A cute little market town located in Durham, Darlington is a great spot for a visit when you are in the North East. 

While it has always been a smaller market town throughout history, that doesn’t mean that it’s without its own charms! Like many small towns, they have plenty of local places to check out and things to do.

But there are also great golf courses in the area. And despite the quality on offer, the green fees tend to be very reasonable – making it a great place to play golf!

So, to help you escape for 18-holes, we’ve pulled together a list of our favourite courses in the area. 

Best Courses Near Darlington

If you want to get a round of golf in but don’t want to have to travel far, all these golf clubs are within 30 minutes of Darlington town centre. 

1. Rockliffe Hall

📌 Hurworth-on-Tees, Darlington DL2 2DU

💷 Green Fees from £40

First on our list is Rockliffe Hall. An 18-hole parkland course, it’s about 9 minutes from Darlington that is sure to win you over whenever you visit. 

Filled with lakes, wetlands, and woodlands, this course gives you a bit of everything to work through while you play. If that doesn’t scare you enough, it’s also one of the longest courses in the UK! 

But don’t worry, there are tees available for all levels of golfers. 

Each hole has been uniquely designed, and the course as a whole incorporates the natural beauty of the area. Having only opened in 2009, it’s already become one of the best golf courses in the North East of England.

2. The Darlington Golf Club

📌 Haughton Grange, Darlington DL1 3JD

💷 Green Fees from £30

Designed in 1908 by the famous Dr. Alister Mackenzie, The Darlington Golf Club is made up of lush, rolling greens and lined with trees, making for a beautiful course to play. 

Don’t let that beauty fool you though, as this course has plenty of rough and trap spots to give players of all levels a challenge as they go. The best example of this is their 6^th hole (called Pine Ridge) which is a 550 yard par-5, stroke index 1.  

The home to many competitions, this course will capture you with its beauty.

3. Wynyard Golf Club

📌 Wellington Dr, Wynyard, Stockton-on-Tees, Billingham TS22 5QJ

💷 Green Fees from £60

Nestled in the Wynyard Estates and designed by Martin Grant Hawtree in 1996, this well-maintained course (called The Wellington) has played host to many tournaments and visitors alike. 

Located about 30 minutes from Darlington, its 18 holes are meant to excite and challenge. The layout runs out over 200 acres of mature parkland and does its best to make good use of the natural roll and flow of the land.

If you want to try your hand on a quality championship course, Wynyard Golf Club is one to check out for sure.

4. Dinsdale Golf Club

📌 Neasham Rd, Middleton St George, Darlington DL2 1DW

💷 Green Fees from £25

Dinsdale Golf Club was originally founded in 1910 and then reconfigured in 2006. Today, it’s a lovely parkland course that was designed to please and accommodate all types of golfers. 

The undulating nature of the land and the various tricky spots along the course are sure to keep you on your toes, and the water features may try to catch you off balance if you aren’t on top of your game! 

Just a 12-minute drive from Darlington and you can find yourself a pleasant afternoon of golf at this well-maintained venue.

5. Headlam Hall

📌 Hall Country Hotel & Spa, Headlam, Darlington DL2 3HA

💷 Green Fees from £19

The 9-hole course at Headlam Hall may be shorter than the rest on this list. But what it lacks in length, it makes up for in other areas. 

With rolling pastureland and plenty of plant life surrounding the course, you will have plenty of scenic views as you navigate the layout. 

And whilst there may be fewer holes to play, each one will give you its own challenge with the varying lengths and pars, from the 166 yard “pond hole”, to the 523 yard par 5!

You can expect the course to be in top condition all year round. The greens have been laid to USGA specifications and if the weather isn’t up to it, you can always head to the 10-bay covered driving range.

6. Eaglescliffe Golf Club

📌 The Clubhouse, Yarm Rd, Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, TS16 0DQ

💷 Green Fees from £25

Designed by James Braid, the last course on our list today is the 18-hole course at Eaglescliffe Golf Club. 

Nestled by the River Tees with the Cleveland Hills as a backdrop, this course is sure to catch your attention. The beauty of the backdrop will keep you enthralled between shots as you navigate the rolling fairways and sloping greens.

There are some great challenges on some of the holes, particularly the signature 17th – a 170 yard par 3 over water! 

Sitting just 15 minutes out from Darlington, the club will provide a testing game for players of all levels.

Final Thoughts

So that rounds up our top picks in the Darlington area. 

While there are several more courses to check out nearby, these are simply some of our favourites. 

Each of them has a lot of character and will provide a different test, however if you want to see the other courses around you can view our page on all the golf courses in County Durham. 

Or, if you want to find more courses nearby, you can search by postcode on our website or visit our full database of UK golf courses.

Now, we’ll leave you with a list of our favourites in the area.

• Rockliffe Hall
• The Darlington Golf Club
• Wynyard Golf Club
• Dinsdale Golf Club
• Headlam Hall
• Eaglescliffe Golf Club