Hexham Golf Club

Hexham Golf Club sits on fast-draining parkland on the south side of the River Tyne, close to where the North and South Tyne meet. At 6,312 yards from the tips it's long enough to ask questions of your long game, but it's still fair for mixed-ability groups who want a test without feeling battered. The greens are regularly spoken of as some of the best in the county and when they're running true you quickly learn that sloppy approaches and lazy putts get found out.

It's classic parkland, with tree-lined corridors, well-placed hazards and a routing that uses the natural rise and fall of the land to give you cracking views over the Tyne valley, especially where the ground lifts around the river. When the breeze comes off the water you'll want to flight a few shots, and there's enough variety in hole length and direction to keep you thinking from the 1st tee to the last. It is rare to find a combination of a traditional course with this level of conditioning, but Hexham prides itself on year-round golf. Thanks to the free-draining ground it tends to stay playable through the wetter months, with fewer boggy lies than you might expect on a parkland course.

Who is this for?

Golfers after a well-kept parkland round in Northumberland, societies wanting good greens and a fair challenge and anyone pairing golf with a trip to Hadrian's Wall or the North Pennines.

Who is it best for?

Mid-handicappers who value great greens, groups after a sociable day out and visitors who'd take scenery and character over big-name branding.