WARKWORTH GOLF CLUB (A HIDDEN GEM, ALLEGEDLY!)

WARKWORTH GOLF CLUB	https://www.warkworthgolf.club
Type of course	Links	9 holes	Par 36
Course distance	White 2931 yds	Yellow 2739 yds	Red 2605 yds
Holes	1 x Par 3	7 x Par 4	1 x Par 5
Played	21/04/21
Claim to Fame: Northumberland’s Hidden Gem

In 2015 Sky’s Ben Coley came across Warkworth on his way to St Andrews and waxed lyrical about the course and the scenery. Calling it ‘Northumberland’s Hidden Gem’, quickly saw the club’s website latch onto the moniker and it is now used in their advertising. Fast forward to 2021 and yours truly rolls up, therefore, it is a perfect time to review the course and bring the information up to date.

Having been born and bred in the North East, perhaps I didn’t appreciate what I had until I was gone. As far as the eye could see the goldens sands of the North East could be awash with hotels if it wasn’t for the chill wind that blows from the Arctic.  This is clearly a blessing in disguise because instead of concrete and clay we have sand and marram and by using the natural contours of the land we have some of the best links courses a person could wish to find. From Alnwick to Berwick and everywhere in between courses abound. Indeed, my stay at Amble overlooked a green, where once a 9 hole course existed, sadly, closed during the 1950’s. Nevertheless, Warkworth Golf Club was in easy reach and I could be there within 8 minutes door to door.  

The 2015 blog indicated pay and play was the order of the day however with covid-19 restrictions now affecting courses throughout the land, the only way to gain access was through online booking. Online booking, which restricted the casual user to one of 16 tee times in the day. I therefore opted for the 17.20 slot but sadly due to family commitments was restricted to 9 holes, rather than a glorious 18. Twelve hours prior to tee time I received an e mail giving me instructions to turn up no more than 5 minutes before tee time and either download or print off the e email as proof of purchase. Rightly or wrongly then I was expecting the place to be pretty busy.

Travelling North through Warkworth the first thing one comes across is the imposing medieval structure that is Warkworrth Castle and as you cross the River Coquet it would be easy to miss the small brown sign indicating, a sharp right, uphill drive to the course.

On first sight the course doesn’t look particularly imposing, the club house, a small white glazed brick structure, stands on a precipice and the practice net is situated well away from the deserted asphalt/grass car park.

As I sat on the edge of my open boot changing into my shoes, I enquired of a local  where I could find the first tee. His response “Just round the corner mate, there’s neebody on the course”. I have got to admit that I love to hear my natural brogue bouncing back at me, stronger and harder. Having lived in the land of the ‘err nerrs’, for so long, I miss the guttural sounds of the Geordie accent.

A walk up to the club house revealed a side entrance to a small glass cornered room with scorecards and play and pay envelopes by the bucket full! Perhaps, a nod to the old days when things were so much easier.

Moving on to the first tee unless you were an anti thallosphile, you could not help but appreciate the view. As you look out over the North Sea to Coquet Island, a stunning par 3, 209 yard, SI 2, drops 40 feet to the floor.  Anything slightly right here and you are out of bounds, anything slightly left and you have two pot bunkers to negotiate out of, or over. A 360⁰ scan of the course quickly ireveals anyone with a right hand bent is going to struggle and that ladies and gentlemen, as you well know, is me.  First tee then, I aim for the bunkers and thankfully watch the ball take a late detour falling just short of the green. Two neat putts later and I was off and running.

The second hole sees the golfer turn back on themself and drive down the middle of a gorge. Sand dunes to the right, rising sandy hillocks to the left, hidden pot bunkers ahead. My accidental low drive fortunately goes straight but disappears over a ridge. On catching up I am not surprised to be caught in one of the bunkers. Thankfully extricating myself from the sandy hollow I eventually reach the sloping green, double bogey.

Moving on, the third is the course’s signature hole. A 90⁰ dog leg right which rises up to the inland hillocks and then a sloping fairway towards the green. The only hole advantageous to the right swinger! Either way, depending on your line of attack, a short or a long drive will see you in the mire. Being slightly confused by the terrain and having no idea where I was going, I resorted to asking the lone local following up behind. He kindly explained the terrain, took his shot and then ran off to give me space to play. Perhaps a plan of the hole on the tee box or scorecard, would be of benefit to the new and naïve.

The 4^th brings you back up onto the plateau and the rest of the holes from here on, are more or less, on the flat. The 4^th isn’t particularly taxing but again if you go off right the ball will undoubtedly disappear into the rolling dunes. I unfortunately topped both my drive and second which wasn’t a wise thing to do as the only par 5 on the course was looming and it requires a fine drive over Killie Gorge, a cavernous ravine with a sandy track below. Thankfully this was traversed well and I headed up to the farthest point on the course which sees the green arced by static holiday homes. Overshooting the green here is not recommended as you may well be paying the price, not least of all, for replacement window panels.

At the turn the next four holes all contain out of bounds along the right hand fence. The 6^th is a 175 yard par 3 which converts second time round, to the longest par 3 in Northumberland at 245 yards and the par 4 7^th brings you back over the gorge.  Not only do you have to worry about the OB at the 7^th but on this occasion, I also had to contend with a young couple sitting comfortably within bounds on the spongy fairway.  Anything too far left here will see you disappear into a gorse plantation protecting the 13^th and 9^th tees.

Throughout the course the fairways are well nurtured but contain different forms of beach grass and at certain points you are required to lift your ball and play it from the semi rough. Undoubtedly this goes a long way to protect the course from the ravages of many a bitter North Sea squall. The greens are well tended and although not particularly fast they do have strategically placed undulations that could fox the best of putters.

The 9^th and the 18^th tees are well separated and well signposted so that no errors of judgement can be made and a final drive across a gorse terrain and practise ground sees a comfortable chip and putt, to finish, what can only be described as, a pleasant and relaxing round of golf.

On reflection Warkworth Golf Course appears to be a single players paradise, a holiday makers taxing pitch and putt, a walker, cyclist and runners well-trodden route and for a few, a picnicker’s haven.

Is Warkworth Golf Club Northumberland’s hidden gem then? Yes, I think it is, but having seen numerous others golf courses on my recent coastal walks, I am sure there are many more hidden gems yet to be explored along this glorious coastline.