Best Golf Courses In Yorkshire

Best Golf Courses In Yorkshire

Yorkshire is the largest county union affiliated to England with over 180 clubs and it’s interesting to note that North Yorkshire alone is larger than any other English county.

Yorkshire has a rich history in the game, having staged three Ryder Cups, Walker and Curtis Cups, provided hundreds of tour players and it’s home to many of the very best golf courses in England. Below we have narrowed it down to 20 courses, all of which are fantastic and there is some incredible value to be had all over the county.

GANTON

• Location: Scarborough
• GF: £150
• Par: 71, 6,789 yards 
• Contact: Ganton Golf Club

Ganton has quite a claim to fame being the only inland course to host the Amateur Championship, something that it has done three times. This North Yorkshire beauty has also staged the Ryder, Walker and Curtis Cups which speaks bundles about its pedigree and it staged both the Senior Amateur and  Brabazon Trophy in 2021 – six-time Open champion Harry Vardon was once the club's professional. It's described as an inland links due to its outstanding turf and bouncy nature and it's almost worth the trip for the drive in from the main road which whets the appetite nicely. 

If you haven't visited for a while then you will be greeted with some very impressive sand wasteland area renovations at the 9th and 18th which had been lost over time and have now been reintroduced by Martin Ebert. Otherwise there have been green extensions, bunker revetment renovations, adding ‘lost’ bunkers back into position, stripping back of gorse and fine-tuning the wispy rough.

Everything is classy about the place and Sir Michael Bonallack, Britain's greatest amateur, said of it: “The journey from tee to green on every hole is one of the most enjoyable golfing examinations that a player is ever likely to experience."

A mainstay of our Top 100 courses and many rate it the very best in Yorkshire.

Read full Ganton Golf Club review

MOORTOWN

• Location: Moortown, Leeds
• GF: £115 weekdays, £130 weekends
• Par: 71, 6,741 yards 
• Contact: Moortown Golf Club

Moortown is quite rightly regarded as one of the very best courses in the county with a history also up there with the very best. The Leeds club was the first to stage a Ryder Cup on home soil, having been designed by Dr Alister MacKenzie, and it continues to move with the times. It has recently updated the short 4th and the drivable par-4 5th which has been improved by the architect Clyde Johnson.

Moortown is a hybrid of moorland and heathland and, the higher you go at the far end of the course, the better the holes. 

Its signature hole is the par-3 10th, Gibraltar. MacKenzie was nearing the completion of his work at nearby Alwoodley and was asked to design one test hole. This hole, Gibraltar, dazzled the members so much that he was invited to lay out the rest of the course. Moortown continues to be a prime championship course and it concludes with one of the best finishing holes in the country.

Read full Moortown Golf Club review

ALWOODLEY

• Location: Alwoodley, Leeds
• GF: £150 Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri and Sun
• Par: 71, 6,688 yards
• Contact: Alwoodley Golf Club

One of Alwoodley's founders was none other than the local GP, Dr Alister MacKenzie, and this was the first course that he designed. Some claim to fame for the club which is up there with some of the very best inland courses in the UK.

The condition and turf is a thing of beauty and the heathland layout retains many of the characteristics from MacKenzie's input, along with Harry Colt, and it has gone up a level in recent years thanks to the work of architect Clyde Johnson who trained under Tom Doak. Johnson has consulted on extensive tree removal, gorse and heather management, the reconfiguration of some of the bunkering and, what's significantly improved things, the removal of gorse-blocking sight lines.

Alwoodley may perhaps be more about considerable strength in depth rather than individual stand-out holes but the 8th and 9th are pretty special. The former, a par 5 which features an inviting approach, while the latter, a long par 3, at the end of the course requires your best long iron. The 10th is said to be the hole that MacKenzie copied for the 13th at Augusta National which takes some imagination – off the yellow tees it's a pretty brutal par 4.

If you're going to score well then you will likely achieve that by a strong front nine as it gets harder as you go along with a cluster of very strong par 4s to finish.

