Formally known as Swarland Golf Club, Percy Wood Golf and Country Club is an attractive parkland course situated six miles south of Alnwick and three miles from the North East coast. Opened in 1993, this delightful golf & country club is now owned by Percy Wood Leisure who completed the purchase three years ago. Since then, the group has invested heavily in the club with a massive expansion of the accommodation on offer and significant further investment on the course. The golf course, bordered by forestry and plantations of shrubs and bushes, is home to some of the most elusive wildlife in our region including red squirrel, pheasants and roe deer. The location is superb and it is quite understandable why the park has been awarded the prestigious David Bellamy Gold Conversation Award. We all know that Northumberland is a majestic county boasting some of the finest scenery in the country and Percy Wood has more than its fair share. The views from parts of the course are superb and a constant distraction as golfers attempt to negotiate some of the very good golf holes. Thousands of new trees have now been planted and in years to come, they will add a lot more definition to the course as well as difficulty. The greens are a particular attraction at the club - they are small targets and over half of them, bunkerless. The tricky surfaces maybe smooth and true, but they do take some reading and will test your ability to get the ball in the hole in regulation. The modern clubhouse is used by both golfers and visitors to Percy Wood and has all the facilities you would expect at a golf club of this quality. The conservatory restaurant is particularly eye-catching, where diners can choose between simple bar snacks or a full a la carte menu. The well-stocked golf shop is one of the best in the region offering a wide range of top class golf equipment and accessories at very competitive prices. Percy Wood also has an eleven bay floodlit driving range and a well-appointed practice area. The course Measuring 6426 yards off the back tees, 6013 yards from the yellows and 5229 off the reds, Percy Wood golf course is not physically demanding and has only a few gentle climbs to negotiate. There a four par threes, four par 5s and with five of the par fours measuring over 400 yards, the course is challenging and a great test for golfers of all abilities. The first is a 172-yard par 3, played slightly uphill with out of bounds and a ditch on the left. There are three bunkers to take into account and with the green being slightly raised, it is easy to come up short leaving a tricky chip to save par. At 403 yards, the second hole is a really good par 4, requiring a long straight tee shot slightly left of the marker post. There are two fairway bunkers on the right, which come into play from the front tees and also a lateral water hazard waiting for any shots missing right. The approach is played downhill to a green sloping severely back to front with bunkers front right and back left. Don't miss left or you will find your ball heading down a steep slope towards a pond. The next two holes are shortish par fours where you should be looking for birdies before the course toughens up and begins to ask questions. The third at 321 yards has a ditch and out of bounds tight left but there is plenty of room to the right. What can't be seen from the tee, is the sneaky well placed bunker left side of the fairway, 90 yards short of the green. Find the fairway here and the approach should be nothing more than a wedge to a raised green protected by bunkers left and right. Similarly, the 320 yard fourth hole has out of bounds and a ditch to the left and is uphill to start with before dropping towards the green. No bunkers to worry about at this one but miss left or right or over-shoot this green, you will have difficulty in getting up and down in two. The fifth is stroke index 2 and at 211 yards, an excellent par 3. Played slightly downhill, there is trouble and out of bounds on the right and two large trees guarding the right side of the fairway. The green is not an easy target to find, only 22 yards in depth and sloping front to back - a par at this one is a very good score. Go right at the 500 yard sixth and it's a lost ball. This is the first of the par 5's and slight dog-leg right where the longer hitters might be tempted to get home in two. But beware - there is a large pond front right of the green, which is another small target. The 407 yard seventh is uphill where consideration has to be given to a ditch crossing the fairway about 220 yards from the tee. The approach is semi-blind to a green falling steeply away to the left. At 430 yards, you can see all the trouble at the par 4 eighth. Trees left and right, a bunker on the left 110 yards short of the green and another 80 yards or so on the right, a good smack down the centre will leave a middle iron to a bunkerless green. The ninth is a 482-yard par 5 and a pretty good one at that. The drive is uphill and should be left of centre to avoid being blocked out by a tree on the right, 260 yards from the tee. There is a lateral water hazard on the right, coming into play for the second and third shots but stay on the fairway and you should make par at this one. The back nine starts with another par 3, 165 yards downhill and with out of bounds on the left. It's not an easy hole to get club selection right, so give it a little thought on the tee. There are no bunkers at this one, but the green is only 19 yards deep and there is water at the rear. And it's onto the next, the longest hole on the course and at 523 yards, a potential card wrecker - a very tight driving hole with lots of trees right and out of bounds and a ditch tight left. The second shot has to carry a ditch 180 yards from the green with trees on either side adding to the difficulty. You will need two very long accurate shots to get anywhere near this green. If you find yourself on the very back tee at the 12th, a par 4 may well be out of reach. This 450-yard monster is stroke index 1 and the toughest hole on the course. A carry of over 210 yards is needed to avoid the two fairway bunkers from the tee to leave a long approach to yet another small green. There is a small bunker on the right, 40 yards short of the putting surface, which falls steeply off to the right and back. The 13th is a 371-yard par 4 and another good driving hole. It dog-legs left through trees left and right, 200 yards from the tee and ideally, a right to left shaped shot will reap the maximum benefit. Because of further development of the accommodation at Percy Wood, the next two holes have had to be re-designed. At present a new tee box is being built at the 14th, which will radically change the angle of play to this par 3. The 15th is now a sharp dog-leg right with out of bounds on the left. A straight drive to the corner and a short downhill pitch onto the green is all that's required at this 310-yard par 4. With out of bounds on the left, the tendency is to play to the right side of the 16th fairway and should you overdo it, the approach will be blocked by large trees on the right. The hole is only 336 yards, but you do need to get the ball into the right side of the fairway to leave a clear shot at the green. The seventeenth hole currently measures 410 yards but a new tee box some 40 yards back will make a significant difference. This is another tight driving hole with trees either side and little or no room for error. The second shot is played slightly uphill to a very tricky bunkerless green - not one for conceding putts on, I can assure you!! And finally the last, a 505-yard par 5 where two long straight shots and an accurate pitch will result in a birdie chance. There is a lateral water hazard on the right from the tee, and the second has to be played through a gap in the trees 90 yards from the green. --------------------------------------------------------- Name: Percy Wood Golf and Country Retreat
Address: Coast View, Swarland, Near Morpeth, NE65 9JG
Telephone:
Office - 01670 787 010
Pro Shop - 01670 787 010
Clubhouse - 01670 787 940
Fax: 01760 783 794
E-mail: enquiries@percywood.co.uk
WebSite: www.percywood.co.uk Location: The golf club is situated in the village of Swarland, one mile west of the A1, 12 miles north of Morpeth and 6 miles south of Alnwick. It's comprehensively signposted from the A1 by brown tourist signs. Green Fees: Weekdays £18 a round, £26 a day, weekends £24 a round, £34 a day. Twilight Golf - half price after 4pm everyday. Visitors: Summer Special - Round of golf with coffee and bacon roll £20 or a fourball £70 (Mon-Fri only) Membership: Available. Full - £330, Junior (16 - 20) - £55, Junior (under 16) - £30, £50 discount for married couples.(There is no entrance fee). Buggies: Available - £17 a round Driving Range: £1.40 for 30 balls or £3.80 for 120 balls | 
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