Historic Welsh golf club suffers devastating fire as clubhouse roof collapses

A historic Welsh golf club has suffered significant damage after a devastating fire tore through its clubhouse on Saturday night – marking the second major blaze in its 136-year history.

Conwy Golf Club, one of Wales' most prestigious links courses, was the scene of the incident after emergency services were called at around 10pm on Saturday 31 October.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene to tackle the blaze, with reports from local residents suggesting flames could be seen coming from the clubhouse roof.

Photographs taken on Sunday morning revealed the extent of the damage, with sections of the roof having collapsed following the fire.

Thankfully, no injuries have been reported. However, police and emergency services remain at the scene, while the golf club and all its facilities have been closed until further notice.

In a statement released on Sunday afternoon, Conwy Golf Club confirmed the scale of the damage and thanked emergency services for their response.

"It is with great sadness that we must share that a serious fire occurred at the clubhouse last night, resulting in significant damage to the building.

"Thankfully, no one was hurt. We are incredibly grateful to the emergency services for their rapid response and hard work throughout the night, and they remain on site dealing with the incident.

"At this stage, the cause is unknown and we will not be speculating while official investigations take place.

"For safety reasons, the golf course and all club facilities are currently closed."

The cause of the fire has yet to be established, with investigations ongoing.

Conwy Golf Club has a history of fires

Saturday night's incident is not the first time Conwy Golf Club has suffered a devastating fire.

Back in the summer of 1933, a blaze destroyed the clubhouse, including historic club records, photographs and trophies.

More than nine decades later, the club is once again facing the prospect of rebuilding following significant damage to its clubhouse.

Founded in 1890, Conwy Golf Club has played an important role in Welsh golf throughout its 136-year history, establishing itself as one of the country's leading links venues.

The course has welcomed several prestigious championships over the years, most recently hosting the 2024 PGA Professional Championship.

It also staged the 2022 European Ladies' Team Championship and the 2009 European Men's Amateur Championship.

One of its biggest occasions in recent years came in 2021, when Conwy hosted the Curtis Cup, the women's equivalent of the Walker Cup.

On that occasion, the United States claimed a 12.5-7.5 victory over Great Britain and Ireland in a memorable contest at the North Wales links.

Welsh golf community rallies around Conwy

The devastating incident has prompted an outpouring of support from across the Welsh golfing community, with Wales Golf issuing a statement expressing its sadness and offering its backing to the club.

"We are deeply saddened to hear of the fire at Conwy Golf Club on 31 October 2026.

"Thankfully, and most importantly, we understand that no one was hurt.

"Our thoughts are with everyone at Conwy Golf Club, including its members, staff and wider community, as they come to terms with this devastating incident.

"Conwy is a prestigious club with a proud history and an important place in Welsh golf. We will support the club as it begins the difficult journey towards recovery and rebuilding.

"The Welsh golfing community stands together, and we will do all we can to support Conwy Golf Club during this challenging time."

With the clubhouse suffering significant structural damage, the immediate priority remains ensuring the site is safe and establishing how the fire started.

For a club with such a rich history and an important place in Welsh golf, the incident represents a devastating setback.

However, with no injuries reported and support already coming from across the golfing community, attention will eventually turn towards recovery and rebuilding.