St Ives Tennis Club (Primrose Valley)

This beachside club has two all-weather synthetic clay tennis courts overlooking Porthminster Beach. Visitors are welcome on a “pay & play” basis Monday–Friday, with online booking available via the club’s website. (Weekends are reserved for members, matches and coaching.)

 

Tennis courts can be booked by credit/debit card online, and you’ll need to bring your own rackets as the club doesn’t hire them out.

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There’s no on-site parking, but the public Station Car Park is nearby (a footpath leads from the station to the courts). Court fees are modest (paid per hour), making it easy for holidaymakers to drop in for a game.

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Tregenna Castle Resort

The Tregenna Castle hotel in St Ives welcomes non-guests to use its two outdoor tennis courts. Visitors can play for £10 per hour, payable at the hotel’s leisure reception. Rackets and balls can be rented on-site for a small fee (£1 per racket) if you didn’t pack your own. The courts are all-weather and available during daylight hours (the leisure facilities are generally open 9am–7pm daily).

 

Simply check in at reception to pay and play – no advance booking is usually required for tennis. This is a lovely option if you’re staying in Carbis Bay or at the resort and fancy a casual game in a beautiful garden setting.

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Other Local Tennis Courts

If you’re keen for more tennis, the nearest larger facility is Penzance Tennis Club (about 8 miles from St Ives). Penzance’s club is set in Penlee Park and welcomes visitors and holidaymakers on a pay-to-play basis as well It has multiple courts (four are floodlit) and even a clubhouse café. It’s worth calling ahead for availability, especially in peak season.

West Cornwall Golf Club (Lelant)

Just outside St Ives in Lelant is West Cornwall Golf Club, the oldest course in Cornwall (est. 1889). This classic 18-hole links course overlooks St Ives Bay and the Hayle Estuary, offering breathtaking coastal views all the way to Godrevy Lighthouse. Visitors are very welcome here. Green fees for 18 holes are roughly £60 on weekdays and £70 on weekends for adult players (juniors about half).

 

Tee times can be booked online up to six months in advance, and it’s wise to reserve ahead as the course hosts events and can be busy. The club prides itself on a friendly welcome – there’s a pro shop with club, trolley, and buggy hire if you need gear, and a Seaview clubhouse where you can enjoy a post-round drink or meal.

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Tregenna Castle Golf Course

On the grounds of Tregenna Castle Resort in St Ives you’ll find a 9-hole, par-3 golf course that’s perfect for a casual round with a view. It’s a scenic short course overlooking the bay. No tee times are required – just pay and play. A round costs £10 per person. Simply stop by the leisure reception to pay before you start. The course opens from 8:00am daily (so you can enjoy a morning round). Basic rentals are available: you can hire clubs for about £8 (with a refundable deposit), and pull trolleys for a couple of pounds. This course is great for beginners or a family golf outing, since it’s shorter and more relaxed than a full 18 holes.

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Hayle Golf Range

If you want to practice or have some quick golf fun, the Hayle Golf Range is a fantastic option about 5 miles from St Ives. Opened in 2014, it features a modern driving range and a small 12-hole course that bridges the gap between pitch-and-putt and a full course. The holes are longer than typical pitch-and-putt, so you can swing your woods, but it’s still beginner-friendly with few hazards. A round on the 12-hole course is very affordable – about £6.50 for adults and £6 for juniors. The range also lets you buy buckets of balls (clubs can be borrowed for free if you don’t have any). Hayle Golf Range is open daily from 9:30am, with late hours (to 9pm on weekdays in summer, a bit earlier on weekends and in winter), so you can even play in the evening. It’s an excellent place for families or novice golfers – or anyone looking to sharpen their swing in a casual setting.

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Penwith Pitch & Putt and Crazy Golf

 For some light hearted family fun, check out the Penwith Pitch & Putt centre (located a short drive from St Ives, on the road towards Land’s End). This facility offers a traditional 18-hole pitch-and-putt course as well as an 18-hole crazy golf course and even a football-golf course (where you kick a soccer ball into oversized holes). All ages can enjoy these activities, and you can hire all the equipment (clubs, balls, etc.) on site if needed. The courses are set in a pleasant open area with a little café and play area as well. Opening hours are typically 10:00am–5:00pm, seven days a week (weather permitting). It’s a great option for a non-serious round of “golf” with the kids or a group of friends.

Pickleball – a fun paddle sport that’s a cross between tennis, badminton, and ping-pong – is just starting to gain traction in Cornwall.

 

In St Ives, the main venue for pickleball is St Ives Tennis Club, which in 2024 added pickleball lines to one of its junior courts. The club launched the new sport with a charity tournament and it’s proving popular with members. While there isn’t a dedicated pickleball club, visitors interested in playing can reach out to St Ives Tennis Club to see if any social pickleball sessions or court time for pickleball can be arranged. (As a visitor, you might be able to book the marked court during weekday “pay & play” hours – bring your own paddles and balls in case.)

 

Aside from the tennis club, formal pickleball facilities are limited in this area, but the sport is growing. For example, the Penzance Leisure Centre has started offering pickleball in its sports hall during off-peak times (Penzance Leisure Centre on Instagram), and other Cornwall leisure centres are introducing sessions. So, if you’re a pickleball enthusiast, you’re not alone – it’s worth asking around locally to find a game!

If you love jogging or scenic walks, you’ll find stunning coastal routes around St Ives and Carbis Bay. The South West Coast Path runs through both areas, providing miles of trails with ocean vistas.

 

A popular route is from St Ives town around “The Island” headland and eastwards along the coast path to Carbis Bay, which lets you run (or walk) on a path above the water with gorgeous views – be aware it’s hilly in places. You can start near Porthmeor or Porthminster Beach in St Ives and follow the well-marked path through the cliffs and woods until you descend into Carbis Bay. It’s roughly 1.5 to 2 miles one-way by the coastal path (or you can extend the run further to the village of Lelant along the estuary). For a longer challenge, runners can head west from St Ives toward

Zennor on the rugged coast path – a more demanding trail with wild scenery. Even a simple beach run is delightful: Carbis Bay’s flat beach at low tide or the length of Porthmeor Beach in the evening can make for a memorable run with the sound of the waves.

 

Don’t forget a good pair of running shoes and maybe a camera – the views are that good! After your run, you could always take the scenic St Ives Bay train back if you’re too tired to return on foot (the train links St Ives, Carbis Bay, and Lelant with wonderful sea views).