Read full Alwoodley Golf Club review

LINDRICK

• Location: Worksop
• GF: £105
• Par: 71, 6,503 yards 
• Contact: Lindrick Golf Club

Yorkshire boasts three courses to have staged the Ryder Cup and Lindrick was the home to Great Britain's famous win over the Americans in 1957, the first British victory in 24 years. Like many others in the county MacKenzie has played a part in its design but the original design was by Old Tom Morris.

Lindrick is a mix of heathland and moorland and accuracy rather than length is essential. There is plenty of variety here and the par-5 4th will stick in the memory bank, a dogleg right that is played to a hidden green that nestles in a hollow. The bunkerless par-4 12th will also stay with you for its quirky nature. The greens are quick, the bunkering has seen big improvements in recent years and it finishes, unusually, with a par 3. 

Lindrick has staged plenty of big events over the years and one interesting claim to fame is that Greg Norman once took 14 strokes to complete the 17th during the final round of the 1982 Martini tournament. It hosts the 2022 English Amateur, following on from Headingley in 2021.

FULFORD

• Location: Fulford, York
• GF: £100 Mon-Thu, £120 Fri and Sun
• Par: 72, 6,743 yards 
• Contact: Fulford Golf Club

For a certain generation when you hear the name Fulford your mind will quickly dart to Bernhard Langer playing a recovery shot from up a tree at the 1981 B&H International. Over the years the likes of Tony Jacklin, Lee Trevino, Tom Weiskopf, Greg Norman and Sandy Lyle have all prevailed here. Since then Mackenzie and Ebert have overseen some changes and it remains one of the best in this golf-mad county.

After five holes you cross the A64, you are rarely bothered by the traffic, and this is where the very best holes lie, eight of them, all different and all very impressive. The final hole on this side, the excellent 13th, is the star of the show for many and this is one of the trickier par 4s in the county – Weiskopf actually eagled it en route to his win in 1981 and the hole is named after him.  In fact all the holes are named after tour players which makes for a nice touch.

HEADINGLEY

• Location: Headingley, Leeds
• GF: £85
• Par: 71, 6,576 yards
• Contact: Headingley Golf Club

Headingley is the oldest club in Leeds and it is a course on an upward curve having hosted the 2021 English Amateur and it will open a world-class short-game area later this year. The course was laid out and shaped in the early 20th century by a number of eminent architects including Dr Alister MacKenzie and Harry Colt and it remains a firm but fair test of your skills today. Set in rolling countryside five miles from the centre of Leeds, Headingley makes the most of its dramatic terrain and enjoys many wonderful views. You rarely have a flat lie and the 16th and 17th, both MacKenzie masterpieces, mean that the climax of your round is a special one.

If you can come through the first three holes unscathed then you will set yourself up for a good round before crossing the road for a chance of the odd birdie. When you cross back over the road you will be greeted by the very best holes on the property which range from challenging par 4s, to brilliant short holes and a sporty tree-lined par 5. Great value and particularly welcome.

Read full Headingley Golf Club review

BINGLEY ST IVES

• Location: Bingley
• GF: £35 weekdays, £40 weekends
• Par: 71, 6,420 yards
• Contact: Bingley St Ives Golf Club

Bingley hosted the first three editions of the Lawrence Batley International in the early 80s and it has quite a roll call of winners with Sandy Lyle claiming the first two titles before Sir Nick Faldo followed suit. The club also has a long-running association with the world-class caddie Billy Foster.

The opening hole is a sporty par 4 that gives no indication of what's to follow as it heads up to some incredible moorland holes at the far end of the course. The 11th is a magnificent hole, a long par 4 over heather before heading downhill to a well-protected and brutish green. An old stone wall will give you a good line off the tee but that's as far as any help comes. The short 10th before it is also worth a mention.

The other star of the show is short par-4 15th with a two-tiered green while the closing hole, a downhill par 3, makes for an unlikely and often frustrating finish. Well worth a visit and is probably less known than it ought to be.

