Tiger Woods, Tides & Tournaments： The Story of Royal Porthcawl ｜ What The Golf

Rolling dunes, sea views, challenging greens and the home to one of Tiger Woods' most formative moments in golf. But this links course isn't in Scotland, it isn't even in Ireland or England. It's tucked away on the coast in one of the most rugged landscapes in Europe. This is What the Golf. In this episode we're taking a look at the fascinating history and rise of one of Wales' most magical courses, Royal Porthcawl. In a 1628 survey of Pembroke Manor it was called Porthcawl. Porth, the Welsh word for the harbour and cawl referring to the sea kale that grow along the shore. Located at the southern tip of Wales, sandwiched between the capital Cardiff and Swansea, Porthcawl's location means it can serve up some interesting playing conditions. I guess the big distinction about that part of Wales is that you have the Bristol Channel and the Bristol Channel will channel air up along it so it'll get winds that are quite strong when they come from the west simply because even though it might be not on the Atlantic coast and not directly on the Irish sea coast, the air will get channeled up the Bristol Channel itself. These interesting estuary conditions and the fact that the course runs very close to the water can lead to some funny instances. Take this photo from 2014 where a surging tide and storm system meant a 12 pound cod was washed right up onto the third fairway. But aside from these winter storms the location means generally favourable playing conditions for the fair-weather golfer. The Welsh location will get more sunshine, should be calmer and should experience more calm conditions during the summer months. As Gerald describes, that good weather in those summer months meant that the club and the town itself grew in the 20th century as a seaside tourist hotspot. But long before tourism came into the town it was a major centre for trade and is one of the reasons why a golf course appeared in the first place. The development of Porthcawl is intimately linked to the development of the coal industry in south Wales and so originally Porthcawl was a coal port for exporting coal and there was a railway line going from Maesteg and the Lindley Valley right the way to the pier which sticks out in Porthcawl. Quite soon after that they developed basically much more efficient exporting ports in Port Talbot and then in Barrie. So Porthcawl didn't really last as a coal port but it wasn't a disaster because what happened immediately was the town transitioned to becoming a seaside resort. And as local academic Daniel Evans describes, there was one recreation that captured the minds of those day trippers. There was two types of tourists really, there was the south Wales miners coming down on the train with their family and having picnics by the seaside and then you had the more affluent crowd coming from London and other parts of Wales who would go and play golf. In 1891, George Simpson, a wealthy Cardiff coal exporter and former Welsh rugby captain, stepped in and together with some friends at Cardiff Dock wanted to build south Wales's first golf course. After purchasing the hotel he sought permission from the lady of the manor, Mary Gordon, to lease the land on Lockscommon. By July of 1891 the course was cleared by which is still there today. From the outset, women were allowed to be full members which was pretty progressive at the time and a tradition that echoed on through the club's history. The original nine-hole course was laid down on Lockscommon by Charles Gibson, a professional at Westwood Hoe. By 1895 the club and course had grown in such popularity and further land was acquired across Scarecommon and on the Margam Estate from Henrietta Talbot, the wealthiest landowner in Glamorgan. But there was a problem. The course now stretched out so far along the estuary that the layout didn't really work. Club member Bob Edwards describes the situation that the club faced. They wondered what to do about the clubhouse, you know the clubhouse was so far away and there was discussion as to whether they ought to have a permanent structure. The problem was Henrietta wouldn't give them a long lease, so they dismantled the clubhouse, brought it down and placed it in this magnificent spot, one of the best spots any clubhouse could potentially be. And they extended it, extended it particularly to give the ladies more facilities and it's there now, it's still there. Initially a temporary structure, the clubhouse stands proud today constructed out of timber and what once seemed to be a practical decision has become one of Royal Porthcawl's most charming quirks. A cosy clubhouse with a backstory as unique as the course itself. The club hosted the Welsh Championships in 1907 and 1913. After its royal status was bestowed in 1909, the R&A paid the club a visit to assess its potential as a championship venue. But with the outbreak of World War I and later World War II, it wasn't until 1951 that the club held its first official championship. The amateur golf championship played over the links of Royal Porthcawl is of course a very serious business. In the post-war years, the club became a highly used venue for amateur golf, hosting seven amateur championships. The pick of those surely being Sir Michael Bernalek's stunning victory coming from behind to beat Clive Clark in 1965. Bernalek must have felt fate was on his side when he dropped the jackpot on the clubhouse slot machine during lunch on the final day and later went on to win. In 1995, the club hosted the premier amateurs men competition, the Walker Cup and welcomed a young US prospect about to burst onto the scene. A wonderful player to watch. You get on the practice ground and I have watched him on many occasions. Beautiful stillness in the wrists in the backswing. Tremendous amount of legwork. You watch the speed he accelerates through here. Don't you see that? And that really is some swing. It's a swing I think we will enjoy for many years to come. Tiger's first competitive event on a Lynx course would end in defeat on the 18th in a singles match against Gary Wolstenholme. But a love for Lynx golf arguably started in the wind and rain of wheels for young Tiger. If you want to see more of young Tiger and maybe even win a chance to play the course yourself then you need to check out OneClub. OneClub is a free membership website giving golf fans access to an incredible amount of stuff. It's the only place to get tickets for major championships, get free tea times at the world's best courses, equipment giveaways and access to R&A TV which has a whole host of original documentaries and live streams. If you're a fan of all things golf make OneClub your next destination. Back to Porthcawl and the building situated closest to the golf course that have an interesting history. James Lewis had the idea of a recovery centre for those same industrial workers and miners who first played at the club in the early 1900s who were in need of some serious downtime. During this period James Lewis's wife Charlotte Lewis actually writes a letter to Florence Nightingale and says we're thinking of developing a convalescent home and she gets a letter back from Florence Nightingale who gives her advice on how to set it all up. And long story short a site is chosen right next to the the Royal Porthcawl and a magnificent period house is built over a period of 20 years in the late 19th century. The rest continued to be a convalescence home until it was decommissioned and redeveloped as apartments but its original impressive period features can still be seen today. These buildings offer the same rest and recovery to its golfing patrons today as they did over 100 years ago just as Florence Nightingale envisioned. On the topic of famous locals author R.D Blackmore, one of Britain's literary legends, actually grew up on a farm called Scare which is now where the centre of the golf course lies. Blackmore loved the place so much he wrote a novel, The Maid of Scare, about it. Today Porthcawl's entertainment legacy continues with a rather unexpected event. So hello everybody my name is Blue Angel and I am the winner of the Porthcawl This is Blue Angel, the 2024 winner of, yes you heard it correctly, the largest Elvis impersonation contest in the world. By the end of September lots of Elvis Presley fans go to Wales exactly in Porthcawl. They go there to gather and celebrate the life and legacy of the King of Rock and Roll. But surely the most entertaining thing that will come to the town and the club itself is the arrival of the 2025 AIG Women's Open which marks another important chapter in the women's game at the club as former club captain Jackie McKay explains. My becoming club captain was a milestone but I think there were lots of things leading up to that. We've had things like the 2010 Equality Act and then the way that we've looked at structure where the women have a place on the management committee and the captain's committee. We hosted the ladies amateur championships and fundamentally you know Porthcawl stands on land which was granted the permission to build the courses was as a result of women and that whole spirit has always been very much about a strong small women's group and really the opportunity to host more women's golf would be a fantastic opportunity. Through its history the club has been evolving at the forefront of equal golf for all from the miners and women who were given the chance to play at the course in the early days to the world's best men and women that continue to grace the spectacular fairways to this day. Porthcawl is a true gem in Welsh golf.