We explore courses and hotels to pay a visit to in 2026 and beyond
The Cairndale Hotel & Spa
Situated in the heart of Dumfries, the 86-bedroom Cairndale Hotel & Spa – recognised as the Best Independent Hotel at the 2025 Scottish Excellence Awards and shortlisted in this year’s Scottish Golf Tourism Awards – is a perfect base for those heading north to sample the high-quality golf and hospitality in south-west Scotland and the surrounding areas. It is situated just a few miles from the border with England, and is only a short walk from the town’s railway station.
The family-owned-and-run hotel underwent a multi-million pound development in 2024 to create Scotland’s only Five Bubble spa (the UK Good Spa Guide’s top rating) – and this year launched The Oak casual dining restaurant as well as 12 new bedrooms as part of a further £250,000 investment. In November, the spa was named the best in Scotland at the UK Good Spa Guide Awards in London – ahead of the five-star Gleneagles in Perthshire and One Spa at The Sheraton in Edinburgh.
The team are experts in hospitality and golf, with a wealth of contacts locally and further afield to ensure you get the right mix of golf courses – from Southerness and Powfoot on the Solway coast to the likes of Dumfries & County. They can arrange tee times, meals and rooms in the hotel as well as time in the spa for you – including a range of treatments specifically designed to treat golfers’ common ailments.
James Erskine, PGA professional at Dumfries & County Golf Club, said: “The Cairndale is the undisputed leader in golf tourism in Dumfries & Galloway. Every group staying there comments on the warm hospitality, great food, and genuine understanding of what golfers need to enjoy their trip.”
Alnmouth Golf Club
Alnmouth – England’s fourth oldest golf club – is home to one of the great experiences for travelling golfers, while those who are lucky enough to live close by should visit as often as possible.
Overlooking Foxton Bay, the course was designed by Harry Colt – with work in recent years further enhancing the challenge and aesthetics of its many bunkers. The club is also home to first-class practice facilities and a driving range – and is just 40 minutes’ drive from Newcastle and close to the A1. For those travelling to the Northumberland coast, the 31-bed Dormy House, within the clubhouse, offers a unique stay and play experience with twin and single occupancy rooms and en-suite facilities. The bedrooms have been renovated over the last few years, as has much of the clubhouse, and the chance to play, dine and sleep here – and wake up to views of the course and spectacular coastline – is not to be missed.
The Auld Cross Keys Inn
The Auld Cross Keys Inn has been at the heart of life in the village of Denholm for more than 200 years, and it remains a popular choice for golfers heading to the Scottish Borders.
The inn can accommodate up to 26 people in its 12 rooms and offers quality food, drink and accommodation at competitive prices.
Some of the Borders’ best courses are just a short drive away – including Eyemouth, Torwoodlee, Minto, Jedburgh and Kelso.
Bedale Golf Club
Set in the heart of North Yorkshire, the classic English course at Bedale lies within walking distance of the historic market town.
Opened in 1894, the course is set in the stunning countryside of the Yorkshire Dales – with tree-lined fairways presenting a tough test from the tee on many holes and well-bunkered greens testing players’ accuracy. The signature hole, the long par four 13th, showcases the challenges here perfectly – with a tough drive over or around water to a narrow fairway before an approach to a tricky green protected by three front bunkers.
The clubhouse is very welcoming, with food served daily, and there are great views over the first and 18th fairways from the balcony. For those travelling by car, the course is less than two miles from junction 51 of the A1M.
Blyth Golf Club
Close to the Northumberland coast but presenting a fine example of parkland golf, a visit to Blyth always offers a fun day on the course.
Founded in 1905, golf was first played on a nine-hole links site before moving inland. In 1976, the first 18-hole layout was established at the club’s current site. Recent investments following the sale of land owned by the club have improved the layout and conditioning to new heights – with new and radically changed holes fitting in perfectly with the rest of course to offer a 5,940-yard par 70 layout.
Off the course, you’ll find a warm welcome in the clubhouse as well as high-quality food.
Boldon Golf Club
Designed by six-time Open champion Harry Vardon, the course at Boldon remains a fine example of parkland golf in the North East of England.
Accurate driving is required at this mature course, and your short game will be tested throughout the round with several particularly challenging green complexes ensuring accuracy is rewarded and errant shots are suitably punished.
Continued investment ensures the course – which measures 6,414 yards from the back tees with a par of 72 – continues to challenge players of all abilities, while the off-course facilities offer everything you need before and after your round, including great food in the 19th Century clubhouse.
Crook Golf Club
Established in 1919, today Crook is a great option for visiting groups with its large clubhouse and challenging golf course in the heart of County Durham.
With five par threes and three par fives – only one of them measuring more than 500 yards – there are lots of opportunities to make birdies and drop shots here. Measuring just 5,965 yards with a par of 70, there are few players talented enough to overpower the hillside course consistently. The best way to build a score here is to play patiently and find the right angles into the contoured greens. The views from the highest points of the course are excellent, and you’re always assured of a warm welcome in the clubhouse before and after your round.
Gosforth Golf Club
Just a few minutes’ drive from the centre of Newcastle and the A1, Gosforth Golf Club is home to a beautiful, traditional English parkland layout which is divided by the Ouseburn and a bridlepath.
The club has produced some of our region’s best players over the last 120 years and its mix of fun, short par fours and exacting shots – best showcased at the driveable sixth and challenging seventh, which is played uphill to a devilishly tricky green – make this a great course to test your game or visit for a fun day out. Equally well known as The Bridlepath, due to the route which splits the course in half, the clubhouse side is the tougher of the two sides – with the 18th another real highlight of the round with players asked to hit a long tee shot with the Ouseburn running the full length of the hole on its right side.
