St. Mellion Golf Club is one of the South West’s standout golf destinations, offering 36 holes across the Nicklaus Signature Course and Kernow Resort Course in the rolling countryside of East Cornwall. The two layouts provide noticeably different tests, making the estate particularly well suited to multi-round golf breaks where players can experience genuine variety without leaving the resort.

The headline attraction is the Nicklaus Signature Course, the first European course personally designed by Jack Nicklaus. Opened for play in 1988, the par-72 layout currently measures 6,284 yards and combines dramatic elevation changes with strategically positioned bunkers, water hazards and demanding approaches. Its celebrated 10th, 11th and 12th holes form Nicklaus’s own version of ‘Amen Corner’, with the par-three 11th among the course’s signature challenges.

St. Mellion also carries serious tournament pedigree. The Nicklaus has hosted the Benson & Hedges International Open, English Seniors Open, English Amateur Championship, Ladies British Open and British Challenge, with European Tour golf returning to the estate in 2022 and 2023. Players including Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and José María Olazábal feature in the venue’s wider competitive history.

The Kernow Resort Course provides an excellent contrast. Originally opened in 1976 and substantially updated in 2010, this par-70, 5,309-yard layout features broader fairways and larger greens, while water hazards and carefully framed holes ensure it remains an interesting strategic test rather than simply an easier second course.

Practice infrastructure includes an all-grass driving range with winter mats and covered bays, a dedicated short-game area with practice bunkers and two putting greens positioned beside the courses’ first tees.

With two championship courses, extensive practice facilities and accommodation directly on the estate, St. Mellion is an outstanding base for a Cornwall golf break, particularly for golfers wanting both championship pedigree and several rounds in one location.