Chopwell near Durham Golf Holes - See our holes and read a short description to help you when you play Garesfield Golf Club.

The First (Hole 1)

The opening hole is a short tree-lined 292 yard par 4, played away from the club house and with the prevailing westerly wind; the longer hitters will be looking to get pretty close from the tee. There are two bunkers just short of the green and another front right to watch out for but a solid drive and an accurate pitch should result in a very good birdie opportunity.

Road Hole (Hole 3)

Hole 3 is a 474 yard par 5 aptly named ‘Road Hole’ and with out of bounds all along the right, accuracy at this one will reward the careful golfer. The big hitters maybe tempted to get home in two but leak the ball over the fence and you could be facing an insurance claim from an unsuspecting motorist!! Two sensible shots avoiding a bunker on the left 40 yards from the green will leave a short approach into a small target, protected by two bunkers at the front.

Heavy Gate (Hole 5)

Hole 5 an easy par 5 and at 467 yards downhill, very reachable in two depending on the wind direction. Going for the green is a risk and reward shot, come up short and you will find a small very deep bunker at the front of the green and you have to take into account the out of bounds tight right and dense woodland at the back. Played as a three-shotter, this hole is another good birdie opportunity.

Chopwell Wood (Hole 6)

Played from an elevated tee, the 394 yard sixth is a really tough par 4. Don’t let your attention wander to the mass of flowering gorse in front of you, it might look pretty but find it and that’s another ball lost. A good straight drive is needed to carry to the fairway and then a long uphill approach to a green bunkered front right - a par at this hole is always a good score.

The Whins (Hole 7)

The seventh is a downhill par 5 and at 511 yards, the longest hole on the course. The out of bounds fence and Chopwell Woods are along the right, so favour the left side of the wide fairway to avoid all the trouble. A well placed second shot will leave a short pitch into a small green falling steeply away to the rear.

The Nook (Hole 8)

At 448 yards, the par 4 eighth is Garesfield’s signature hole and similar to the previous hole, the woods and out of bounds are on the right. Played downhill to another generous fairway, a good drive at this one should leave a mid iron to an undulating bunkerless green, sloping left to right. Miss this green on the left and you could find a small water hazard and the danger of turning a good par 4 into a bogey or worse.

Field House (Hole 11)

Stroke index 1 is next, a very strong 435 yard par 4 and with trees left and right only a long straight drive will leave any chance of getting home in regulation. The second shot is played to a two-tier green protected by a bunker front left and sloping right to left at the front. Don’t leak the approach shot to the right at this one, or your ball will find either a lateral water hazard or vanish into deep rough.

Ruler Drift (Hole 13)

Another tough par 4 is next and at 441 yards, this hole can spell disaster. With the fairway sloping severely right to left towards thick gorse and trees, ideally a left to right tee-shot is required to counteract the slope. You are then left with a blind approach to a bunkerless green at the bottom of a steep slope. Miss this target left or run over the back and you will be find a steep down slope and the woods - making a par at this one will feel like a birdie.

Walkers Dene (Hole 14)

The 176 yard par 3 fourteenth is not only a visually stunning golf hole, it’s a real tester as well. Played from another elevated tee, it is all carry and having avoided the bunkers at the front, you really need to leave an uphill putt. If you end up above the hole, there is a real danger of three-putting.

The Valley (Hole 15)

At 386 yards, the par 4 fifteenth is played uphill back towards the club house and can be a real brute if played into the prevailing wind. Favour the right side of the fairway from the tee and let the right to left slope gather the ball towards the centre. The blind approach is not easy, it is uphill to a small green with a bunker front right - consider taking an extra club or two to make sure you reach the putting surface.

Bone Hill (Hole 16)

The sixteenth is a 500 yard par 5 with a left to right sloping fairway, lined with trees, bushes and gorse. There is also a lateral water hazard on the right to be wary of. This hole is normally a genuine three-shotter requiring a well placed second to avoid ending up in a deep gully and leaving a difficult blind pitch to a two-tiered green.

Big Ridge (Hole 17)

The penultimate hole is a 327 yard par 4, played downhill from the tee and then uphill to the green. The drive has to be straight and needs to find the centre of a fairway to leave a shortish approach to a putting surface falling away back left and sloping right to left.

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About Us

Designed by Harry Fernie in 1922, this lovely parkland course has matured into something very special and offers players of all abilities an experience to be savoured.

The flora and fauna are everywhere and at certain times of the year, the course is awash with colour - Garesfield is a photographer’s dream, so don’t forget to take a camera with you.