Danny Lockwood plays The Bradford Golf Club
Sometimes, the smallest things can make the biggest impression – the quiet attention to detail that could easily be overlooked but which, in summary, speaks loudest of all.
The Bradford Golf Club, known familiarly as Hawksworth after the neighbouring village, has made significant noises in its 135-year history, not least dispensing of the services of Harry Colt and Dr Alister MacKenzie when their redesign plans clearly didn’t suit.
More recently, the progressive board has invested in a major clubhouse refurbishment with an impressive terrace extension and a new indoor swing studio run by long-serving head PGA professional Andrew Hall.
Stepping into the clubhouse, the thoughtful welcome to visitors is noticeable. It is, however, out on the golf course where the attention to detail comes into its own.
The day before our visit, sporting neighbours Bradford Bulls – The Bradford Golf Club is actually in a Leeds postcode outside Guiseley – had put on a large corporate day. The golf club can easily accommodate up to 150 guests, and it wouldn’t be too fanciful to imagine not all were seasoned golfers.
That said, from hole one through 18 everything about the golf course was immaculate – with no pitchmarks to be found and each bunker perfectly raked. Indeed, the positioning, shaping and maintenance of the hazards was faultless. The green complexes and tee boxes were equally exceptional and as well-kept as anywhere I’ve played recently.
With a range of elevated tees and greens, you enjoy stunning views across the Aire valley here, and Hawksworth’s moorland roots are respected to this day.
The course was created by Herbert Fowler – assisted by Tom Simpson – more than 100 years ago after messrs Colt and MacKenzie departed. It has, understandably, gone through some changes through the decades though it remains true to that original vision. It’s also fair to say that no two holes – or greens – are remotely the same.
The challenge here is tough but fair. With only two shortish par fives, it could be easy to underestimate the course, but there are some very tough par fours that will be three-shotters for many players.
Given the quality on offer, it comes as no surprise that The Bradford has a waiting list for seven-day membership, and such is its reputation that there is even a waiting list for juniors.
Club manager Jonathan Pearson understands what appeals to the enthusiastic golfer having been head professional at Moor Allerton for three years. A change of roles was always part of his career plan with a degree in business studies, and he was manager of nearby Horsforth before moving across to Hawksworth.
“We have an excellent membership and a great team across the club, led by a very forward-looking board,” he said. “We’re understandably proud of our course and everyone works hard to make sure guests are made very welcome.
“Seven-day and junior membership is currently full, but we have other categories and a healthy ladies’ section – and we always support the Get into Golf initiative.”
The club is home to more than 100 female members as well as assistant professional Claire Hulme.
Meanwhile, the in-house catering team put on regular theme nights – an Italian evening for our visit – and there are more than 50 social functions here throughout the year. The imposing clubhouse makes The Bradford a very attractive proposition for corporate events too, and the quality of facilities doesn’t stop there. In front of the clubhouse and pro shop you’ll find a putting green, a chipping area and driving nets, and there is also a 350-yard driving range.
The club was founded in 1891 at Bradford’s Victoria Hotel by nine members of the St Andrews Society and was to be known as The Bradford St Andrews Golf Club. It began with seven holes on Baildon Moor, across the valley from today’s Hawksworth location. Two holes were promptly added in 1892, and a further nine in 1893 – laid out by Tom Morris – before the club’s name was changed to The Bradford Golf Club in 1894. Within five years, members were playing on a brand new course across in the Hawksworth area, and in 1900 the new clubhouse was opened by Prime Minister-to-be AJ Balfour.
Never shy of change, it would be nearly 20 years before Harry Colt and his partner, Dr Alister MacKenzie, were recruited to suggest course improvements. The pair clearly failed to impress as in 1922 Herbert Fowler, assisted by Tom Simpson, completely redesigned the layout. The duo left it much as golfers find the course today, although tree planting added character to the original moorland feel, and more recently the 10th green was moved away from the short game area.
THE BRADFORD GOLF CLUB (YELLOW TEES)
1 – 314 YARDS, PAR 4
You can open your shoulders a little at the first, which is played across a broad lateral swale. Avoid the fairway bunkers on both sides and you’ll be left with a short but tricky approach to a green featuring left and right bunkers that slopes gently from front right to back left.
2 – 407 YARDS, PAR 4
A longer test, the fairway at the second slopes distinctly from the right. Your approach will likely be played blind, over a ridge and down to a flatter green that runs off at the back and features a bunker left.
3 – 142 YARDS, PAR 3
A pleasant short hole, it’s important to find the rather narrow green at the third. Bunkers, mounding and steep run-offs to the left and rear will punish wayward shots.
4 – 274 YARDS, PAR 4
A short par four played downhill, you must avoid the big bunkers at the fourth. The large, oval-shaped green features slopes that lead away towards the fifth tee.
5 – 451 YARDS, PAR 4
A very long par four, the fifth is played gently uphill with trees guarding the right side. A long approach is then required to a raised and well-protected green.
6 – 345 YARDS, PAR 4
The sixth fairway moves slightly right to left and downhill towards a gently undulating green with a front right bunker, greenside mounding, and run-offs to the left and rear.
7 – 433 YARDS, PAR 4
Another tough, long par four, the fairway at the seventh slopes from the left and there is trouble right. The hole rises towards a well-guarded green which slopes from back right to front left.
8 – 336 YARDS, PAR 4
The par four eighth offers both risk and reward – with the option to drive over the fairway bunkers or play safe to the right. The green slopes from back to front with bunkers front left and right set below the putting surface, mounding, and a run-off at the back.
9 – 466 YARDS, PAR 5
A short par five, the ninth is guarded by a string of three fairway traps and a raised green which drops off at the rear.
10 – 390 YARDS, PAR 4
Played uphill towards the clubhouse, the trouble is all visible at the 10th. Be wary of the run-off area left of the green, particularly when the pin is nearby.
11 – 294 YARDS, PAR 4
The 11th, a short par four played downhill, invites you to hit driver, though the green is well-protected.
12 – 126 YARDS, PAR 3
A short but tough par three, like the third hole, missing the putting surface at the 12th will leave you with a testing up and down.
13 – 352 YARDS, PAR 4
Holes 13-17 – except for the par three 14th – run parallel across the Hawksworth landscape and present a handsome stretch. At the 13th, everything is in front of you from the tee and you must drive over a ditch and between the fairway bunkers. A large, flatter green has three traps in front and one on its right side.
14 – 154 YARDS, PAR 3
There is trouble everywhere at this testing short hole, which is played steeply uphill. Bunkers sit below the front and right side of the putting surface, there’s a pot bunker back right which you can’t see from the tee, and there is a false front to this back to front sloping green.
15 – 396 YARDS, PAR 4
Played from an elevated tee, be wary of the ditch some 40 yards short of the green at the 15th. There are also bunkers short left and on both sides of the green.
16 – 395 YARDS, PAR 4
A very tough hole when it is into the wind, the 16th is played downhill from the tee then rises towards a green sitting beyond more fairway and greenside bunkers than I had fingers to count on.
17 – 463 YARDS, PAR 5
A sweeping left to right dogleg par five with a trio of bunkers on the elbow, the 17th rises in its last 100 yards to a green with front bunkers and a false front.
18 – 309 YARDS, PAR 4
A short closing hole, but also a potential card-wrecker, the 18th turns left to right, heading uphill, with trees left – though you need to stay left or you risk being blocked out. The approach is very pretty and played to a tiered green with bunkers towards the front and the imposing clubhouse set behind.
