Hidden GemGreat Value

Ilkley Golf Club

Ilkley, West Yorkshire · Designed by Founded 1890 · Est. 1890

Ilkley is one of the loveliest parkland courses in Yorkshire, laid out along the valley floor of the River Wharfe beneath the famous heights of Ilkley Moor. Its great distinction is the opening stretch: several of the early holes are played along, across and around the Wharfe, with the river a beautiful and very real hazard — the 2nd, in particular, plays to an island-like green all but surrounded by water.

Founded in 1890, the course runs to a modest 6,200 yards, par 69, but the setting, the river and the mature trees make it a thorough delight, and a genuine test when the Wharfe is running high. It is also part of golf folklore as the club where Colin Montgomerie grew up — his father was the club secretary, and the young Monty learned the game on these fairways before going on to eight European Order of Merit titles.

Welcoming, scenic and outstanding value, Ilkley is the sort of unshowy, characterful club that a golf trip through Yorkshire should always find room for.

Holes worth knowing

12nd (par-4) — the celebrated river hole, played to a green all but ringed by the Wharfe; thrilling when the water is up, and the shot everyone remembers.
2The Wharfe stretch — the opening holes weave along and across the river, a genuine and beautiful hazard rare in inland golf.

Highlights

Riverside parkland along the River Wharfe
The course where Colin Montgomerie grew up
Dramatic early holes around the river
Beautiful setting below Ilkley Moor — great value

Good to know

→Colin Montgomerie learned the game here — his father was the club secretary — before winning eight European Tour Orders of Merit; the club is proud of the link.
→The River Wharfe is the star: the early holes play around it, and after heavy rain it becomes a very real and very wet hazard.
→At around £50 it is one of the great-value rounds in the north — proper, characterful golf in a spectacular valley setting.
→Ilkley Moor rises above the town — the walk up to the Cow and Calf rocks (and the song "On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at") is the classic non-golf outing.
→The spa town of Ilkley has excellent cafés and Bettys tea rooms; Harrogate and the Dales are close for a wider Yorkshire trip.