1913 – Herbert Fowler
A special spot in Anglesey and the most Northerly point of golfing in Wales. A Herbert Fowler design, Bull Bay is set on a hillside on natural links land, a truly stunning golfing arena overlooking the Irish Sea.
Take the A55 all the way into Anglesey, after the Britannia Bridge follow the A5025 for approximately 15 miles, through the town of Amlwch, the club is one mile further on the left.
Bull Bay is not likely to stretch anyone’s boredom factor, there’s no issue with that as you are faced with 18 holes full of character and rugged coastline beauty. Raised tees afford stunning views of the bay as well as catching stiff breezes as you aim into the distance across expanses of gorse and heather towards often hidden valley floors and exposed plateaux between rocky outcrops.
There’s a few blind shots out there that will have you reaching for the yardage book, in certain spots, never has one been more useful. Many elevated greens too with natural bumps and mounds surrounding them to encourage a bit of creativity, the imaginative design sees you in spots and playing shots that you won’t normally come across playing parkland courses back in the Midlands. An extra splendid quirk? There are practically no bunkers here – as you’ll soon find out – they don’t really need any!
Bull Bay’s putting surfaces are consistently smooth running, ranging in size and contouring. A vital extra benefit is the natural sandy base, giving a guarantee of quality year round play at a course always well maintained.
The unmistakable signature hole is your final one. Get your camera at the ready because the view ahead of you (shown in the top two images) is quite breathtaking especially from the back tees which leave you with a 446 yard challenge. There’s a bit of a carry across the banks of gorse and rough but conquer that and the fast running fairway runs downhill so a straight one could leave you with less yardage than you might have anticipated for your approach to the green sitting underneath the clubhouse balcony. A truly inspiring finishing hole.
MG Pick 9th 347 Yards Par 4
This is more typical of the lay out, the drive is across rocks and heather to a deep valley that cuts diagonally across the fairway. Then a short iron approach to a green way above you that features a very sloping putting surface, you don’t want a downhill putt here!
19th Hole
Only constructed in 1994 the clubhouse has a modern feel in a traditional setting, main bar, restaurant and sportsman’s lounge offer seating and scope for all occasions, all looking out onto the bay below.
MG View
We’ve been visiting this beautiful spot ever since our first year of magazines as Staffordshire Golfer back in 2009. It never fails to charm and serve up a different challenge each time. As long as you are prepared and ready to accept the challenge set by the often fluctuating weather conditions, distance should never be a barrier when considering a visit to this special location. The wonderful mixture of a beautiful seaside setting and an intoxicating golfing challenge make it more than worth a little extra mileage.