High Gosforth Park Golf Club
Set in mature woodland, the course at High Gosforth Park has become a star among the layouts in and around Newcastle as it continues to develop thanks to continued investment.
There are a number of challenging drives and decisions to make off the tee here – not least at the opening pair of short par fours – while the undulating greens and set of challenging par threes make sure you’re tested and presented with birdie opportunities throughout every round.
As well as the golf course, you’ll find a 28-bay driving range with Toptracer technology here as well as a mini golf course and welcoming clubhouse.
www.newcastle-racecourse.co.uk/golf
Keswick Golf Club
Located near the market town of Keswick in the Lake District National Park and just 13 miles from the M6, the views from the course at Keswick Golf Club include Blencathra, Skiddaw and Clough Head. Not particularly long at just 6,133 yards with a par of 71, the course is far tougher than the yardage suggests with tree-lined fairways and well-protected greens ensuring it is no pushover.
Set in a National Park and World Heritage Site, there are no bunkers here – though the trees and water are enough to keep you on your toes. The spectacular mountain views and warm welcome in the clubhouse, which overlooks the 18th green, make this a must-visit for those heading to Cumbria.
Pontefract & District Golf Club
Set beside the town’s famous racecourse – the mature, tree-lined layout at Pontefract & District is a fantastic place to test your game when you’re in Yorkshire.
For visiting golfers, it is handily situated just off junction 32 of the M62 and only 10 minutes’ drive from the A1. The club was established in 1904 – with founder members creating a nine-hole course on land belonging to the local park near the current location. In the early 1920s, a new course was laid out on adjoining land which was leased from the Duchy of Lancaster. A decade later, this course was extended to 18 holes based on a layout drawn by Dr Alister MacKenzie.
The course has evolved over the following years – with new land being acquired – and today it measures 6,520 yards with a par of 72. Having tested your game, the clubhouse and patio overlooking the 18th green are welcoming spots to relax.
Ravensworth Golf Club
On the outskirts of Gateshead, high above the surrounding landscape and overlooking the Angel of the North, the parkland layout of Ravensworth has stood the test of time.
Formed in 1906 with a nine-hole golf course, in January 1925 Dr Alister MacKenzie beat a proposal by Harry Colt to redesign the layout for the fee of £15.15.0. By February 1926, the works were completed and the company headed onto their next project – not too far away at Seaton Carew. Today the hillside layout is a great example of a mature English golf course, with its tree-lined fairways and hillside terrain guarding a set of 18 tricky greens which test and delight in equal measure.
Seascale Golf Club & Calder House Hotel
Designed by Willie Campbell and George Lowe more than 100 years ago, the links of Seascale offer a fantastic example of English links golf with spectacular views of the Isle of Man and Scotland to the west, and the mountains of the Lake District to the east.
Five miles south of Whitehaven on the west coast of Cumbria, this is a delightful place to play in calm conditions and an exacting test when the wind blows in from the Irish Sea. A regular in top 100 lists, it is simply a must-visit.
Just a few paces from the course at Seascale, the Calder House Hotel offers a warm Cumbrian welcome, stunning views from several of the bedrooms as well as the bar and restaurant, and a great breakfast. There’s also a beer garden, free parking and wifi. A range of en-suite rooms are available, and golfers are made incredibly welcome.
www.seascalegolfclub.co.uk & www.calderhouse.co.uk
Sharpley Golf
Sharpley, located near Seaham in County Durham, is one of the region’s fine examples of modern golf course design.
Laid out with input from three top course architects and officially opened in April 2010 – today the par 71, 6,275-yard course with 18 USGA-specification greens presents a wonderful challenge for visitors of all abilities. As well as the rolling Durham landscape, golfers also get to enjoy sea views and some unusual water features. The layout also benefits from modern drainage – making it playable year-round – while the clubhouse overlooking the course is a fantastic spot to unwind after your game.
Off the course, you’ll also find a 14-bay TrackMan Range (soon to be extended to 24 bays) and a swing studio.
Wearside Golf Club
The golf course at Wearside, located between Sunderland and Washington on the south bank of the River Wear, offers a chance to test your game in beautiful surroundings.
Founded in 1892, the club today enjoys a stunning parkland layout between the river and Penshaw Monument. Throughout its history, the course has been enhanced by several architects – including Harry Vardon – and it is framed by rolling terrain and many mature trees.
Beginning with a tricky par three and ending with a short par five, the 6,277-yard par 71 layout presents numerous opportunities to score if your game is in good shape. Off the course, you’ll find a welcoming atmosphere in the clubhouse, which has great views.
Wynyard Golf Club
The Wellington Course at Wynyard is a fine example of modern golf course design which challenges driving accuracy as well as players’ skills with a putter.
Host venue for the 2005 Seve Trophy as well as European and Seniors tour qualifying schools, the course’s mature trees and vast bunkers ensure accuracy from the tee is richly rewarded. Meanwhile, large green complexes featuring mounding, run-off areas and more fiendish bunkers will challenge those looking to attack flags.
Designed by Martin Hawtree, the course opened in 1996 and has matured into a widely respected layout which remains a regular host of top events. While it can be stretched to more than 7,000 yards, a wide variety of tee boxes ensure everyone can play a course which suites their game. Highlights of rounds here include the par four second hole with its elevated tee shot, and the par three third played over water, while the snaking par five 16th weaves between water and sand. The clubhouse is exactly what we love after a round – with a welcoming atmosphere and great food.
