Golf Monthly HGC3

as they come – 450 yards into the prevailing wind with bunkers everywhere. The view from the 18th tee is rather special, too. Alwoodley is a lovely course but it’s seriously demanding, especially the closing stretch. Long par 4s see you home and they usually play into the prevailing wind that sweeps off the Yorkshire Dales. Much like many famous links courses, at Alwoodley you need to earn your score on the first 11 or 12 holes and then hang on for dear life heading home. The club is simply a must-visit for anybody who appreciates great inland golf. A HISTORIC CLUB Literally across the road you’ll find Moortown GC, host venue for the 1929 Ryder Cup, the first to be staged in Britain. George Duncan’s GB team defeated the great Walter Hagen’s USA 7-5. It was only the second ever Ryder Cup and the result levelled the overall record after USA won 9.5-2.5 two years prior. Moortown has one of the greatest and most historic clubhouses you’ll find on these shores. The smoke room, the snooker room, the lounge – known as the Ryder Cup room – and the It also hosted the 1980 Haig memorable – and I didn’t even locker room are special, and the Whiskey Tournament Players play them well! building almost feels like a Championship, which attracted a The 12th is the longest hole on museum. It also offers a fantastic field including Seve Ballesteros, the course at over 550 yards, and view down the tough finishing hole. Nick Faldo, Greg Norman, Gary Archie Compston is said to have This is another of MacKenzie’s Player, Bernhard Langer and holed a ‘brassie’ shot for the only early designs and, along with winner Bernard Gallacher. There is albatross ever recorded here. The Alwoodley, it is part of a 15-club a story you’ll hear if you come to 14th is an excellent short par 4, MacKenzie society which holds a Moortown of Seve flying the where the second shot is played two-day tournament each year at 18th green and landing his ball on from atop the hill down to a small one of the clubs on a rotating basis. the practice putting green… trust green area that is well guarded by Moortown has been home to me, that is a serious miss-club! three bunkers. The closing par 4 numerous other professional Highlights of the course – a plays slightly uphill and to the events down the years, including moorland/heathland hybrid right, and most amateurs will be the Yorkshire Evening News ranked 63rd in our Top 100 – happy to make a bogey and get tournament between 1925-1962, include the tough par-4 2nd, into the house. which produced winners like Peter which plays slightly uphill on the Thomson, Dai Rees, Henry Cotton The 11th hole at approach after a relatively benign VALUE FOR MONEY and Bobby Locke. Alwoodley par-5 opener, the charming par-3 If you’re in the area, a trip to 4th and the short dogleg-left Headingley is also well worth it. It’s par-4 5th. another of MacKenzie’s designs The 10th, named ‘Gibraltar’, is and is located around five miles an uphill par 3 flanked by bunkers west of Alwoodley and Moortown. and one of the best short holes in Stay in the Weetwood Hotel on the the country. Many feel it ranks in Alwoodley/Moortown stay-and- the top 20 MacKenzie-designed play deal and add it on as it’s a holes in the world. Gibraltar is mere two-minute drive from there. followed by four holes running up Headingley is Leeds’ oldest golf and down across a plateau known club and, in contrast to Moortown as Black Moor – a stretch where and Alwoodley, is undulating with the course really comes into its beautiful views of the north Leeds own. For me, these four holes, plus countryside. Stand-out holes the 10th, were the most include the 1st, which must surely 108 Courses - Leeds feature.indd 108 15/01/2019 11:10.

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