St. Mellion Hotel, Golf and Country Club

Wow!! What a golf course!
Played this recently and it is far and away the most challenging course I have ever played. You have to think clearly about EVERY shot, a half hearted effort just won't do and prob result in a lost ball. The course was in impeccable condition, slick greens, tight fairways and tough rough. All bunkers (which is a bug bear of mine were consistent) too. Can't fault it.
Not a course for the feint hearted, if you're having a bad day, it'll eat you alive and cost you a fortune in balls.
Very friendly people about too.
Shame they've just built an ugly new clubhouse that looks like a 60s prefab crossed with an office block and a hint of university residence to boot.
Can't wait to go back!

Having played the course in 1998 with a large society, four of us decided to make a return trip from Essex in May 2010 to see whether this course really was the challenge that we remembered. It was, and more ! We struggled to find a weak hole, and the condition was first class. All of the par 5's were genuine 3 shot holes, and this off of the yellow tees. Virtually every hole offered great risk reward options. Our handicaps were 7,8,9 and 11, and over 2 rounds, and with perfect weather, none of us scored better than 33 points, with mid high 20's the norm.
In summary this is a fantastic course that requires that you bring your 'A' game, and challenges your course management as well as your shot making. I would recommend it to anyone.

day 2 of the tour 14th sept 2009
this place looks the part from when you enter the place,and it didnt dissapoint either, everyhole was a strong hole,alot of lateral water hazards down 1 side the other side high bankings what your ball liked to stop up on,course planner is a must or you do what i did and take driver off the 1st and lose your ball,2nd hole good par 5, 3rd another strong hole,5th big carry over water off the tee,and it dont get much easier from there in ,back 9 starts with great down hill tee shot,11th par3 over water,12th tough driving hole par5, if i was to be critical i would say off yellows the par3s werent over tough,and theres alot tougher holes than then stroke 1,our group found it tough fat tiger was winner with 34 points,nearest to him 29, then dropped away to low 20s with charlie boy on 18points, a must play really,green fast and true place is quailty

I have just returned from a 3 day break at St Mellion, playing the Nicklaus course each day. Whilst the course was very wet and the weather windy and rainy it is the best and hardest course I have played - now I can not wait to go back with better weather hopefully.
The view from the first tee was a little disappointing as you can not see much of the fairway which drops down and round to the right. However once you get to the crest and can see the rest of the hole in front of you it just gets better and better.
Anyone trying hard can rack up a big score as any wayward shots are punished, but relax enjoy the views swing easy and it will be one of, if not the best rounds you will ever play.

Played there in May o5 and it must be the hardest track in the country. Never been on a golf course where every shot is a dilemma. My buggies brakes failed on the 4th and ended up down a ditch. All i got from the green staff were comments about having good insurance, but no "Are you ok Sir?". I decided not to take another buggy as i was a bit shaken, so decided to walk the rest which was hard but rewarding. Each hole had signitures of great golf courses. The turn is fantastic but as tough as golf can get. I gave it a good go and drove like a god but still lost 8 balls. The greens were woolly but i still had a great day. Sometimes you have to forget whats going on around you and just enjoy.

When I played here in June 2004 the wind and rain made the course almost impossible to play and left me somewhat disappointed.
There were no problems with the weather when I returned a couple of weeks ago though and the course was in fantastic condition.
First up was the Old course, a relatively short course with undulating greens, pin placement made the course particularly tricky as there was a competition on later in the day. Memorable holes were the 12th, a par 3 over a deep ravine/pond and the 15th a short dog leg par 5 with a small stream in front of the green. Fairways were good and the rough not too testing but tough on wayward shots.
I only lost one ball on the old course so had a good stock still available for the Nicklaus!
The first hole of the Nicklaus lulls you into a false sense of security with a generous fairway, although there is rough down the right.
From then on anything remotely offline is punished, every hole is memorable for one reason or another, but the 5th, a carry over water to fairway and then again to green and holes 11, 12, and 13 stand out.
The staff are very friendly, facilities are good and fees good value for what you get.
Unless you are a low handicapper or on top of your game I would advise that you just relax and enjoy this lovely course.

