The club was formed by the golfers who belonged to Newton Nottage Golf Club, it was founded in 1919, and established amongst the sand dunes. The course became unplayable, history does not tell us exactly why this was the case, but they approached the Trustees of the Borough of Kenfig for permission to lay out a golf course on Waun y Mer common. Eventually a lease was granted, and the club was inaugurated in 1922. The committee appointed a Devonian as professional, one Mr W B Lewis, described as a good all rounder, who has also served at Newton Nottage.

The course opened on the 29th July 1922, the day was celebrated by an exhibition match played between two Welsh Amateur Champions, H R Howell of Pennard, and John Duncan versus the club professional W B Lewis and one of the stars of the era, Percy Allis (the father of Peter Allis). At the luncheon, Mr T C Graham the Captain of Royal Porthcawl presented a Matchplay trophy to the club. It is the oldest trophy in the cabinet and still fiercely contested to day.

The first layout was a nine hole course some holes of which are largely unchanged today, but in 1925 it was extended to 18 holes, a trend that was happening throughout the country. Many excellent nine hole course were changed into inferior eighteen holes, this was certainly not true of P&K

Two of the best known golfers of the day, Open Champion George Duncan and Arthur Havers played the course and expressed their approval of the new design.. It was a course that was very different to that of today. The road which now divides the front and back nines did not exist then. In November of that same year came the first setback, the clubhouse caught fire and was totally destroyed. Within weeks a Limited Company had been formed and capital of £ 500 was raised.

With the funds the members managed to construct a new building that opened in less than a year. The first full time Secretary was appointed in 1929, at the handsome salary of £

100 per annum, and the appointee, Captain Ridgeway remained in the post until 1935.

This was a club which was embellished with loyalty from it?s employees. Few clubs are able to boast that they would have only three professionals and three Head Greenkeepers in the first 75 years of their existence.

The coming of the war was soon to change things at P&K, in 1939 the land was commandeered for the new road. The conflict saw the land in use by the military, and when the hostilities finally ceased, it was restored and compensation finally paid for the damage sustained.

The money was used to employ the services of P Mackenzie Ross, he designed the current back nine holes, they ran through the duneland of Kenfig which he described as 'a veritable golfers paradise'.

The new nine holes were finally completed in 1947. The record shows that James Braid was the first asked to do the design, but he was too busy to accept the brief. The final changes came with the assistance of the members, the Club Champion, P W Evans in particular. The result was the course that exists today.

In the period following the war, the club suffered severe financial hardship, the committee of the day took the very prudent view that the clubhouse should be designed so that in the event of financial failure, it could be easily converted into houses, and so sold to realise funds. A situation that fortunately never came to pass.

The quality of this wonderful course has been recognised by the governing bodies of the game at all levels. They have selected the course for regional and national championships, and as a qualifying course for the British Amateur and the Home International series. Such a quality course inevitable spawns good players, and one of the more recent successes was in 1996, when the club won the Welsh Club Championship. The reward was to represent Wales in the European Club Championships at Vilamoura.

The Allis connection was to rise again in 1968, this time Peter Allis was joined by Dai Rees, Dave Thomas and Ken Bousfield in an exhibition match in aid of charity.

With such a rich history, and the dedication of countless members over the years, it is not surprising that we are able to enjoy the wonderful links that challenge the golfer today.

The Continuing Lure of the Links

Pyle & Kenfig is a classic traditional links course, but unlike many of it's fellows, it is not and out and back, but two distinct loops of nine holes, the second of which run out into the Kenfig dunes and are considered the more difficult of the two.

The two loops lie each side of the road which bisects the course, the front nine is Harry Colt?s creation, and is more akin to rolling downland, lying that little further from the sea. It is the shorter half, but has two of the three par 5's on the layout. As in the majority of Colt designs, the bunkering is very significant, the two par 3's, both have five and six bunkers encircling the greens and have elevated surfaces.

They are separated by the par 5 running to the boundary of the course, characterised by the echelon fairway bunkers. The view westwards from the 5th hole is the vista of the Margam Steelworks at Port Talbot, a far cry from the sea and sand dunes across the road to the south. The finishing stretch of the outward half is sporting, two fours which offer the chance of recovering shots lost, then a long hole back toward the clubhouse, three pars would be an excellent result.

Across the road to the back nine, and the most spectacular and demanding holes. The loop runs clockwise, out to the dunes and the sea and back home. The land is designated as an area of special scientific interest, and a European conservation area, due to the presence of rare wild orchids.

After a gentle introduction, the 11th is a dogleg par 5, rising to an elevated green, which is bunkered front and side. This hole demands three of the best for par. Both of the short holes on the back have very demanding tee shots, severe rough and vegetation then sand guarding the greens, they are considered the signature holes, however, my choice would be the two holes described next.

The two holes in between are really wonderful holes of similar length, both are doglegs to the right with the need for a precision drive, but very different greens. The 13th is a natural hollow, protected by dunes, the 14th an elevated punchbowl protected by dunes along the right of the fairway. Two holes to remember, one with the prevailing wind, the other against.

The views from the 13th and 14th tees are amazing, a panoramic view of the Bristol Channel, the Gower Peninsula, Sker Farm, and the backdrop of the Welsh Mountains. The finishing stretch is the toughest part of the loop, three par fours, all over 400 yards, very demanding drives to narrow fairways and far from large greens at the end of them.

A great way to end the round, and one which has tested every single club in the bag, and some, too many times for comfort. Miss the greens and it is tough to get down in two. The greens are superb, and there is no excuse for poor putting here, once the pace has been ingrained, the rewards are available. It is hard to imagine the sort of golf played when the course records were made, Richard Finch holds the professional mark with 61, and the amateur belongs to Ian Booth with 66.

The greens staff are currently led by Paul Johnson, who is acting head while Ray Hunt is absent ill, the team are doing a first class job, the condition of the course was magnificent, and the greens a delight to putt on.

There have been changes at the club in the recent month, David Fellowes, who has been Secretary for a number of years, has retired early, due to declining health, his successor has yet to be appointed. His assistant Beverley Cronin is holding the fort in the interim.

P&K is a private members club, there are over 900 members, there is a very appropriate quotation on the website, it reads 'to play a great course is always a challenge. To play one regularly is a sought after privilege'.

Fair words indeed.

Robert Evans is the club professional, he has been at the club for over twenty five years, a committed member of the very friendly and welcoming team at P&K.

There are few areas of true linksland around the shore of the United Kingdom, but the club has had the foresight to join with other clubs in the area to offer two marvellous opportunities to play a cluster of such challenges. Championship Links Breaks offers golf at P&K, Machynys Peninsula and Ashburnam. While the second grouping called Prestige Links comprises Royal Porthcawl, P&K and Southerndown.

Such arrangements enable golfers to have the luxury of organised teetimes, first class accommodation, and a veritable feast of wonderful golf. Both available on the internet or with one telephone call, an opportunity too good to be missed.

If you are planning a trip, then either combination is a golfing delight, two and a half hours from Birmingham and three hours from London and the South Coast. You are assured of a friendly welcome at each and every club.

Contact details:

Club: www.pandkgolfclub.co.uk

Tel: 01656 771613 or 01656 783093

Fax: 01656 772822

Championship Links: www.southwaleslinksgolf.comTel: 01637 879991

Prestige Links: www.prestigelinkscollection.com

Tel: 0845 222 0340 Overseas tel: +44 1639 816136