Alwoodley Golf Club
Alwoodley is where the legend began. This Leeds heathland course was the first Alister MacKenzie ever designed, laid out in 1907 on Wigton Moor years before Augusta National and Cypress Point made his name worldwide. Springy turf, bold naturalistic bunkering and large, cunning greens are all here in their earliest form, on a course many rate the finest inland test in the north of England.
Photo: Alwoodley Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Alwoodley is a pilgrimage for anyone who loves golf course architecture. MacKenzie was a founding member of the club and laid out the course in 1907, with Harry Colt brought in to review and refine the plan, an early meeting of two of the game's greatest design minds. The result is heathland golf of the highest order, where the strategy is written into the ground rather than bolted on, and where the bunkering tempts the bold line and punishes the lazy one.
It suits the travelling golfer who wants substance over spectacle, and it pairs beautifully with the wider Yorkshire and Harrogate heathland belt, neighbouring Moortown among them, for a quietly brilliant inland week. Play it firm in high summer, take the aggressive lines the bunkers dare you to, and you see the blueprint for everything MacKenzie built later. Understated, strategic and a true original.
Alwoodley Golf Club at a glance
- Founded
- 1907
- Design
- Alister MacKenzie
- Type
- Heathland
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- 6,900 yds
- Green fee
- Around £130
Founding year, designer, par and championship yardage verified June 2026 from the club and the Alister MacKenzie Society. Alwoodley is MacKenzie's first design, opened in 1907 with refinement from Harry Colt, a par 70 lengthened over the years to a little over 6,900 yards from the back tees. The green fee is indicative, around 130 pounds for a 2026 visitor round, with stay and play packages available; weekday and seasonal rates vary. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Alwoodley is a course of strategy rather than brute length, and its defence is the bunkering and the greens. MacKenzie set his hazards to catch the shot played without thought, leaving generous room for the player who studies the angles. The greens are large, rolling and full of subtle movement, the first sketches of the wild putting surfaces he would later build at Augusta, and they reward the approach played to the correct portion rather than simply at the flag.
The heathland setting on Wigton Moor gives firm, fast turf, heather and gorse framing the corridors, and a quiet that feels a world away from Leeds just down the road. There is no water and no artifice, only the land and the way MacKenzie chose to play across it.
For the architecture enthusiast the whole round is the signature, but the closing holes ask the firmest questions, with bunkers pinching the ideal lines and greens that gather or repel depending on where you have left yourself. Walk it slowly and you read a founding text of modern course design.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A private members club that welcomes visitors on weekdays and at limited weekend times by arrangement |
| Green fee | Around 130 pounds for a 2026 visitor round (indicative), with stay and play packages and seasonal rates |
| Booking | Contact the club to arrange a tee time; weekday visits are easiest and summer fills early |
| On the day | A genuine walking course with a fine traditional clubhouse; caddies by prior arrangement |
| Getting there | On the northern edge of Leeds, around 20 minutes from the city and close to Leeds Bradford Airport |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest heathland turf, with spring heather adding to the setting |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club and public listings; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Harrogate makes the natural base, a handsome spa town fifteen minutes north with hotels to suit every budget and a clutch of heathland courses on the doorstep. Pairing Alwoodley with neighbouring Moortown and the wider Yorkshire belt fills an excellent two or three day inland trip.
Leeds itself offers city hotels and easy rail and air links, while the Yorkshire Dales sit just beyond for a scenic extension. The region rewards a slower, architecture led itinerary rather than a dash between marquee names.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Leeds and Harrogate.
A Yorkshire heathland week
We build inland golf trips around Alwoodley and the Leeds and Harrogate heathland belt, arrange the tee times and a comfortable base with transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Alwoodley Golf Club questions
Who designed Alwoodley Golf Club?
Alwoodley was designed by Dr Alister MacKenzie and opened in 1907. It was the very first golf course MacKenzie designed, laid out on Wigton Moor north of Leeds, where he was a founding member. The architect Harry Colt was invited to review and refine the plan, making it an early collaboration between two giants of golf design.
Is Alwoodley really MacKenzie's first course?
Yes. Alwoodley is recognised as Alister MacKenzie's first golf course design, predating his later world famous work at Augusta National, Cypress Point and Royal Melbourne. Many of the principles he became known for, strategic bunkering and bold, rolling greens, appear here in their earliest form.
What is the par and length of Alwoodley?
Alwoodley plays to a par of 70. It has been lengthened over the years to a little over 6,900 yards from the championship tees, and runs considerably shorter from the everyday markers. It is regarded as one of the finest inland heathland courses in England.
How much does it cost to play Alwoodley?
Indicative 2026 visitor green fees are around 130 pounds, with weekday and seasonal rates and stay and play packages available. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking with the club.
Can visitors play Alwoodley Golf Club?
Yes. Alwoodley is a private members club that welcomes visitors, most easily on weekdays and at limited weekend times by arrangement. It is best to contact the club in advance, particularly for summer dates, which book up early.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, founding year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.