played the course back in november and nothing before or since will live upto this remarkable course. Jack Nicholas is master of golf course design, The course is made up of holes that would be a stroke index hole on any other course.To sum this course up into a few words must be " everybody who plays golf must play this course aleast once in their lifetime "

Played this course twice in June 05. Really tough - anywhere near your handicap is a great performance. Course in great nick and on 2 fore 1 vouchers is unbeliavable value for money. Golf World slated this track in their special Nicklaus edition - no idea why. It is a terrific course with the 2nd/5th being standout holes on the front 9. On the back 9 the 11th is Nicklaus' attempt at recreating the 12th at Augusta (delightful) and the 12th offers a "do or die" approach to a relatively long par 5 that the big boys will definitely go for. The 18th to finish is also a tough par 4 where a bogey is probably a decent score.

My girlfriend (non-golfer) and I (18-handicap) stayed the night here in mid-August - we chose St Mellion as there was something for both of us to do.
The golf? I played the Old Course on the afternoon we arrived, and thought it was OK. Best holes were 12th (excellent par 3 over water, like Woburn Duke Course's 3rd) and 15th (par 5 dogleg). The layout is odd, with the 17th green in front of the club-house, and the 18th heading out again, leaving an unnecessary walk back to the clubhouse.
I was due to play the Nicholas course the next morning, but it was raining heavily, and decided to give it a miss, as, from what I could see from the Old Course (the two courses kind of intertwine a little...) it didn't look like an absolute must-play.
Overall - not bad at all, but I have played loads better.
Golf aside, I think we were both a little disappointed - and, without wishing to sound snobby, maybe expected a little more refinement given the prices.
Our room (in the main hotel's annexe) had the ambience of a student residence, while the restaurant(s) had a feel somewhat akin to a (large) early 1990s B&B (i.e. pastel bland).
We were also disappointed it was an extra fiver to use the gym (we declined to pay).

Without a doubt on of the best courses i have ever played. The tight fairways and guarded greens provided a real challenging yet rewarding round of golf. I shot a 73 off a 6 handicap with a birdie at 5! Overall i loved the day and will definetley be returing in the near future.

Awesome! Simply awesome!
I've just got back from playing 36 holes in one day on the Nicklaus course where we had a fantastic time. My friends had played there before and talked up the quality of the course quite a bit on the route there and the course did not disappoint. It was in perfect condition with the fairways and greens spot on. The landscape and sculpting of the holes is a sight that I have not seen before in this country and I hadn't even seen it on television so I was staggered by it's beauty.
A true beast of a course as we opted to play on the middle tees (whites) only to find that the majority of them were in the blue tee position making the course over 7000 yards! That said, all 18 holes were immacculate and memorable in particular the 11th, 12th and my favourite the 5th. Sheer golfing perfection!!

Just back from a weekend at St Mellion, and what a fantastic course!! We stayed in Lodge 28 which was located on the 15th green (old course)....very convenient. Arrived on the Friday to be told the Nicklaus course was closed because of frost (8'C outside???), so we played the Old Course. I'm an 18 hcpper, but started birdie, par, birdie, birdie....so immediately fell in love with the course! Althouhg it was shorter than my home course (The Warwickshire), it was well laid out and in good condition, with some tricky holes. The wind also played it's part!
We then played the Nicklaus course on the Saturday (which was now open)......WOW! Although I managed a 79 the previous day, i struggled on what was a v.difficult course. With the wind again in full flow, St Mellion showed why it has hosted many PGA tournamnets over the years. Probably the best course I have ever played, and i'll return in the summer to play again when the course is playing it's full yardage. Contact the golf hotline (see website) before you visit, to ensure the course is actually open!

Staff were very helpful & accomodating, don't take a buggy if you can help it, you will end up walking more than you think as your not aloud on the fairways with them, so club selection is atiresom process. Course was in good condition, though the greens were a little patchy in places. Most difficult course I've played on & will come back to tackle it again when my game improves. Was it value for money - Yes with discount vouchers, No without..

