Factfile Name: Warkworth Golf Club Address: The Links, Warkworth, Morpeth, NE65 0SW Tel: 01665 711 596 Green Fees: Mon-Fri £15 a day, Sat-Sun £20 a day, Juniors 1/2 adult fee. Membership: Adult Gents £215 Adult Ladies £190, Senior Gents £174 Senior Ladies £161, Juniors 11-18 £60 Over 18 £60, (In full time education) Juniors under 11 £12, Joining Fees Gents 18+ £140, Ladies 18+ £115, Juniors Nil. Visiting Parties: Welcome. Packages available - For details contact the club on the above number. Directions: From the north - A1 south to Alnwick and take A 1068 to Alnmouth. Stay on A1068 to Warkworth. Turn left before crossing the River Coquet and follow road to clubhouse. From the south - A1 north and take B 6345 to Amble. Travel through West and East Thirston to Acklington then left to Warkworth. Go through Warkworth and over the River Coquet. Take 1st right after bridge and follow road to clubhouse.
Found in 1891, the nine-hole seaside links course at Warkworth is one of Northumberland's hidden gems.
A typical Old Tom Morris design, the course is oval shaped with four holes in a northerly direction and five holes facing south.
There are two sets of tees for each hole and on playing the loop second time around, golfers are confronted with a slightly different lay-out.
Warkworth Golf Course is not for the faint of heart. It is an excellent test of golf requiring good concentration and accurate tee shots. Measuring just under 6000 yards off the medal tees and with a par of 70, the course record is 67, an indication that it is not a push-over.
The course is very well presented and the putting surfaces superb.
Club Secretary, Melvyn Rowe is particularly praiseworthy of Warkworth's head greenkeeper, Alan Dalby.
He said: "Alan is a very keen enviromentalist. He takes pride in keeping the course in a links traditional manner."
The membership at Warkworth currently stands at 528 and consists of 290 gents, 58 ladies and 80 juniors, another indication of how popular these links are.
They all enjoy a friendly and welcoming clubhouse with outstanding views of Alnmouth Bay to the north and Amble and Coquet Island to the south. An ideal spot to sit and relax and enjoy a drink or two from the well-stocked bar.
As there's no professional at the club, Blyth's Marcus Webb holds junior coaching sessions through the season on the small but adequate practice area.
The CourseThe 1st & 10th is an intimidating 217-yard par 3, played downhill to a small green with out of bounds tight on the right. There are humps left and right, waiting to deflect any tee shots off-line and short. Beware the two bunkers left of the green. Depending on the wind direction, this hole may well play a club shorter, and if into the wind, two or three clubs longer. A par to start is a good score. Played as the 10th, there is very little difference.
The 2nd & 11th hole is a strong par 4 measuring 400 yards. First time around the drive is straight to a wide fairway with two well-placed bunkers left and right 200 and 220 yards from the tee. Played as the 11th, the tee box is placed in the corner of the course making the hole into a slight dog-leg right. The approach should be no more than a mid-iron and is played blind, over humps and hollows to another small green, sloping right to left. A well-placed bunker protects the right side 10 yards short of the green.
A risk and reward shot awaits you at the 325-yard 3rd & the 361-yard 12th hole. The tee shot is uphill to a fairway that dog-legs to the right. A carry of over 180 yards is needed to get to the top of the hill and the safety of the fairway. The big hitters may be tempted to cut the corner of the dog-leg but be warned, there is plenty of trouble both sides of the fairway. The second shot is played to a large undulating green guarded by two deep pot bunkers. Having found the fairway with the tee shot, you should be looking for a birdie at this hole.
The 353 yard 4th is stretched to 385 yards when played as the 13th. A good drive over the hill will leave a second to a well-bunkered severely sloping green. Watch out for the pot bunker on the left 100 yards from the green. And be careful with your club selection for the approach, there is no bail out area at the rear of the putting surface. Over hit this green and you will be reaching for another ball.
The 5th & 14th is a 476 yard par 5 and an obvious birdie chance. The drive is over a ravine with a carry of about 120 yards to find the fairway. Aim for the left side to avoid all the trouble on the right. Another very deep pot bunker protects the front left and if avoided and you find the green, a four or better should be on the card.
The 6th is a 177-yard par 3 and played as the 15th, a 246-
yard monster of a hole. With thick rough on the right, along with the out of bounds fence, a par is a good score first time round. A par second time round will feel like a birdie. Watch out for the two bunkers front left and another middle right protecting a green, which slopes slightly left to right.
The 7th & 16th are played from the same tee box and at 330 yards, this par 4 should not pose any problems. A good drive over the gorse to a generous fairway will leave a wedge to an awkward green with bunkers front left and right.
Played as the par 4 8th, the tee box on this hole is tight to the right of the course, bringing the out of bounds into play. As the 17th, the tee is in the centre of the course and the drive a much easier shot. Although under 330 yards, the well-placed pot bunkers on this hole may well have you tearing your hair out. There's three on the left 140 and 90 yards from the green and another one 40 yards short on the right. And with two more guarding the green, this hole is not as easy as it appears.
The 9th is a 350-yard par 4 and a slight dog-leg left. As the 18th, it is 311 yards and a relatively straightforward par 4. Again, another well bunkered hole, with out of bounds both right and left and behind the green. There are two fairway bunkers to avoid, 40 yards short of a three-tier green sloping from back to front. However, a well placed tee shot and an accurate short iron should find the putting surface and another birdie putt.
Those golfers out there who have a tendency to get into trouble on tree-lined courses, will love Warkworth - there are only two on the course and neither come into play.
There are still a number of these nine hole links in play throughout the UK and without doubt, the course at Warkworth is certainly as good as any of them.
Aug 12-15: USPGA CHAMPIONSHIP (Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin, USA) & BMW Russian Open (Moscow Country Club, Moscow, Russia) Aug 19-22: WGC-NEC Invitational (Firestone, Akron, Ohio, USA) Aug 26-29: BMW International Open (Golfclub Munchen Nord-Eichenried, Munich, Germany)
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