Factfile
Name: Eaglescliffe Golf Club
Address: Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, TS16 0DQ
Location: From the A19 North/South join the A66 signposted Darlington. Leave the A66 at the exit signed Stockton (West) and Preston Farm. Turn left on to A135 Yarm Road. Carry on past Teesside High School and Clairville Hotel, Golf Club entrance is on your left.
Secretary: 01642 780238 Fax: 01642 780238
Clubhouse: 01642 780098 Pro: 01642 790122
Email: Eaglescliffe GC
Green fees: Weekdays £32 per round, £40 per day; Weekends £40 per round, £55 per day; Juniors: Weekdays £12 per round, £14 per day; Weekends £15 per round, £18 per day.
Membership: Full £527; Seniors £385; Elderly £125, Students (18-24 in full-time education) £268; Juniors (8-9) £64, (U16s) £12, (16-18) £200.
Visiting parties: Contact club for details.
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The original club memo at Eaglescliffe Golf Club read "the Club will consist of 1,000 members". And following its inception in 1914 this popular parkland club has come a long way with the dreams of its founders coming true. Originally located on Yarm Back Lane, the club re-located to its present site on Yarm Road in 1929 and the 18-hole course, designed by James Braid and opened in 1930, has developed into a superb par 72 offering a host of different challenges for golfers of all levels. And the club has kept on moving with the times throughout its 91-year existence. Eaglescliffe Golf Club carries out their own machine maintenance which means the seven members of the greens staff can continually work on the course without any disruption. The club prides itself on its greens and work is constantly on-going to maintain the high standards. Eaglescliffe's reputation as a fine golf track is constantly recognised by the Durham County Golf Union and the Teesside Golf Union. Last season the club hosted both the Durham County Strokeplay and Matchplay events and next season Eaglescliffe will stage the Northern Counties Boys Championship and a Durham County match against Lancashire. So it is clear to see that the course is held in high esteem by the many who come to visit. Members actively play a part in making sure Eaglescliffe continues to keep up with life in the 21st century. Unlike many clubs', the gentlemen and lady members enjoy a great relationship and both the ladies and seniors sections continue to thrive. Membership across the board at Eaglescliffe now totals more than 1,000. It's founders would be proud. Club professional Graham Bell is heavily involved with coaching the next generation of Eaglescliffe's golfers, hosting a regular junior coaching session on a Sunday. Visitors are more than welcome to Eaglescliffe both on the course and in the large, comfortable clubhouse, which includes a bar, restaurant and snooker room. The Course The 18-hole par 72 parkland course at Eaglescliffe is 6,275 yards (white tees) of different challenges. Your first tee-shot gets you pondering immediately as you have to decide whether to go with the big stick at this shortish par four. A good drive will take you over the valley in the fairway and give you a view of the green but a three-wood or long-iron will leave a fuller shot into a green guarded by five bunkers - three left and two right. Left side of the fairway is best off the tee at the 383 yards second as the hole dog legs slightly to the right, opening up the green for your slightly up-hill approach to a raised green. The raised tee at three gives you a good look at this long par four which turns to the right. Trees line both sides of the fairway and it's two strong hits to reach this long green. A five is not a bad bogey here. Everything slopes back towards you at the par four fourth and then it's on to the 358 yards fifth - another dog leg right. Play from a raised tee, a good straight hit aimed down the left will leave a short iron or wedge over Millennium Ponds to a big green that falls away at the back and to the left. A decent birdie chance. The sixth is an steep up hill par three and will require an extra club to carry the 158 yards to the middle of the target, particularly as there is a large bunker waiting to catch anything under hit. Hole seven (280 yards) represents a chance for the big guns to drive the green but even for the average hitter, a long iron will leave a flick to the green and a chance of picking up a shot. But you could easily give that shot back at the next, an uphill par four with trees and a ditch lining the left of the fairway, trees to the right and a quartet of bunkers surrounding the target. Finish the front nine with a par five of just under 500 yards. The fairway is trouble-free but with bunkers awaiting on both sides of this raised green to snare anybody who has gone for the green in two. Sensible to play this as a three-shotter. Start the turn for home with two relatively straight par fours before it's on to the next par five. At 479 yards it's a chance of another birdie, two good hits will just about get you there but be mindful of the trees that line the left side of the fairway from tee to green. In them and you're looking at a bogey. Thirteen is a downhill par three so it won't play the full 188 yards. The green is quite a welcoming-looking target, but new bunkering means you have to be spot on accurate. Hole 14 is Eaglescliffe's signature hole. The River Tees comes into play as you drive off at this 534 yards par five. Negotiate the river - and the trees - and avoid the three bunkers short of the green with your second, then there's a chance of a pitch and two putts for par. But if you don't get that tee-shot right then you could be in all sorts of trouble. A cracking hole. Another par five follows. A good drive to the corner of this severe dog leg left hole will leave you with just over 200 yards to the green, but if you try and cut the corner, it could be out of bounds and three off the tee. A long straight par four must be overcome before the great par three 17th. Played from a raise tee you have to fly the pond to reach the green 180 yards away - the front portion of the green slopes back towards the pond. Then it's on to the short par four last hole (298) - and the chance to finish with a flourish. A sound drive avoiding Teesside High School which borders the edge of the course to the right will leave a flick with a wedge to this narrow fronted green and the opportunity of a closing birdie. | 
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