Moortown Golf Club
Alister MacKenzie’s first solo commission and the course that staged the first Ryder Cup on British soil, Moortown is heathland golf of the highest order on the moors north of Leeds. Its short tenth, Gibraltar, is a MacKenzie original that would not look out of place at Augusta.
Photo: M Gray via Google.
The verdict
Moortown is a landmark in the history of golf architecture and of the Ryder Cup. Founded in 1909, it was the first course Alister MacKenzie designed entirely on his own, before he went on to create Cypress Point, Royal Melbourne and Augusta National. Laid out on heather and moorland on the northern edge of Leeds, it is a course where you can see the ideas that would make MacKenzie the most celebrated architect of the twentieth century beginning to take shape.
In 1929 Moortown hosted the second Ryder Cup and the first to be played in Britain, a match Great Britain won by seven points to five in front of the largest golf crowd the country had seen. The course remains a genuine championship test at a par of 71 and around 7,001 yards, with firm greens, clever bunkering and the heather that punishes the wayward. It is one of the finest inland courses in the north of England and a fitting companion to its neighbor Alwoodley, MacKenzie’s first design in partnership with Harry Colt.
Moortown at a glance
- Founded
- 1909
- Designer
- Alister MacKenzie
- Type
- Heathland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- Around 7,001 yds
- Green fee
- Around £150
Par, yardage and design history verified June 2026 from the club and course databases. Moortown plays to a par 71 of around 7,001 yards from the back tees, with forward tees in regular visitor use. Green fees are indicative, roughly 150 pounds for a round in the 2026 season, with the exact rate varying by day and season. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Moortown asks for position and nerve. MacKenzie routed the holes to use the natural fall of the moorland, and the greens are the heart of the test, firm, subtly contoured and ringed by bunkers placed to catch the over ambitious. The heather that lines the fairways is beautiful in late summer and ruinous to a score, so the smart play is to keep the ball on the short grass and attack from there.
The hole everyone comes to see is the tenth, Gibraltar, a par 3 to a green raised on a rocky plateau and surrounded by sand. MacKenzie built it as a template of his thinking, a one shot hole where the green is the defense and the bailout is rarely simple. It is one of the great short holes in English golf and the moment that defines a round at Moortown.
Around that famous short hole sits a complete and demanding layout, long par 4s that ask for two well struck shots, par 5s that tempt the bold and bunkering that rewards thought over muscle. For the travelling golfer touring Yorkshire, Moortown belongs on the same list as Ganton and Alwoodley, a course where the history is matched by the quality of the golf.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A members club that welcomes visitors on weekdays by prior arrangement, with some restrictions at weekends and around competitions |
| Green fee | Around 150 pounds for a round, varying by day and season (indicative) |
| Booking | Reserve ahead through the club; weekday times are the most available and the heather is at its best in late summer |
| On the day | A walking course where trolleys and buggies can be arranged; a handicap certificate may be requested |
| Getting there | At Alwoodley on the northern edge of Leeds, around 20 minutes from Leeds city centre and roughly 30 minutes from Leeds Bradford Airport |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest turf, with August and September bringing the heather into bloom |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Moortown Golf Club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Many visitors base in Leeds, around 20 minutes away, which offers a full range of hotels and dining and easy access to the wider cluster of Yorkshire heathland courses.
For a golf focused trip the leafy suburbs of north Leeds around Alwoodley, and the elegant spa town of Harrogate a short drive north, both make comfortable bases within reach of Moortown, Alwoodley and Ganton.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Moortown.
Build a Yorkshire golf trip
We pair Moortown with the best of the heathland and links of Yorkshire, book the tee times in the right order and handle the hotels and transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Moortown questions
What is the par and length of Moortown?
Moortown is a par 71 heathland and moorland course of around 7,001 yards from the back tees, with forward tees in regular visitor use. It is a genuine championship test, firm and demanding when the wind blows across the moor.
Who designed Moortown?
Moortown was the first course Alister MacKenzie designed entirely on his own, opening in 1909 before his later masterpieces at Cypress Point, Royal Melbourne and Augusta National. Its famous tenth hole, Gibraltar, is a classic MacKenzie short hole.
Did Moortown host the Ryder Cup?
Yes. Moortown staged the 1929 Ryder Cup, the second match in the series and the first to be played in Great Britain. Great Britain won by seven points to five in front of the largest golf crowd the country had seen at the time.
How much does it cost to play Moortown?
Indicative 2026 green fees are around 150 pounds for a round, with the exact rate varying by day and season. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Design history, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.