Yorkshire is one of the great undervalued corners of English golf, home to Ganton, three Ryder Cup venues and a cluster of Alister MacKenzie heathland around Leeds that any architecture lover should make a pilgrimage to. Here are the ten we would build a trip around, ranked, with our verdict on each and how to play it.
Photograph: Ganton Golf Club, via Google.
Yorkshire rewards the golfer who looks beyond the famous links coasts to the inland heart of English golf. The county's golf falls into a few distinct worlds. North of Leeds runs a magnificent belt of heathland, where Alister MacKenzie cut his teeth on his first courses at Alwoodley and Moortown, the springy, fast running turf and naturalistic bunkering that he would later carry to Augusta National. East toward Scarborough sits Ganton, the heathland and links hybrid widely rated the finest inland course in England, while the moors above Harrogate and Sheffield and the parkland of the Vale of York fill out a deep and varied field.
We weighed design quality, conditioning, championship pedigree and the sheer pleasure of the round, and we leaned toward courses a travelling golfer can realistically arrange to play, most of which welcome visitors with notice. Every fact here, from designers and host events to founding years, was checked at the time of writing. The verdicts and the order are our editors' view, so reasonable people will reorder the list. If you want any of these built into a costed trip, that is exactly what our concierge does.
Reviewed June 2026 by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and host events verified at publication. How we research and review.
The undisputed number one in Yorkshire and one of the greatest inland courses in England, an unusual heathland and links hybrid set inland near Scarborough on sandy soil studded with gorse. Founded in 1891, it had Harry Vardon as professional and has been refined over the years by Vardon, Braid, Taylor, Harry Colt, Alister MacKenzie and Tom Simpson, and it hosted the 1949 Ryder Cup. Firm, fast and beautifully bunkered, it is a bucket list round.
Alister MacKenzie's first ever golf course, laid out on the heathland of Wigton Moor in north Leeds in 1907, with Harry Colt called in to review the plans before construction. Springy fairways, naturalistic bunkering and large, rolling greens make it a pure expression of the heathland ideal and a course of huge historical importance. The original routing survives largely intact.
MacKenzie's second course, half a mile from Alwoodley on the same stretch of Leeds heathland, and the host of the 1929 Ryder Cup, the first ever staged on British soil. The famous short 10th, Gibraltar, was the trial hole MacKenzie built to win the members over, and it remains one of the best par 3s in the county. A serious, classy heathland test.
A heathland gem on the Yorkshire border famous for one of the great days in British golf, Great Britain and Ireland's 1957 Ryder Cup victory over the United States. Originally laid out with the hand of Old Tom Morris and later refined by Alister MacKenzie among others, it is firm, gorse lined and full of strategic interest, and it still hosts top amateur golf.
The pick of the Harrogate courses, a strong, mature moorland and parkland test on the southern edge of the spa town that has hosted final Open qualifying. Heather, pine and well defended greens make it a proper championship challenge, and it pairs naturally with the Leeds heathland on a North Yorkshire trip. A connoisseur's round in a handsome setting.
A renowned parkland on the southern edge of York that was a fixture of the European Tour for more than twenty years, hosting the Benson and Hedges International, and the scene of Bernhard Langer's famous shot from up a tree. Flat, fast and beautifully conditioned, with one of the truest sets of greens in the north, it is an accessible and enjoyable championship course.
The third of the Leeds heathland trio with MacKenzie in its DNA, set on rolling, sandy ground above Eccup reservoir with fine views over Wharfedale. Tighter and hillier than its neighbours, with quick greens and clever bunkering, it completes a superb day or two of heathland golf alongside Alwoodley and Moortown a short drive away.
A beautiful parkland strung along the banks of the River Wharfe in the heart of Wharfedale, where the early holes weave around and across the river in genuinely memorable fashion. Where the great Colin Montgomerie learned the game, it is gentler than the heathland and moorland courses but full of charm, and a lovely change of pace on a Yorkshire tour.
The standout of the Sheffield courses, a fine moorland laid out in 1897 on high ground that was once part of the Duke of Norfolk's estate, with sweeping views over the Peak District. Heather, gorse and a stiff breeze make it a stern and traditional test, and it anchors the golf in the south of the county away from the Leeds belt.
Yorkshire's oldest club and its only true links, laid out along the coast at Redcar in 1887. A genuine, old fashioned seaside test of firm turf, blind shots and sea breezes, it offers the one piece of links golf the inland heavyweights cannot, and it is an essential, characterful addition for anyone wanting the full range of Yorkshire golf.
Designers, founding years and host events verified June 2026 from the clubs and recognized course databases. Ganton hosted the 1949 Ryder Cup; Moortown the 1929 match and Lindrick the 1957 match; Alwoodley and Moortown are MacKenzie originals. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Yorkshire is excellent value next to the heathland near London or the marquee links of Scotland and Ireland, with even the leading courses costing a fraction of their southern equivalents. The season runs spring to autumn, with the firmest heathland and moorland turf from May to September. Ganton, Alwoodley and Moortown sit at the top of the fee range; the moorland and parkland clubs are gentler still and usually welcome visitors with notice.
| Course | Type | Indicative green fee |
|---|---|---|
| Ganton | Heathland links | £150 to £220 |
| Alwoodley | Heathland | £120 to £180 |
| Moortown | Heathland | £110 to £170 |
| Pannal | Moorland parkland | £60 to £95 |
| Fulford | Parkland | £60 to £95 |
Indicative 2026 high season fees; figures change by season and year. Always confirm current rates and visitor availability directly before booking.
Tell us which of these are on your list, the MacKenzie heathland around Leeds or a wider county tour taking in Ganton and the moors, and roughly when. One concierge arranges the tee times and base and costs the trip to the head, with no obligation.
Ganton, near Scarborough, is widely regarded as the best course in Yorkshire and one of the finest inland courses in England, a heathland and links hybrid that hosted the 1949 Ryder Cup. The Alister MacKenzie heathland duo of Alwoodley and Moortown in north Leeds lead the chasing group.
Three Yorkshire courses have hosted the Ryder Cup. Moortown staged the 1929 match, the first on British soil, Ganton hosted in 1949, and Lindrick hosted Great Britain and Ireland's famous 1957 victory over the United States.
Indicative 2026 peak green fees run from around 60 pounds at the moorland and parkland clubs to 150 to 220 pounds at Ganton, Alwoodley and Moortown. Yorkshire is markedly better value than comparable heathland near London. Always confirm directly before booking.
May to September offers the firmest heathland and moorland turf and the longest daylight, with summer the peak. The heathland courses around Leeds drain well and play firm and fast through the warmer months.
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, founding years and host events verified June 2026; indicative green fees for the 2026 season. Last reviewed June 2026.