Royal Guernsey Golf Club

Royal Guernsey Golf Club (and the L'Ancresse Golf Club) play on a classic seaside links golf course, known locally as the L'Ancresse Golf Links. With the front-nine playing alongside Chouet Bay, and the back-nine bordering L'Ancresse Bay, sea views and wonderful coastal scenery are a given.

The out-and-back layout criss-crosses the expansive gently-undulating terrain of L'Ancresse Common. Dotted with defensive "loophole" towers (built in the 1770s), as well as Bronze Age burial sites, and WW2 pillboxes, the layout is characterised by fast and firm fairways (very firm in summer months). Although the fairways might look generously wide from the tees, the wind may well bring a "narrowing" influence to bear.

This excellently maintained layout becomes more undulating as the round progresses, although any slopes are never too onerous to climb. Good-width fairways and light rough beyond, should inspire confidence from the tee, but stray too far offline, and gorse bushes and the like await. The layout's flatter front-nine gives way to a more undulating and interesting back-nine, played alongside L'Ancresse Bay.

As found on most classic links courses, neatly revetted bunkers guard several greens. Many others rely on the ground's natural contours and slick run-offs to test your short game skills around the greens.

Pick of the holes: the par-4 15th encapsulates the fun and scenery of playing the L'Ancresse Links. From a scenic elevated tee (also the case at 13, 16, and 18), you'll need to stay left of Loophole Tower No.6 to hit the opulently rolling fairway. Then left again of Tower No.7 as you play towards the lightly bunker defended green. The downhill closing par-3 18th, with bay views to left and right, may have you hitting anything from 9-iron to driver, depending on what the wind is up to!