20 of The Best Golf Courses to Play in Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a large county and their love for the sport of golf is both undeniable and infectious.

An immense collection of golf courses is dotted around the expansive areas, with several different types to enjoy.

Whether you want to play parkland or heathland, Yorkshire’s variation is arguably its strongest trait.

• North Yorkshire
• West Yorkshire
• South Yorkshire
• East Yorkshire

Below, we provide information on 20 of the very best to be found within the county - have you played any of them to date?

Let's start off by looking at courses in North Yorkshire...

(Ganton Golf Club)

Ganton Golf Club

Referred to as one of the finest inland links courses to reside within the British Isles, Ganton Golf Club had the honour of hosting the Ryder Cup back in 1949, before adding to their impressive hosting rights by welcoming the 2000 Curtis Cup and the 2003 Walker Cup. With more than 100 cunningly placed bunkers, accuracy will be a vital tool for a trip to Ganton.

Fulford Golf Club

Fulford Golf Club is a fantastic venue to visit if you’re part of a society or larger party, with the club welcoming these groups on a daily basis. Outstanding practice facilities await any visitor upon arrival, but it is the condition of the championship routing that ensures they return. Everything is immaculately kept at Fulford, which only adds to its charm.

Oakdale Golf Club

Having opened for play in 1914, it is fair to assume that Oakdale Golf Club is steeped in rich history. The course is set in 130 acres of gentle valley, with elements of parkland and moorland golf being combined to create a surreal outcome. You don’t have to be an expert golfer to negotiate the trouble found at Oakdale, but you’ll certainly need your thinking cap.

Bentham Golf Club

Previously noted as ‘a Diamond of the Dales’, Bentham Golf Club offers a challenge to all golfers, regardless of ability. The Marshall Family took ownership of the facility in 2009 and following extensive improvements, Bentham has benefited greatly from their input. Many visitors comment on the exceptional standard of the course and other facilities, with larger groups and societies welcome too.

The Oaks Golf Club & Spa

Set in the stunning ‘Vale of York’, The Oaks Golf Club is home to a fantastic championship golf course. Every green and tee adheres to full USGA specifications and there are no fewer than six water features for visitors to avoid. The Log Cabin, which acts as the halfway hut, is a great place to relax before facing the daunting back nine.

Let's now gaze across to what you can find in West Yorkshire...

(Alwoodley Golf Club)

Alwoodley Golf Club

If you’re looking for a complete heathland experience, then Alwoodley Golf Club deserves your attention. Having opened for play in 1907 and referred to as one of Britain’s best heathland layouts, the golf course in question is a work of art. Running straight out and back, the inward nine acts as the more difficult half due to fresh winds from the Yorkshire Moors. The club has acted as a Regional Qualifying venue for the Open Championship.

Moortown Golf Club

Dr Alister MacKenzie laid the original foundations at Moortown, which is regarded as one of the finest championship golf courses to reside in Yorkshire. The course opens with a par five, with guests enjoying a good variation of holes. The new 6th hole is rated as the most difficult, but the par three 10th acts as the club’s signature hole.

Otley Golf Club

Set in the beautiful Wharfe Valley, Otley Golf Club offers a proper test of golf that is complemented by the stunning environment. Two streams are ever-present throughout the round, with both coming into play a combined seven times. The incredible Otley Chevin acts as a great backdrop for this parkland golf course.

Crosland Heath Golf Club

Crosland Heath Golf Club features one of the highest golf courses in the country, which in turn offers unbelievable views of the local vistas. This is another venue that is associated with the legendary Alister MacKenzie, with his original design being largely untouched in the century that has since passed.

Bracken Ghyll Golf Club

Opening for play in 1993, Bracken Ghyll Golf Club originally operated as a nine-hole course before expanding to the traditional 18. The club features both outdoor and indoor practice facilities, which includes a state-of-the-art simulator. Golfers will enjoy playing Stroke Index 1, which is par five that is just under 500 yards.

Howley Hall Golf Club

Howley Hall Golf Club could be the venue that is most featured by Golfshake. Our Equipment Expert, Ryan Rastall, is the head professional at Howley Hall and if you’ve watched any of our YouTube content, the chances are you’ve been shown a snippet of Howley’s beauty. Generous fairways and often tree-lined and the large greens places a premium on putting and expert touch around the greens.

You've seen the North, but now it's time for the offering in South Yorkshire...

Abbeydale Golf Club

The renowned Herbert Fowler is responsible for the design found at Abbeydale Golf Club, which can be best described as a joyful challenge. Fowler was also complimented for his work at Walton Heath and The Berkshire, both of which exude quality to the highest level. Abbeydale provides a great day of entertainment for golfers of all abilities.

Wheatley Golf Club

Wheatley Golf Club moved to its current site in 1934, with the land being sculpted for the club by famous architect, George Duncan. The course almost extends to 6,400 yards from the tips, with plenty of tree-lined fairways in the form of silver birch, beech and Scots pines. Generally, the sand-based course is flat and the drainage system is tremendous, which allows for golf year-round.

Rotherham Golf Club

Rotherham Golf Club is a historic site, first opening for play back in 1903. Not many clubs can claim to have been inexistence for that long, with the magnificent clubhouse highlighting the impressiveness found at Rotherham Golf Club. The parkland layout is surrounded by timber and the venue is easily accessible from the M1 or A1 in South Yorkshire.

Doncaster Golf Club

A lot of clubs have a long and rich history in Yorkshire, and you can add Doncaster Golf Club to that elongated list. Founded in 1894, the club would move location, referring to the new site as: ‘The Warren’. From the tips, the course measures 6,244 yards, which isn’t overly long at all. However, don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the supposed lack of distance, the challenge lies well beyond the length of the layout.

Finally, there are some cracking places to discover in East Yorkshire!

(Hornsea Golf Club)

Hornsea Golf Club

Located on the east coast, Hornsea Golf Club’s course benefits from refreshing sea breezes. The exceptionally scenic walk is easy to navigate, as the course features tree-lined fairways, a collection of devilish bunkers, and tremendous water hazards that need to be carefully negotiated. All visitors will enjoy putting on some of the finest greens found in the country.

Brough Golf Club

Boasting a par of 68, Brough Golf Club features a course that is both attractive and challenging. The inland parkland layout is located in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and the inclusion of five par threes is unique and something that golfers will enjoy. The course is kept to an immaculate standard all year, with greens being labelled as true and consistent.

Driffield Golf Club

Located in a stunning parkland estate with plenty of native trees and ponds, Driffield Golf Club offers a great challenge. Multiple water hazards come into play from holes seven to 11, before remerging on 15 and 16. The signature hole is the par five 11th, and golfers will do very well to avoid the three ponds present on the hole.

Hessle Golf Club

With a measurement of 6,608 yards from the tips, Hessle Golf Club can be regarded as a fairly long layout. Due to the flat terrain, it is easily walked, which should please those who are yet to play this magnificent golf course. Over the years, the golf course has received substantial investment, which includes a new lake between the fifth and sixth hole - perfectly placed for right-handed slicers!

Hull Golf Club

Hull Golf Club is another great facility to be located in Yorkshire. The course boasts a par of 70 and measures a touch shorter than 6,300 yards. Remarkably, despite the vast improvement in equipment, the course record of 64 still stands to this day. John Dockar has held that record for nearly a quarter of a century - are you good enough to take it from him?

The county of Yorkshire benefits greatly from a terrific local environment, which could have seemingly been sculpted for the sport of golf.

Throughout the county there are amazing championship golf courses and hidden gems waiting to be discovered.