Kestrels swoop as their fleshy snacks dart between the swaying grass. In the coves below, waves rush the shoreline with hypnotic flow as Royal Zennor’s closely tended terroir nestles peacefully in its Cornish lap.

Our first nine holes skip out, hand in hand, with the ocean. The returning nine, side-step inland, playing hide and seek amongst the heathery mounds.

Royal Zennor members share a unifying belief that golf’s secret lies in the club’s cornish motto, “tava dres formya”, feelings over form. A credo that sensations and images rather than positions and mechanics are the true path to golfing success.

Tom Penrose, our club professional, leads by example. In summer months, he takes proprioception-improving stretching classes on the clubhouse lawn. In the colder months, he runs swing speed sessions on the patio, encouraging members to swing in furious synchrony. His lessons often start with the throwing of clubs, rather than the hitting of balls.

At other clubs, people often shy away from asking, “How’s the golf?” concerned the personal trauma such enquiries might elicit. At Royal Zennor though, we believe it takes a club to build a swing and here the wisdom of the crowd is available to all.

Advice is rarely direct but often spun in yarn. With time though, the tale’s truth is nearly always revealed.

Captain Harry Long, Club Secretary