the more you look, the greater the surprise
So what's it all about? Quite simply, "Golf as it should be" is what the true game is all about - challenge and conviviality, achievement and enjoyment, good competition and great fun. It sums up the unique nature of the golf on offer in Wales. It comes as a breath of fresh air to discover that it's an unhurried game, played on friendly, welcoming courses that are a match for anything you'll find elsewhere.

"Golf as it should be" means playing the game at your own pace on courses with readily available tee times and few follow-throughs. It's all about welcoming clubhouses, pro shops that appreciate your presence and people who really know how to look after you.

But the best news of all is that this attractive attitude to the game doesn't come with any penalties. You'll sacrifice nothing in quality, for Welsh courses rate amongst the best in the world. Respected golf journalists, genuinely surprised by what they find in Wales, make comparisons to Pebble Beach, Old Head and Royal St Georges. Then there are the hidden gems that you hope will always stay that way. And throughout, you'll play against a stunning backdrop of sea and mountain, hill and vale, for Wales is a country rich in natural beauty as well as great golf.

There's another plus-point too - it doesn't come at a price. Reasonable, realistic costs and great value for money are other things you're guaranteed to love about golf in Wales.

Golf in Wales has come a long way in a very short time. From "best-kept secret" it has emerged onto the world stage. A lot of the credit has to go to the fact that the 2010 Ryder Cup is on its way to Wales. Everyone has suddenly woken up to the untapped wealth of golf you can play here on around 200 courses, varying from world-class championship links to hilly nine-hole delights.

The choice on offer represents a rare combination of quality and quantity. You can play at Royal Porthcawl and Royal St David's, Harlech, two outstanding links courses. Or enjoy the laid-back charms of courses like clifftop Cardigan or Cradoc in the green heart of the Brecon Beacons.

The more you look, the greater the surprise. Aberdovey is a classic links course - Bernard Darwin, Golf's first literary giant, said it was the course his soul loved best. The Rolls of Monmouth is aptly named, such is the quality of the golf at this historic parkland course with Rolls-Royce connections. Machynys Peninsula, a stunning newcomer near Llanelli, boasts a Nicklaus-designed course. And breathtaking Nefyn and District, which has been likened to playing off the deck of a battleship, is a course once played, never forgotten.

These are just a few snapshots from the "Golf as it should be" album. Wales has links golf at its finest, courses soaked in history and fairways in the shadow of ancient castles. It's also home to some of the best contemporary golf on the planet - play the amazing, multi-million pound Celtic Manor Resort, venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup, if you need convincing.

And it's all so welcoming and friendly. There's nothing remotely pompous or precious about the game as it is played - and hugely enjoyed - here. Wales is an unstuffy kind of place. We don't stand on ceremony. These refreshing qualities shine through in our golf.

Another attraction is Wales's ease of access. You can be teeing off in less than two hours from the South West. And our increasing numbers of overseas guests are surprised by how quickly they can be off the plane and onto the greens, with the major London airports only a few hours away as well as direct flights into Cardiff International Airport.

To cap it all, you'll also benefit from reasonable green fees and first-class accommodation that's much easier on the pocket than elsewhere. Golf as it should be? It's golf as you like it.


it;s a woman's game

Don't think for a moment that golf is exclusively a man's game. We in Wales woke up to the fact many years ago that men and women enjoy golf equally. What's more, we've gone out of our way to make sure that there's an enthusiastic - and equal - welcome for all.

teeing off with a feminine touch
When it comes to women-friendly golf, the rest of the UK is playing catch up to Wales. It's no coincidence that we host one of the biggest tournaments on the professional Ladies European Tour - the Wales Ladies Championship of Europe, played in August and attracting the world's leading female golfers.

It's part of the positive attitude we take to women's golf. We make a special effort to encourage more female players - there's a thriving ladies' golf tutoring scene here, for example, with dedicated training sessions for beginners and experts alike.

The golf itself can be as challenging, competitive or comfortable as you want to make it. The country is dotted with a mix of scenic nine-holers and demanding championship courses to suit all. And even when the going gets tough, our motorised courses and immaculately groomed fairways help ease the strain. So if you're planning a trip with your partner or like-minded group of golfing friends, choose the place that really knows how to look after you.

there's more to golf than golf
Golf in Wales is also all about the pleasure principle. You know the kind of thing . That wave of well-being that comes from staying in the lap of luxury at a country hotel full of exquisite furnishings, fresh flowers and plump cushions. It's the pleasure you'll get from fine dining, luxurious linen, comfy beds and views that inspire the soul. After a day out on the course, it's the prospect of a soak in the bath, dip in the spa or a trip to the sauna.

The experiences on offer at our newer courses go well beyond 18 holes of golf. Take the five-star Celtic Manor Resort near Newport, one of Europe's leading golf complexes and home of the Ryder Cup in 2010. Here you'll be pampered beyond measure with superb rooms, delicious dining and, of course, a wonderfully relaxing spa and all kinds of treatments.

Or you might be tempted by the Vale Hotel Golf and Spa Resort, west of Cardiff. It's an experience of luxury both on and off the course, with everything finished to the highest international standards.

shop around
Take a day off golf and enjoy a slice of city life. Cardiff, Wales's capital, is a buzzy, cosmopolitan city packed with all the famous shopping brands - not to mention the countless speciality shops that line its charming arcades. It's an arty, animated city, full of galleries, museums, theatres and bars. Enjoy a cappuccino at one of the waterfront cafés on Cardiff Bay where the 21st-century city is growing apace.

Swansea offers more of the same, with its exciting Maritime Quarter and traditional market. Newport's revitalised riverside is breathing new life into the city. And all around the country there are towns filled with attractive shops selling everything from old books to arts and crafts, the latest fashions to traditional Welsh woollens - places like Hay-on-Wye, Betws-y-Coed, Cowbridge, Narberth and Llandeilo.

Although we're all for equality of the sexes we know that when it comes to making those important decisions women reign supreme. Seventy per cent of the time it is the woman who chooses the golfing destination. So choose wisely. Choose Wales for Golf as you like it'.