Located on the Camel Estuary, opposite the lively and fashionable fishing port of Padstow, made famous of course by celebrity chef Rick Stein, Rock is host to St Enodoc Golf Club. It was founded over 125 years ago and designed by the legendary James Braid to romp in between and up and down the natural contours of the seaside sand dunes, giving rise to a course considered one of Braid’s greatest masterpieces. This revered championship links, as the saying goes, is ‘once trodden, never forgotten’.

For many taking time off in Rock, a visit to St Enodoc is all part of the holiday enjoyment. Despite its venerable age, this forward-thinking golf club has shifted away from the stuffy scene that many of the traditional clubs are so often associated with and today it welcomes visitors, including families and children, with wide open arms.

St Enodoc not only offers a great round of golf, but the chance to have a lesson (it has a flourishing junior section), hone one’s skills over its excellent practice facilities or simply sit back, relax and take in the panoramic views.

A recent renovation of the clubhouse in the New England style – suited to its coastal location – has created a bright, comfortable and relaxed place to go and enjoy a beer or a Pimm’s on the terrace or indulge in locally-sourced lunches prepared by head chef, David Wheeler.

A local Cornish lad, David grew up just a mile down the road in Pityme and cites Cornish mussels and asparagus, grown in the neighbouring farm to the golf course, as his favourite dishes to prepare in spring and summer.

The heart of St Enodoc is, however, its stunning golf course. Positioned in front of the clubhouse, high on the rolling dunes, St Enodoc’s Church Course offers some of the greatest sea and estuary views of any course in the world from almost every hole. Its spectacular vistas are liable to distract some golfers from the tricky, undulating greens and numerous treacherous blind shots, including one in particular on the sixth hole where the green is protected by the mighty Himalaya bunker, reputedly the tallest in Europe.

However, it is the tenth hole that is often described as the course’s signature hole as it winds its way towards the eleventh century St Enodoc Church where Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman lies buried in the graveyard beside his favourite course.

A challenging hole, it requires a good drive, followed by an even better second aimed directly at the church porch in order to avoid the lateral hazard that runs the length of the hole which creeps ever closer to the left hand side of the green.

At 6,547 yards, St Enodoc is not long by today’s standards, yet the course record stands at 65, four under par, giving golfers a good indication of how demanding the course really is. It is often said that many links courses are easy if there is no wind – even St. Andrews – but be warned, this does not apply to St Enodoc.

Today golfers still play the course as essentially laid out by Braid: a tremendous tribute to this great golfer’s vision and skill as it has stood the test of time despite the enormous changes in clubs and balls in the last 70 years.

Over the years, this championship links has lured a host of legendary Open Champions to its fairways, including James Braid of course, Henry Cotton, Jim Barnes and Tom Watson, which has added to its prestige.

St Enodoc also boasts a second course, the Holywell, shorter than the Church Course and so ideal for juniors, seniors and those looking for slightly less of a challenge. For those with less time on their hands, the Holywell offers the chance to play a full 18 holes in less than three hours for just £25.

Several of its original holes were of Braid’s design while holes 14, 15 and 16 are often referred to as its ‘Amen Corner’, so the Holywell should certainly not be discounted.

Both courses benefit from being situated in one of the driest parts of Cornwall and the fact that they are perched on sand ensures excellent golf throughout the year. Thanks to the warm Gulf Stream climate, frost and snow are rare even in the depths of winter allowing for good course conditioning even in the winter months.

As well as giving its clubhouse a makeover, St Enodoc has invested a great deal into its two courses over the last few years, with both layouts benefiting hugely from the refurbishments which included the laying of numerous new greens and tees.

In addition to the golf and water sports available in Rock, there are plenty of other things to do when visiting the area.

The nearby Camel Estuary, for example, provides many activities. Walking round the National Trust coastal footpath to the north and south provide spectacular scenery and from here you can visit the Norman Church, set alongside the golf course which was only uncovered from being buried in the sand dunes during Victorian times. Padstow, opposite St Enodoc, can easily be reached by ferry from Rock. From here, bicycles can be hired to ride along the old railway line up river to Wadebridge on the Camel Trail.

Both towns have a good selection of quaint shops, artisan outlets and art galleries. Whilst Padstow’s success in recent years is attributed largely to the success of Stein and his famous seafood restaurants and cafés, it is also home to a host of independent establishments and restaurants offering local produce.

Further afield, the biggest single attraction is The Eden Project (about a forty minute car trip towards the south coast) which showcases 100,000 plants from around the world in two giant transparent domes, each recreating different climate conditions. Other well-known gardens include The Lost Gardens of Heligan and Trebah, whilst on the south coast the new Maritime Museum in Falmouth is worth a visit. For artistic types, the famous Tate Gallery has a base in St Ives which includes the Barbara Hepworth Museum and sculptural garden.

So next time, when heading off down to Cornwall for some ‘Rock life’, don’t forget to pack the golf clubs and book a tee time, a lesson or simply a table for lunch at St Enodoc, now very much a part of the experience and enjoyment for those visiting Rock and its environs.