Read full Bingley St Ives Golf Club review

HUDDERSFIELD (FIXBY)

• Location: Huddersfield
• GF: £60
• Par: 71, 6,499 yards
• Contact: Huddersfield Golf Club

Huddersfield is one of the oldest and best golf courses in Yorkshire. There has been plenty of investment at Huddersfield (Fixby) with their greens being of USGA standard as well as a significant bunker renovation project. To celebrate the reopening of the greens the club, which has a particularly rich history, put together an interesting exhibition with representatives from the four Cups - Neil Coles (Ryder), Alison Nicholas (Solheim), Gary Wolstenholme (Walker) and Emma Duggleby (Curtis).

There seems to be plenty of opportunity to open the shoulders here early on and the course steps up a level at the 7th that sweeps left to a sloping green before a great short hole at the 8th. The 12th, another more dramatic sweeping par 4, probably stands out the most before another testing short hole.

Having headed to the higher ground you return to ground level at the closing hole which drops rapidly and presents the chance of a closing birdie given that it's a par 5.

Read full Huddersfield Golf Club review

PANNAL

• Location: Pannal, Harrogate
• GF: £80 weekdays, £90 Sunday
• Par: 72, 6,404 yards
• Contact: Pannal Golf Club

Pannal is situated on the way in to the spa town of Harrogate from Leeds and is another historic Yorkshire masterpiece and another to have been improved by MacKenzie, who designed Augusta National. Pannal is another former host of the English Amateur as well as Regional Qualifying for The Open. 

This heathland/moorland classic has undergone some impressive changes in recent years, boasts some fantastic par 4s and is a great mix of being both challenging and enjoyable. The course changes in character from the 6th onwards, moving to more moorland holes which are punctuated with some fantastic tree-lined holes though there are a lot fewer than in recent years. The par-3 10th is a beauty, short in yardage, but a sloping green provides more than enough of a defence. 

The key at Pannal is keep yourself in position, there are only two par 4s that measure over 400 yards, to give yourself a chance of scoring well. The short 17th may well scupper that before you head back down the hill at the last. 

YORK (STRENSALL)

• Location: Strensall, York
• GF: £60 weekdays, £75 Sunday
• Par: 70, 6,367 yards 
• Contact: York Golf Club

Five-time Open champion JH Taylor designed York, also known as Strensall, and it remains one of the most enjoyable and underrated courses in the county.

Situated five miles north of the city centre York offers plenty of variety. As early as the short 2nd you seem to leave the property to take on the tee short from a remote tee, something that is repeated at the 11th, but otherwise everything is laid out right in front of you; the bunkering is excellent and the club should be applauded for carrying out a five-year development programme. 

People will point to the par-3 7th, played over water, as the signature hole but that seems to be quite out of character with the rest of the layout and the best hole might well be the next. Played over the same piece of water it's one of a number of striking 4s. York is highly regarded in the county but is certainly highly underrated on a wider scale with outstanding turf and plenty of value.

CLEVELAND

• Location: Redcar, Middlesbrough
• GF: £40 
• Par: 72, 6,704 yards
• Contact: Cleveland Golf Club

Finding yourself at Cleveland with your clubs is almost like a badge of honour in golfing circles. This is a genuine fast-running links where people will talk about the steel works background but that matters little when you see what is ahead of you.

Harry Colt was the original architect while Donald Steel created three new holes at the turn of the century to make up for losing some land. Cleveland is a special place to play and Bernard Darwin described it as such: “Look away.. at the sea and the sandhills and the bents and the ground that undulates gently and perfectly; you will feel grateful for such a piece of ground and forget about the steel works.” 

The course is one long links journey, with flattish greens, minimal bunkering and sensational turf to play from. Things move up a level from the 6th and the front nine is made up of three 3s, three 4s and three 5s.

Cleveland only just sits inside the county boundary and Alex Fitzpatrick claimed the Yorkshire Amateur with a ridiculous total of 23 under, helped by a course-record 62 on day two. 

HALLAMSHIRE

• Location: Sheffield
• GF: £59 Mon/Tue, £70 Wed-Fri, £85 weekends
• Par: 69, 6,361 yards 
• Contact: Hallamshire Golf Club

Expect fantastic views and hand-cut greens at Hallamshire and a course that makes the very most of its terrain. Set between Sheffield and the Peak District National Park, it was pieced together by Harry Colt and then Herbert Fowler and is regraded as one of the very best in the county.

