Pay Cumbria a visit this season - you won’t regret it
GIVEN that it is the third largest county in England, it should comes as no surprise to learn that Cumbria is home to many great golf courses.
What’s more, bordered to the north by the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway, it is within easy striking distance of Scotland, making a weekend golf break there a viable, tantalising prospect.
In total, Cumbria is home to over 30 courses, with something on the menu for everyone. From championship links courses to parkland ‘hidden gems’, the county has absolutely everything you could want - and then some.
Silloth-on-Solway is a great place to start. Widely regarded as one of the finest courses in the country, let alone Cumbria, it is an exceptional links which has played host to a number of prestigious events in its long and illustrious history. Appealingly, it is renowned for its fantastic value and so is worthy of its place on any golfing itinerary.
Kendal is an altogether different test of golf but an equally enjoyable one. Laid out on a hillside in the heart of the Lake District, it combines a superb parkland challenge with some exhilarating views towards the Yorkshire Dales, the lakes, and Morecambe Bay.
Like Kendal, the course at Barrow Golf Club also offers exceptional views. Situated on the Furness peninsula, it overlooks the Duddon Estuary and Lakeland Mountains from its elevated position. A fine challenge, its closing three holes combine to make what is, arguably, one of the finest finishing stretches in the country.
The stunning course at Bentham Golf Club, meanwhile, is referred to locally as the ‘Augusta of the Dales’ because of its beautiful looks and the presence of water of some of its key holes. Nowhere illustrates this point better than the par-3 seventh, where you play from an elevated tee to an inviting green which lies on the opposite side of a pond.
Located two miles from the birthplace of Stan Laurel, Ulverston is another ‘must play’ for visitors to Cumbria. Affording beautiful panoramic views over Morecambe Bay, it is a great place not just to play but to visit, too, with friendly staff and members who will make you feel at home.
Interested in playing at Appleby? Ex English amateur star Gary Wolstenholme reckons you ought to. He says it’s one of his favourite courses and little wonder. With outstanding views of the Pennines, Howgills and Lake District mountains, as well as a course fit to test the best, it is well worth the visit.
With so many great courses just across the border, isn’t it time you got to know Cumbria a little better?
Read the latest issue of UK Club Golfer online
