bryan John and captains David Barr and Shuna Sweeting.
The club also boasts a number of high-profile ambassadors, including Naga Munchetty, Nigel Mansell and Denis Taylor.
Construction work on the redesigned hole was carried out by Shaperight Services alongside the club’s own links team, in partnership with course architects Mackenzie and Ebert and Natural Resources Wales.
The project marks the first phase of a wider drainage programme at the championship course. As part of the work, a new Dunes and Wetlands Conservation Area has been created, with around 4,000 tonnes of sand relocated across the site.
Club manager Peter Rees said the improvements had been carefully designed to preserve the character of the course.
He said: “The partnership has future-proofed the 15th hole by addressing problems caused by the continually rising water table. The hole has been sympathetically designed true to its original form and is an excellent addition to our championship course.
“The Dunes and Wetlands Conservation Area is a beautiful and ecologically sustainable site for natural flora and fauna.”
He added his thanks to the club board, staff and members for their support and patience throughout the project.
Established in 1894, Royal St David’s Golf Club is widely regarded as one of the UK’s finest links courses. It is ranked among the top 50 courses in Britain, second in Wales by Golf World, and features in Golf Digest’s world top 100.
Set between Harlech Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Cardigan Bay, the course is renowned for its dramatic scenery and challenging layout.
Over the years, it has hosted nearly 80 national and international championships and welcomed a host of notable visitors, including royalty, politicians and some of the biggest names in golfing history.
The club is also a member of MWT Cymru, representing hundreds of tourism and hospitality businesses across mid Wales.
For more information, visit the club’s website.
