Best Golf Courses in Yorkshire
Yorkshire has a long deep history with golf.
The county was actually host to the first Ryder Cup on European Soil! And the county boasts three courses which have hosted the Ryder Cup over the years, giving it a truly special place in the UK golfing map.
In fact, there are over 190 golf courses in Yorkshire making it the county with the most golf courses in the country! Given the sheer size of Yorkshire, there are a whole host of different types of courses, from traditional parklands to seaside links and mature moorland courses.
With the sheer variety of courses on offer, it makes it quite difficult to select a top 10 list, which is why we enlisted the help of the Average Yorkshire Golfer to help us run through the courses that should be at the top of your picks in the region.
The Average Yorkshire Golfer is a self-proclaimed golfing addict, playing off a 9 handicap. You can find the him on Instagram at @averageyorkshiregolfer
The Best Golf Courses in Yorkshire
If you’re looking for great golf in Yorkshire, you can’t go wrong with a game at one of the courses below!
1. Ganton Golf Club
📌 Location: Ganton, Scarborough YO12 4PA | 💷 Green fees: from £120
Ganton Golf Club sets the standards high featuring high up in the Top 100 golf courses in the UK as well and the World Top 100!
The club is one of the courses in Yorkshire that has hosted the Ryder Cup, having done so in 1949. More recently the club have also hosted other high profile tournaments including The Walker Cup, The Curtis Cup and Amateur Championship.
The course itself is a blend of a heathland and links styles built on a fairly sandy terrain which produces both firm and fast fairways and greens.
With famous architects such as Braid, Colt and MacKenzie all contributing some input to the layout at some point, it’s no surprise to see this ranked so highly in the world of golf.
I’ve played this a number of times, it’s a very tough course, particularly in dry weather when the fairways are hard to hold and heavily bunkered. Highlight would be the 17th hole, 250 yard par 3 over the road.
@averageyorkshiregolfer
Ganton is a must visit golf club if staying in Scarborough, but also worth making the trip from further afield!
2. Alwoodley Golf Club (Leeds)
📌 Location: Wigton Ln, Leeds LS17 8SA | 💷 Green fees: from £150
Alwoodley might not have a history with the Ryder Cup, but the course does have an important place in the world of golf, considered as the “original MacKenzie” being Dr. Alistair MacKenzie’s first creation in 1907.
He famously later went on to design hundreds of the top courses in the world including Augusta National, Cypress Point, Pasatiempo Golf Club and Royal Melbourne to name a few.
The course itself is a combination of heathland and moorland with natural firm, springy fairways lined with heather and gorse. The course is also protected by irregularly shaped bunkers and large undulating greens.
Played a couple of times and in terms of condition was the best I’ve played in England. Distinctive clubhouse provides a good backdrop to the 18th. Favourite hole is the 10th hole, par 5 on which the 13th at Augusta National is based.
@averageyorkshiregolfer
3. Moortown Golf Club (Leeds)
📌 Location: Harrogate Rd, Alwoodley, Leeds LS17 7DB | 💷 Green fees: from £65
Located just a stone’s throw from Alwoodley Golf Club, this course was designed to be an inland version of Ganton Golf Club to serve the city of Leeds.
Moortown Golf Club was the first of the three courses in Yorkshire (Ganton, Lindrick and Moortown) to host the Ryder Cup, with the match between GB and the USA (as it was at the time) taking place in 1929.
The course has further connections with its neighbour Alwoodley, having also been a creation of Dr. Alistair MacKenzie. The course has similar characteristics with a mixture of heathland holes with fairways lined with heather and natural forming bunkers, complemented with some more woodland style holes.
The course is regarded as one of the best inland courses in the UK and is also a regular feature in the UK & Ireland Top 100.
4. Fulford Golf Club (York)
📌 Location: Heslington Ln, Heslington, York YO10 5DY | 💷 Green fees: from £55
Only three miles from the centre of York, you’ll find perhaps my favourite golf course in York, Fulford Golf Club.
The course may not have a history with the Ryder Cup, but it does have a history with the elite level of the game having hosted the Benson & Hedges European Tour event for over 20 years.
The course holds fame for one of the most iconic moments on the tour, when Bernhard Langer played his ball from a tree at the side of the 17th green!
However, Fulford Golf Club offers much more than just a scrapbook of memories.
The course is an excellent challenge in today’s modern era being a mixture of parkland and heathland. It features tree lined fairways and spots of heather that protect some greens and different sides of the course, making it a challenge for all levels of golfers.
5. Pannal Golf Club (Harrogate)
📌 Location: Follifoot Rd, Pannal, Harrogate HG3 1ES | 💷 Green fees: from £37.50
Set close to the town of Harrogate, Pannal Golf Club is a mixture of heathland and moorland. The vantage point of the course offers fantastic views across the moors.
Recognised as one of the best golf courses in the area, as well as consistently ranking high on the list of golf courses in Yorkshire, the club has played host to both Open Regional Qualifying and the English Amateur Championship which speaks volumes for the quality of the layout.
I haven’t played but it’s supposed to be an excellent and challenging course, providing excellent views of the North York moors and can be made harder when the wind blows due to the elevation. Booked in for mid-June here and looking forward to it.
@averageyorkshiregolfer
6. Lindrick Golf Club
📌 Location: South Anston, Worksop S81 8BH | 💷 Green fees: from £85
The third and final course to host the Ryder Cup in Yorkshire, Lindrick was the last venue in the area to host the bi-annual event in 1957.
