Heddon on the Wall,
Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland NE15 0HT
Office
+44 (0)1661 852 255Pro shop
+44 (0)1661 852 255Fax
+44 (0)1661 853 322Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
Jonathan Lupton (Head PGA Professional)Academy
The Close House Golf AcademyThe Course:
18 holes. Mainly open parkland. Undulating terrain - several slopes to climb.
Surroundings:
Woodland and open rural countryside.
Designer:
Colt course: Scott Macpherson (2011), in the style of Harry Colt. / Filly course: originally a 9-hole course, extended to 18 by Hawtree, Cram & Glendinning (1980s) and refurbished by Scott Macpherson (2011).
Above distances are for the Colt course. Also at Close House is the 18-hole Filly course (par-70, 6000 yds from back tees), and a 9-hole Pitch & Putt course.
54.987538
-1.805105
1 mi W of Heddon on the Wall / 10 mi W of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Close House
Close House Hotel & Golf (Colt course): Here beside the River Tyne in rural Northumberland (but still just 10 miles from the centre of Newcastle), you'll find Close House, a relatively recent addition to the North East's growing collection of luxury Stay&Play venues. Much transformed from a former Newcastle University facility, Close House now boasts luxury accommodation and two Lee Westwood endorsed golf courses: the championship Colt layout and the shorter and also enjoyable Filly course.
The Colt is a predominantly open "heathland" layout. Integrated into its design are several themes that flow from the work of Harry Colt. Rectangular tees, wrinkly-edged bunker forms and the design of the par-3s all tip their hat to the legendary English course architect (whose greatest work includes Sunningdale's New course, Wentworth's West, Swinley Forest, and Pine Valley in New Jersey).
The layout exudes a linksy openness, with fairways frequently lined by tall wispy fescues. Only occasionally do you play through tree-lined stretches, while water hazards are sparingly used, as on many of the great heathland courses. Variety is guaranteed with the terrain's natural undulations demanding a mix of shots, some played uphill, others downhill and some on more level ground. Each hole faces a different direction than the one before, which becomes an ever more challenging factor when the wind is blowing. Where some holes provide good width landing areas, others like the par-4 1st give you testingly tight fairways to hit.
From this pleasantly undulating layout you'll enjoy many scenic views onto the surrounding Northumberland countryside. Although the River Tyne is but a short distance away, you'll not play alongside it on the Colt course. A few holes on the Filly course get closer to the northeast's most famous river, separated from it by a small margin of woodland.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance.
Credit cards accepted. Contact club for full details, discounts, Stay&Play packages, etc. [Last updated: 2019].
Players generally walk this course. Golf carts available for hire (if pre-booked). Caddies available (if pre-booked).
Good
Close House was built in 1779 for the private use of the Bewicke family. Many centuries prior to its construction, the Roman Army roamed this land. In fact, the world famous ‘Hadrians Wall’ built by the Romans between England and Scotland, almost abuts Close House's Colt course. Created for the use of Newcastle University staff and students, the original 9-hole golf course (now integrated in the Filly course) dates from 1964. Nowadays, Close House's much expanded facilities offer a luxury Stay & Play facility, with two Lee Westwood endorsed golf courses.
2019 Golf World rating (Colt course): 88th best course in England; 25th best Stay&Play golf resort in Britain & Ireland.
Heddon on the Wall, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 0HT.
+44 (0)1661 852 255
Visit website2012 saw the opening of luxury, Courtyard suite-style accommodation at Close House. The rooms provide a comforting place to retire after a hard day on the golf course! In 2013 the opening of new Terrace rooms expanded the accommodation offering to even more golfers.
Close House (Colt and Filly courses)
No
Slaley Hall
Tournaments:
2021 Opens: whether by accident or design, four of the top five mens’ Open Championships played in the British Isles occupy consecutive weeks in July: the Irish Open (1-4), Scottish Open (8-11), The Open (15-18) and Wales Open (22-25). The recently relaunched English Open is scheduled for early-August.
Hoag Classic: Ernie Els defends his title in this prestigious PGA Tour Champions event, played since 1991 at the Newport Beach Country Club, CA (Mar 5-7).
Who's Who:
Brooks Koepka: won his second Phoenix Open title, with a chip-in eagle at TPC Scottsdale’s short par-4 17th included in his final round.
Annika Sörenstam: the legendary Swede makes a return to the LPGA Tour in the Gainbridge LPGA, to be played at Lake Nona, her home club (Feb 25-28).
New course opens for play at Barnbougle
Bill Coore designs 14-hole layout with “sporty” holes on dune ridge above Lost Farm.
New links course planned for Scottish Highlands. Landowner aims to appoint a ‘world-class architect’ to work on site next to Cromarty Firth.
New Faldo Design layout in Vietnam set for summer completion. Nine holes of the course at Thanh Lanh are routed across a the lake peninsula.
Dundonald Links Scotland: Construction work is in progress on new practice facilities and course changes at Dundonald Links in Irvine, Scotland, as part of a £25 million investment by new owners Darwin Escapes that also includes the construction of a new clubhouse with rooms, plus eighteen lodges. Read more ...
R&A submits planning application for new golf facility in Glasgow.
Look up the Top Golf Courses in Scotland.
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