There’s still time to play our region’s best courses in top condition, plus some great deals to be had
Backworth Golf Club
The 10-hole layout of Backworth Golf Club may be one of the shorter options on our list, but it’s one of the most fun to play and perfect for a quick game after work before the clocks change.
The tree-lined 5,939-yard course sits in the shadow of the 18th Century Backworth Hall and features 10 greens with 18 separate tees.
Its main defence is small putting surfaces, protected by deep bunkers, often at the front of the greens.
With two driveable par fours and a reachable par five in the nine-hole loop, Backworth is great for a matchplay game with plenty of birdies, and punishment for misplaced shots, on offer.
Backworth Golf Club, Backworth Hall, Backworth, NE27 0AH. Tel 0191 268 1048. www.backworthgolf.co.uk
Consett and District Golf Club
One of Co Durham’s finest courses, the layout at Consett and District Golf Club sits above the Derwent Valley with spectacular views of Northumberland to the north and the North Pennines to the west.
This mature parkland course, designed by the legendary Harry Vardon in 1911, is set in 100 acres on the county border between Northumberland and Durham and offers a mix of challenging holes, stunning views and chances to improve your score. Noted for its superb greens, this one is well worth a visit if you’re trying to make the most of the last days of the season.
Consett and District Golf Club Elmfield Road, Consett, DH8 5NN, tel 01207 505 060
Romanby Golf and Country Club
You’ll find great views and challenging shots at Romanby Golf and Country Club, which sits on the River Wiske and follows the natural contours of the North Yorkshire landscape.
The course features an array of water features, including the river, while the greens here have been constructed to a modified USGA specification.
You will find excellent putting surfaces right through to the end of the season at Romanby, as well as a warm and friendly welcome in the clubhouse before and after your game.
Romanby Golf and Country Club Yafforth Road, Northallerton, DL7 0PE, tel 01609 778 855. www.romanby.com
Roseberry Grange Community Golf Club
Now run by the club’s members and open to all, the course at Roseberry Grange Community Golf Club was built on the site of the former High Handenhold Colliery and opened in 1987.
It has been run by members since July 2011 and is laid out over the rolling landscape, offering a number of chances to build a good score, while trouble waits should you miss the greens.
Expect a warm welcome and a great day’s golf.
Roseberry Grange Community Golf Club, Chester-le-Street, DH2 3NF, tel 0191 370 0660 www.roseberrygrange.com
Seaham Golf Club
Seaham Golf Club is renowned for its fast greens, which remain in great condition long into the autumn.
Close to the centre of the former mining village on the Durham coast, the course is just over 6,000 yards and its main defence is its large, undulating greens while a number of well-placed bunkers await around the greens.
We recommend more than just a few whacks on the putting green before you head out (you’ll thank us later!).
Seaham Golf Club, Shrewsbury Street, Seaham, SR7 7RD, tel 0191 513 0837
www.seahamgolfclub.co.uk
Woodham Golf and Country Club
The par 72, 6,688-yard course at Woodham Golf and Country Club is considered to be among one of the best in the region.
Set in mature woodland and parkland, the course weaves through trees and a number of water hazards, making for an enjoyable, if challenging round.
The course is presented in superb condition throughout the year and is well worth a visit.
Woodham Golf and Country Club, Burnhill Way, Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham, DL5 4PN tel 01325 318 454, www.woodhamgolfandcountryclub.co.uk
Magdalene Fields Golf Club
Just north of Berwick, the links at Magdalene Fields have been home to golf for more than 100 years. Founded in 1903, Magdalene Fields Golf Club is the most northerly course in England, just two miles from the Scottish Border.
The current layout, opened in 1974, affords stunning coastal views – northwards over Marshall Meadows Bay towards the towering cliffs at Eyemouth or south over the mouth of the River Tweed with Lindisfarne in the distance. It measures 6,574 yards and is playable year round – ideal late in the season.
Magdalene Fields Golf Club Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 1NE. tel 01289 306 130 www.magdalene-fields.co.uk
Longhirst Golf Club
The two championship courses at Longhirst Golf Club have hosted the EuroPro Tour in recent years and present two great tests of golf. Set in rolling Northumberland countryside, The Lakes course is a demanding layout, rewarding accuracy with water playing a part on 15 holes.
The Dawson course offers players a little more room from the tee, while demanding a great short game to its smaller, well-protected greens.
The club is also home to a state-of-the art driving range and top quality greens throughout the season.
Longhirst Hall Golf Club, Morpeth NE61 3LL, tel 01670 791 562 www.longhirstgolf.co.uk
Parklands Golf Club
Set in Gosforth Park, Parklands Golf Club is well worth a visit following improvements to the course in recent years.
Beautifully presented throughout the year, there are a number of challenging drives, undulating greens and some challenging par threes throughout the round.
As well as the golf course, there is a 28-bay driving range, 18-hole Mini Golf Course, and short game area, as well as a welcoming clubhouse.
Parklands Golf Club, High Gosforth Park, NE3 5HQ. tel 0191 236 4480
www.parklandsgolf.co.uk
Set in the stunning landscape of the Northumberland National Park, Bellingham Golf Club offers some of the best views in the county, while the golf course is a real favourite too.
Between Hadrian’s Wall and the Scottish border, there are spectacular views extending up the Tyne Valley towards the Border Forest Park and Kielder reservoir.
One of England’s oldest clubs, founded in 1893, this par 70 layout is no pushover with tight, twisting fairways and one of the best short pars fours in the North East – the signature hole 12th.
Bellingham Golf Club, Boggle Hole, Bellingham, NE48 2DT. tel 01434 220 530
www.bellinghamgolfclub.com
Auld Cross Keys Inn, Denholm
A popular spot for golfers travelling north from our region, the Auld Cross Keys Country Inn has been at the heart of life in Denholm for more than 200 years.
It is perfectly positioned for golf in the Scottish Borders with top courses including Minto, Jedburgh, and Kelso all less than 25 minutes’ drive away.
Auld Cross Keys Inn, Main Street, Denholm, Hawick TD9 8NU. tel 01450 870 305 www.crosskeysdenholm.co.uk