Also expect a tough start, with three lengthy par 4s and a 196-yard par 3 at the 2nd, but things soon ease up with some more manageable holes. The par-3 6th, played over a deep valley, is the signature hole while the short 17th also deserves a mention, again played across a former quarry. Peter Alliss described this hole as ‘one that could be included on any course in the world’.

The respite for that tricky start may come courtesy of back-to-back par 5s at 14 and 15 and there is another three-shotter at the last.

Hallamashire offers fast-draining soil and, with a guaranteed breeze, it would take something biblical for the club to close its doors.

Read full Hallamshire course review

ILKLEY

• Location: Ilkley
• GF: £65 weekdays, £75 weekends
• Par: 69, 6,271 yards
• Contact: Ilkley Golf Club

One of the very best golf courses in Yorkshire and it has a similar storied background to other courses around Yorkshire with MacKenzie, Colt and James Braid having been involved at some point. 

Ilkley, the third oldest club in Yorkshire, is where Colin Montgomerie learnt his golf, where fellow Ryder Cup skipper Mark James still plays and the former Walker Cup skipper Rodney Foster is also a member which speaks volumes about the place. The course sits in an idyllic setting, beginning alongside the River Wharfe, before setting off into some delightful and ever-changing terrain. There are some well-bunkered and very attractive par 3s and out of bounds lurks over the closing holes.

Monty, whose best effort is a 64 to the tricky par of 69, says of Ilkley: "Although I have played golf on the finest courses in the world, Ilkley will always have a special place in my heart."

Read full Ilkley Golf Club course review

CROSLAND HEATH

• Location: Linthwaite, Huddersfield
• GF: £40 Mon-Thu, £50 Fri and Sun 
• Par: 71, 6,069 yards 
• Contact: Crosland Heath Golf Club

If this was positioned in more familiar golfing territory we would hear rave reviews about Crosland Heath. If you love firm fairways, bundles of variety, some magnificent surrounds and a friendly environment then you will love 'The Heath'.

Crosland Heath is situated 10 miles south west of Huddersfield and sits on the hills above the old industrial town with stunning views over the Colne Valley but it's a straightforward enough walk. As early as the first couple of holes you know you are in for a treat as the old quarry plays a prominent role and you then head off in all directions. All the par 3s and 5s, all nine of them, run in different directions and, given its lofty position, the wind will generally blow which adds to the fun.

Alister MacKenzie did the design, something that isn't perhaps known as much as with its Leeds contemporaries, but things are kept more under the radar here. This might well be the best-value green fee that you could spend in the county. 

HALIFAX (OGDEN)

• Location: Halifax
• GF: £20 Mon-Tue, £25 Wed-Fri, £35 weekends 
• Par: 70, 6,123 yards 
• Contact: Halifax Golf Club

If anything screams remote, brilliant Yorkshire then it's Halifax. You will come off the 18th green having had your senses stirred and most likely used every club in the bag.

The course moved from its original site at Lightcliffe and opened with a 36-hole match between Open champions Sandy Herd and Harry Vardon and, following further changes, another opening saw James Braid and JH Taylor battle it out. Herbert Fowler, Alister MacKenzie and James Braid have all added to Halifax, also known as Ogden, and their efforts to this moorland beauty remain in place today.

This is a proper golf course and it comes with a very affordable green fee. The par-4 16th is one of the best and easiest-on-the-eye par 4s. The signature hole is undoubtedly the short and very downhill 17th hole where all the uphill elements are chalked off courtesy of a par 3 that plummets and you'll be watching your ball with no real idea of where it's going to finish until it lands. Very down-to-earth club and well worth the trip for something very different.

SAND MOOR

• Location: Alwoodley, Leeds
• GF: £75 weekdays, £90 Sunday
• Par: 71, 6,446 yards 
• Contact: Sand Moor Golf Club 

Like many other clubs in the Leeds area, Sand Moor claims the major influence to have come from Alister MacKenzie and when additional land was acquired in the 1960s the changes were made by Henry Cotton. More recently there has been some pretty large renovation work, all for the better, with encroaching tree lines removed as well as keeping things up to date for the modern day.