I've just come back from St. Mellion having visited it for the first time in about 6 years and the courses were in very good condition (especially with the number of people who seem to now play them...it seems to have got very popular). Anyway, I digress....I arrived early and managed to go out on the old course as a single....managed a par on the first. Then things got a little interesting.....lost a couple of balls and shot 47 for the first 9 which wasn't very good. Things started to improve and managed a 37 for second 9 which included a 6 on par 3 12th!...happy with an 84!
I then played the Nicklaus course the following morning in a 3 ball...managed to walk round in just over 4 hours which was very good. Course as good as I remembered but with 1 lost ball and a couple of balls into the water i still managed a 92 which was only 2 over handicap! The course will happily gobble up any loose shots and make you pay for it..have to be on the top of your game for whole 18 holes. The greens were quicker on the old course than the Nicklaus course but as I said..still very good condition..especially as so late in the season (16/17 Sept).
Although I enjoyed the golf, the hotel accomodation left a little to be desired especially with all the noise of banging doors late at night. I would suggest that anybody wanting to stay book into one of the lodges instead as it would be a lot quieter (although there is either a 5 minute drive or 20 minute walk back from the golfing bar late at night!)
Go and enjoy the course and test yourself against one of the best there is!

I played this course on the 7th of July and play of a handicap of 24. A really tough course but the best I have played so far and will be sure to visit there again.The staff were very friendly and helpful.After shooting a 94 on this course and coming back home i now find our local courses far easier to play and expect my handicap to to come down now.

International / Nicklaus Course.
Well I play off 10 so think Im sort of ok at the game but, wow, this is a toghie. Dont take this course seriously, if you do you will end up snapping clubs! Just relax, enjoy the environment and be amazed that the pros can knock it round here at something near to par. The day I played it the sun was shinning and the wind was not blowing so I was lucky! Opening hole, par - whats all the fuss about? Condition was good despite the traffic it must endure (at £32 a round this is amazing good value) - sorry, I digress. Beyond the 1st (which frankly is not an easy opening hole) the fun really starts! The 3rd is hillarious!! Stand on the tee and tremble - sensible thing to do is pull out a 5 iron but, hey, thats boring! I think on the 3rd or was it my 4th atempt I found that 2 meter wide strip of landing mascarading as a fairway with my driver. Card in tatters, might as well just enjoy the experience....which i did hugely. Some very memorable holes - shame the finish is a bit tame - just a great experience and one that can be joked about and discussed extensively afterwards in the bar. We stayed on site (Nicklaus Barn) whch was also good if a little bit tired. Only negative was watching Man Utd win a champions league game on the telly in the bar in the evening (even worse I was with a Man U fan (yes, a southerner)) but I guess I cant hold that against the club, can I?

We played in the summer. The 5th is probably one of the best holes - 185 yard carry across water. My advice to high handicappers like myself is wait until you've improved before attempting the Nicklaus. This course is tough and for the faint hearted it could seriously damage ones confidence. Having said that I'm looking forward to going back. Glutton for punishment ?

I have just returned from a fabulous weekend of golf at St Mellion. We played the Nicklaus course Saturday afternoon, the Old Course Sunday morning and the Nicklaus course again Sunday afternoon,which was pretty daunting for mid to high handicappers. Structurally fantastic, though I was a little disappointed with the condition of the course. The fairways had been scraped and were somewhat bare and the greens were so hard that they did not reward good shots. Even approaching from 100 yds with a short iron, the ball would pitch on the green and roll through - very frustrating. I have played other courses where the greens are fast, but receptive - not here. On the whole, a very enjoyable weekend and I would certainly recommend a visit. The Nicklaus course is nothing like any other course I have played, it consumes golf balls (and I'm told when we played the rough was cut right down!) Very hilly, plenty of water and trees - a perfect combination.

The Old Course at St Mellion is definitely now the poor relation of the daunting and famed challenge of its younger brother, the Nicklaus, that today dominates this resort.
Having said that, it’s still an interesting course to play, especially if you need to warm up for Big Jack’s monster, or perhaps if your game isn’t on top form and you need a more moderate challenge. Don’t take a good score for granted though – in it’s day, the Old hosted a range of prestigious tournaments, including the Benson & Hedges International Open and the British Ladies Open Championship.
Being much less enclosed than the Nicklaus, the Old has far more of a parkland feel. It’s short at 5,782 yards even off the whites but there are a number of holes to keep you on your toes.
The best of these are the 470 yard Par 4 third (nothing less than two top-drawer hits is good enough here); the superb downhill 240 yard Par 4 tenth, where you can opt to take on the water and drive the green or lay up short and get on in regulation; the Par 3 twelfth over a daunting lake; and the 18th – a 456 yard dogleg Par 4 where you will do very well to make par.
If you’ve only got time for one round then play the Nicklaus. If, however, you’re there for the day then the Old Course is an experience well worth enjoying too.
6.5/10
Young P

