Golf continues to be one of the favourite sports for Sussex men and women, and within easy access are some of the finest courses in the country, dotted around some idyllic spots.England’s Atlantic Links, a collection of the five premier links
golf clubs in the South West of England, has established itself as one of the
most prestigious golf destinations in the United Kingdom.

The reputation of this previously-undiscovered cluster of golfing gems has been
further enhanced through the continued inclusion of Atlantic Links courses in
recognized course ratings compiled by top golf publications and through the
hosting of a number of top amateur championships over the last couple of years.

The inclusion of all six Atlantic Links courses in the
UK’s Golf World magazine’s latest rankings for the Top 100 Golf Courses in
England has reinforced the links cluster as one of the highest quality golfing
destinations in the country.

St Enodoc Golf Club’s Church Course in Cornwall was included in the “100 Best
Courses outside the USA” at number 55 in the American Golf Digest in 2009.

Testament to the quality of the links, these courses have been honoured with the hosting
of many top amateur championships. For example, Burnham & Berrow Golf Club in
Somerset hosted the R&A Boys Championship and The Brabazon Trophy (English Men’s Open Amateur
Stroke Play Championship) - for the fifth time – in 2011 and in doing so entered
golfing history by becoming the first course to hold both championships in the same year.
Meanwhile in 2008 it was the turn of Trevose Golf & Country Club in Cornwall
to stage The Brabazon Trophy.

Together these legendary, award-winning championship courses have firmly established
themselves on the golfing map as a tantalizing trail of ancient links golf set
amid the wild and dramatic Atlantic coastline of South West England.

“By packaging the five premier links clubs in South West England into England’s
Atlantic Links, we have created a genuine alternative golf links tour to the high
profile destinations of Scotland and Ireland,” comments Michael Blight, Managing
Secretary of Burnham & Berrow Golf Club.

“In the three years or so since we established the offering, we have attracted a
great many visitors from Europe and the US who have been both surprised and
delighted to discover this relatively-unknown group of glorious links courses
that had been overshadowed by the Scottish and Irish links for far too long.

“Meanwhile each course in its own individual right continues to receive
plaudits from the world of golf and to be awarded the honour of hosting top amateur
championships which have further enhanced the growing reputation of the
Atlantic Links as one of the UK’s most prestigious golfing destinations.”

In addition, England’s Atlantic Links’ courses boast the combined appeal
of history, tradition and variety which is complemented by numerous off-course
attractions along the Atlantic coastline.

England’s South West is bursting with attractions including pretty
coastal towns like  Clovelly and Ilfracombe
in Devon whilst bustling market towns such as Wadebridge and Barnstaple and
charming fishing villages like Port Isaac, Rock and Padstow can be found along
the north Cornish coast. Further up the coast, historic towns like
Weston-super-Mare and the spa town of Bath, near Burnham & Berrow, are
ideal destinations to round off a golfing adventure.

The region’s rich culture features the inimitable Barbara Hepworth
Museum and Tate St Ives, displaying the very best in modern and local art, the
renown Eden Project and fascinating Lost Gardens of Heligan whilst outdoor
activities such as surfing around Newquay and walking and horse riding in
Exmoor National Park are as good as anywhere in the British Isles.

The gastronomic delights of the South West are not to be missed either,
from the exceptional Padstow seafood restaurants of famous local chef Rick
Stein and a variety of other Michelin-starred restaurants, to real English ale
and authentic pub grub in an abundance of traditional country pubs.