It was a pretty memorable one at that, with GB & Ireland taking the trophy from the USA after a 24 year losing streak! Added to that, it was the largest margin of victory at the time too.
For that reason, Lindrick will always be remembered as one of the historic Ryder Cup venues.
But the course today has plenty to offer too. It’s .
Another heathland-moorland mix, with silver birch and gorse lined fairways, Lindrick is considered as one of the best golf courses in the Sheffield area, and inland courses in the UK. With firm, slick greens and strategically placed bunkers, it’s an excellent test for all golfers and a reason why the match play format worked so well here.
7. Huddersfield Golf Club
📌 Location: Fixby Hall, Lightridge Rd, Huddersfield HD2 2EP | 💷 Green fees: from £40
Alongside being recognised as an England Golf Championship Venue, Huddersfield Golf Club is one of the oldest golf clubs in the North of England having been founded as an 18 hole course in 1891.
The course has been changed several times since then, including input from Dr. Alistair MacKenzie, to the point today where the course presents itself as a 6,500 yard mature parkland with USGA specification greens.
Perhaps one of the most defining features of the course is the clubhouse – Fixby Hall. The stunning Georgian style building sits at the heart of the property and offers a pretty impressive entrance and backdrop to the course.
I have played this course many times. At the centre of the property is the impressive clubhouse which is Fixby Hall. It provides a good test and has always been immaculately manicured. My favourite hole is the par 5 18th which has a large elevation change meaning if you can drive the brow of the hill it is easily reachable in 2 to rescue a bad score!
@averageyorkshiregolfer
8. Headingley Golf Club (Leeds)
📌 Location: Back Church Ln, Adel, Leeds LS16 8DW | 💷 Green fees: from £95
Set in the suburbs of Adel, Headingley Golf Club is the oldest golf club in Leeds having been founded in 1892.
In 1906 the course moved to its current location with the layout having input form not one, but two legendary golf course architects. Both Dr. Alistair MacKenzie and Harry S Colt had their input into the design of the course making it one of the premier venues in Yorkshire.
With a varied terrain it’s hard to define the style of course with it best being described as part-heathland, moorland and parkland. In that sense, it does offer a varied challenge over the 18 holes but with consistent stunning views of the local area.
Despite its long standing history and traditional style, the course has adapted to modern golf and will offer a challenge for all levels.
It has been several years since I have played here but I used to play there fairly regularly. Always well presented and favourite hole is the 17th, par 3 carry all the way to a guarded green, probably the course’s signature hole.
@averageyorkshiregolfer
9. Woodsome Hall Golf Club (Huddersfield)
📌 Location: Woodsome Rd, Fenay Bridge, Huddersfield HD8 0LQ | 💷 Green fees: from £40
It’s not every course that can claim to have a 16th Century Grade 1 listed building as a clubhouse, but Woodsome Hall Golf Club can. There’s a theme of stunning clubhouses at some of the top courses in Yorkshire, but this one could take the top pick.
But it’s not just a clubhouse steeped with history that’s on offer here.
The course is also one of the finest in the area and standing at just over 6,100 yards from the back tees, it’s not the longest, but at a par 70 it offers an excellent test for all levels. Combined with the top class hospitality on offer here it combines for an excellent day out!
A parkland course that I have played several times and was always regarded as one of the best in the area. With good views across the valley and well maintained, and always played harder for me than it looked on paper. Favourite hole would be the long par 4 4th, right to left dog leg. Historically a very traditional club, with a 16th century manor for a clubhouse.
@averageyorkshiregolfer
10. Moor Allerton (Leeds)
📌 Location: Coal Rd, Leeds LS17 9NH | 💷 Green fees: from £30
Another course in Yorkshire that has a history with the elite level of the game, which highlights the quality of the courses in the region. Moor Allerton played host to the Car Care Plan International in 1982 when the likes of Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros teed it up here!
The club offers 27 holes, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. who also has his name against some world famous courses such as Spyglass Hill, Firestone and Sotogrande. Moor Allerton was the only course he designed in the UK which makes it a special place.
Divided into 3 loops of 9, the course makes the best of the 220 acres of undulating Yorkshire countryside, featuring large greens, strategically placed bunkers and water hazards alongside stunning countryside views.
I used to play here regularly and have only been back a few times in recent years. The course now offers 27 holes and has a lot of elevation changes so can be a tiring walk depending on configuration. I understand Peter Allis was the former resident pro. My favourite hole is the finishing par 5, which can be attacked in 2 but brings a lot of danger short.
@averageyorkshiregolfer
Map of the best golf courses in Yorkshire
Final Thoughts
Whilst we’re convinced all golfers will enjoy a round at one of the golf courses above, if you haven’t quite found what you were looking for, there are plenty more opinions nearby.
Check out our database of all the golf courses in the UK, including all the golf courses in Yorkshire. You can compare all the different options at a glance, check reviews and facilities.
Otherwise, you can’t go wrong with teeing it up at one of Yorkshire’s finest below:
- Ganton Golf Club
- Alwoodley Golf Club
- Moortown Golf Club
- Fulford Golf Club
- Pannal Golf Club
- Lindrick Golf Club
- Huddersfield Golf Club
- Headingley Golf Club
- Woodsome Hall Golf Club
- Moor Allerton
Share this post