I am currently playing off 24. I found the Nicklaus course both physically and mentally challenging. I also found it to be probably my most enjoyable experience on a golf course. The secret for mid to high handicaps is to play the course sensibly. You have to think about every single shot. Keep the driver in the bag or better still in the car. Concentrate on hitting straight and accurate and always look for your next shot. Wide shots are not punished in the same way as a couple of years ago and balls can usually be found. Be aware of long hitting low handicaps and be courteous. Probably best to play with a member who can advise best positions, it helps. Go with a positive attitude and enjoy the experience. Take plenty of balls just incase, I only lost three. Thanks to St Mellion for the normal warm and friendly welcome.

I really enjoyed the Nicklaus course at St Mellion, level par after 2 holes with a bogey and a birdie thinking whats all the fuss about, this isn't as hard as everyone makes out and to be honest it isn't. Keep it straight of the tees and longish and it's a decent test of golf, if you play well you'll score well, simple as that. 5 hours after we started we were on the 18th fairway, that's the only criticism but that isn't the courses fault, it's the hackers playing the course that perhaps shouldn't be. 86 off a handicap of 8 wasn't bad first time around and I left plenty out there. Best holes - 6 was a good test, driver, 4 iron to a smallish green and the 18th is a lovely finishing hole, 3 wood, 7 iron to a two tier green with a lake to your left, very good. I felt a little bit let down by it all really, it wasn't that hard but I really enjoyed the day and would definitely go back soon. A tip - if you like St Mellion go to Burnham & Berrow, you stand on every tee there thinking wow, this can't get any better, but it does.

As Helen from Big Brother would say, "OH MY GOOOOOOOOD!!!!"
Which is doubly appropriate insofar as one would imagine that God must have had some influence on this majestic but fiercely tough course. I was interested to read that the Nicklaus Course was built on land that was considered too forbidding for golf when the Old Course was initially constructed. That explains a lot!
In my humble opinion nearly all of the holes are great but the following deserve special mention: the third is a medium to short par 4 but the view down the right will give you vertigo when you stand on the tee! Stick your ball down there and you've had it. The plethora of bunkers around the green are very tricky as well.
I've never seen a hole like the fifth before in my life and I hope I never do again! Well maybe I don't because it is one of those holes you will /never/ forget. A 150-yard drive (off the middle tees) over a lake to a narrow corner of fairway doglegging left is followed by a devilish pitch to a green fronted by a pond and ringed on the left hand side by a stream. Simply awesome.
The ninth is a dogleg right where the twenty foot-high humps on either side create a natural amphitheatre for the fairway. Where were the crowds sitting atop them when I was playing this hole?!?
The eleventh is a beautiful 145 yard par 3 from an elevated tee down to a green fronted by more water. It's probably the nearest you'll get to the twelfth at Augusta anywhere in the UK.
But the twelfth at the St Mellion Nicklaus Course isn't bad either! A slither of fairway slices down a narrow tree-lined valley on this demanding 515 yard par 5.
The sixteenth is another 500+ yard par 5 with a view that is just amazing. Don't forget about the golf, though, because there's plenty of dangers waiting to catch you out!
The seventeenth isn't the most beautiful hole on the course but is certainly one of the most challenging. A long 419-yard par 4 (and the 18th is a 431-yard par 4!), you have to drive over a huge tree 200 yards out that sits in the middle of the fairway then hit a great approach shot onto the green.
Quite simply the Nicklaus Course is hardcore golf but it's wonderful. If you are at all serious about the game then make sure you play it.
9/10
Young P

Besides Jack's (tough, phew!) brilliant course it has fantastic facilities you just don't get at other clubs. My wife hates golf but loved this place and its swimming pools, manicures etc - and it caters for children. I look forward to returning!

What can you say about Jack's course? It's tough!
I play of a respectable H/cap & stuggled somewhat. I had 17 stableford points. Well, one hole was closed for drainage work.