The very first shot of the day is a blind one, over the hill to a par 5 that has far more room than you might imagine, but this is quite out of character with the rest of the round. You have to wait until the 8th for the first of four par 3s. These are all very strong holes, most notably the 10th at the far end of the course, which has some fantastic bunkering. Two holes later comes a brilliant par 5 that is played along the boundary of the course and adjacent to the picturesque Eccup reservoir.

Sand Moor is a course that is definitely better for having played it once as a bit of local knowledge can come in very handy.

WOODSOME HALL

• Location: Huddersfield
• GF: £40 Mon, Thu, Fri, £35 Tue, £50 Wed, £40 Sun
• Par: 70, 6,141 yards 
• Contact: Woodsome Hall Golf Club

First things first the former 16th century manor house that these days doubles as the Grade 1 listed clubhouse is unbelievably impressive and it makes for an imposing and impressive background to your opening tee shot.

The course itself is fantastic. Harry Colt did the first design, the club’s first pro William Button oversaw the build and James Braid suggested his changes which included the switching of the nines. The short par-4 5th offers you the chance to take on the green as well as get into trouble and there are lots of great two-shotters, the 2nd, 4th and 14th particularly stand out, with only a couple of par 5s adding up to the par of 70. The second par 5 is a real opportunity but you need to know how much of the corner to pick off while the 9th has a new water feature short of the green.

It is the club’s centenary this year and they now have a dormy house which makes it a great place for a play and stay. 

ROTHERHAM

• Location: Rotherham
• GF: £49 weekdays, £65 weekends
• Par: 70, 6,378 yards
• Contact: Rotherham Golf Club

How's this for a claim to fame? Rotherham is the only club in England to boast a Masters winner as a member. Danny Willett joined as a teenager in 2005, had a glittering amateur career and then went on to be victorious at Augusta National. Jonathan 'Jigger' Thomson is another member here.

The course is a classic parkland and the grounds of Thrybergh Park are equally as stunning. It was designed by Open champion Sandy Herd and modified by five-time Open winner James Braid so the pedigree continues. It's not the longest but the par of 70 is tough – the feature holes come around the turn including the bunkerless par-4. There are a collection of par 4s that measure over 400 yards and the longest and trickiest comes at the last courtesy of a finishing hole that measures 456 yards and doglegs left. Other than the Willett connection few outside of Yorkshire will know much about Rotherham but more should do and visitors love it here.

SCARBOROUGH NORTH CLIFF

• Location: Scarborough
• GF: £40 Mon-Thu, £45 Fri and weekends 
• Par: 72, 6,458 yards
• Contact: Scarborough North Cliff Golf Club

Another outstanding value offering on Yorkshire’s east coast and generally regarded as the best in the area. In the beginning there were nine holes, since 1928 James Braid’s layout has stood the test of time other than one hole being replaced. The course begins on the cliff top before moving inland through the trees which might surprise you given its name and it's not as relentlessly exposed to the elements as you might expect.

There are though some incredible views of the North Yorkshire Moors and the North Sea and there are some great holes in the middle of the round before you cross the road and, for the final three holes, head back for the cliff top and the sanctuary of the clubhouse. This isn’t overly hilly and represents a fair and enjoyable test.

SELBY

• Location: Selby
• GF: £55
• Par: 71, 6,377 yards 
• Contact: Selby Golf Club

Selby sits to the east of Leeds and south of York so makes for welcome addition to any visit to the area. The course is renowned for its sand-based turf which makes for excellent all-year-round play which is very welcome in Yorkshire.

The club's facilities are outstanding, with covered bays on the floodlit range, and this year they will complete the third and final stage of a total bunker development plan. The opening hole, with out of bounds right, can be daunting but this very attractive parkland layout is fair and in great condition, most notably on and around the greens. 

Two of the four par 5s come in the first four holes but, at 540 and 573 yards, you might not expect to have many eagle putts while the closing hole is another 5. There are no particular signature holes, rather a collective effort that adds up to a must-play course if you're in the county.