Scarcroft Golf Club Course Review

Scarcroft Golf Club Course Review
GF Round: £45wd, £65we; Day: £60wd, £80we
Par 71, 6,243 yards
Slope 131
GM Verdict A very fine test of tree-lined golf that deserves to be better known
Favourite Hole The beautiful risk-reward par-5 14th with a pond in exactly the right, or indeed wrong, position

Yorkshire is a county packed with fine golf with plenty of Top 100 and Next 100 courses of varying styles and fame. It also has excellent strength in depth and Scarcroft is a terrific example of just such a course; a testing, subtle, tree-lined layout that requires thought and strategy rather than brute force. The club was formed shortly before WWII, and its attractive layout was designed by Charles MacKenzie, younger brother of Alister who designed Augusta National and many other world-class courses.

The par 71 layout opens with six holes on the other side of the main road, and the first three are arguably its most demanding trio of holes; three tricky and testing par 4s. The 4th offers your first respite, a gentle par 5 up a slight incline, and this is followed by the first of the four par 3s, a little beauty that is also the shortest hole on the course.

The 6th is another tough par 4, and back over the road this is followed by a quite different short hole, the longest here with trees left and sand waiting on the right. Two more par 4s take you to the turn and the characterful halfway house which is a lovely place for a mid-round break. The back nine is arguably even better with more holes that are individually memorable. As on the front nine, they begin with a hat-trick of testing two-shotters.

The par-5 14th is another real belter; a risk-reward hole that is both great fun to play and lovely to behold. Long hitters may feel tempted, but the penalty for failure is clear to all!

The 15th is the final and most interesting of the par 3s. It plays uphill to a well-protected green, and anything left is going to end up in real trouble.

The 16th is a great little risk and reward par 4, driveable by many and so offering a variety of strategies. The 17th takes you away from the clubhouse and sets you up for the closing par 5 which will give hopes of finishing with a flourish.

Scarcroft Golf Club is just down the road from the excellent courses at Alwoodley and Moortown, and makes for an ideal alternative as part of a golfing trip. Indeed, the best golf courses in Yorkshire match the best courses pretty much anywhere, and Scarcroft is an extremely fine course. It can hold its head high in very illustrious company and will test the better player while offering great entertainment to all.