One of the country’s top golfing venues, Willow Valley Golf and Country Club, is soon to become one of the largest golfing centres in the UK, offering a massive 50 holes by May 2006.
The first phase of the new development – a newly constructed 9-hole course, spanning over 50 acres – is set to open this month. This latest course, Pine Valley, will be extended by Spring 2006 making it a full 18-hole site.
Set upon the backdrop of the Yorkshire Dales and situated off the M62 near Huddersfield, Willow Valley has invested over £0.5m building the initial 9-holes and an additional £0.5m will be invested in phase two of the course. The club purchased the land back in 1989 and it is the accumulation of over three years planning and development.
Willow Valley Golf Club was fully established in July 1997. With three courses, a driving range and fully licensed restaurant, it was set up by directors John and Sheila Newton – with the aim of providing the ultimate golfing experience. Both Newtons‘ have a passion for golf and maintain an on-going development policy for the club since its creation in 1990.
The most impressive of the courses is the Willow Valley Course, which has been purposely created for the experienced golfer by one of Europe’s leading golfing architects, Jonathan Gaunt.
For the less experienced golfer and those with limited time, Willow Valley has the easier to play Fountain Course, while for beginners, there is an academy course and for those seeking to practise, a 24-bay driving range is available.
Pine Valley is currently 9-holes played twice, measuring approximately 5,300 yards from the championship tee. The club anticipates that the new course will encourage more visitors to the area, which will create further jobs on-site and also for other local businesses, particularly those involved in hospitality and catering.
This pay and play course will interest golfers of all abilities. With a very competitive price, Pine Valley offers a modern design and great value for money.
The large, undulating USGA greens have been designed to allow players to run the ball onto them rather than having to fly the ball through the air. This allows the more imaginative golfers to play a wide variety of approach shots to the flag. There is much less emphasis on the golfer’s ability to get the ball airborne for long distances and is therefore less punishing for the beginner.
There are lakes and bunkers, though they are placed to catch the very wayward shot, leaving a much greater margin for error in comparison to the Willow Valley Course.
The 6th is its signature hole with three options of playing towards the green. A “risk and reward” par 4 with a green that can be driven from the tee, though water lurks to catch balls that don‘t carry the full distance. Golfers can also play around the water to the green, with a long iron or wood leaving a short pitch to the flag without having to play over the lake. Or the third option is to hit a mid iron towards and short of the water and leaving a fuller shot over the lake into the flag.
Willow Valley Golf & Country Club www.wvgc.co.uk
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