The layout of the Northumberland Golf Club is one of several around the United Kingdom that plays in and around a racecourse – like Great Yarmouth & Caister, and Musselburgh’s Old. If this detracts from the views at times it certainly adds to the memorability. Northumberland is assuredly one of those courses that is once played and never forgotten. The result of Colt’s and Braid’s work is a very difficult test that requires a full armoury of shots and a sharp short game. From the tips, Northumberland pushes towards 6,700 yards, and plays as a par 72.
It is a gentle opening hole at Northumberland, and although it plays slightly uphill, at just 320 yards, this is a good scoring opportunity. Keep the tee shot left, but avoid the four fairway bunkers. From there, the approach is played uphill to a small green, and is it one where the left side should also be aimed for as anything right of the surface will fall off and into the rough. The 2nd plays along the outside the racecourse, and is a tricky dog-leg left par 4. At 434 yards, it requires to good shots to get home, whilst also avoiding the fairway bunkers. Two more traps protect the green. The tee shot on 3 takes you over the racecourse and inside the run. A total of ten bunkers are in play down the 3rd, while the racecourse on your right is also classed as out of bounds. Keep your tee shot short of the four cross-bunkers, before then making your decision as to whether you will go for it with your second on this par 5.
The 4th is another par 5, making it back-to-back 5s early on at Northumberland. Although there is less sand than on 3, there are still seven bunkers to avoid, along with the racecourse on your right. If you can find the shallow valley with your second, you’re in a great spot to knock it on and make birdie. The opening short hole comes at the 5th. It is 185 yards, and played to a small green with bunkers on three corners of the putting surface. 6 plays as a dog-leg right, and requires a solid tee shot down the left side to open up your view to the green. Three more bunkers guard the surface, along with plenty of trees down the right side.
There are seven bunkers in play on the 7th. A par 3 of 170 yards, accuracy is vital, while it is one of the more sloping greens on the property. The 8th is only 335 yards, so this is a good birdie chance, as long as you can avoid the four fairway traps. Three mounds behind the green can help keep your ball on the putting surface in dry conditions. The front nine closes with another par 5. The 9th is the longest hole on the course, but it is still only 516 yards. The fairway is quite narrow, but there are no bunkers in play off the tee. They come into play by the green, with three protecting a two-tiered surface.
10 is very similar to 7, in that it is a 170-yard par 3 with seven bunkers to catch your eye. The green is pretty much surrounded, apart from the front, with no room for error. 11 is a tricky dog-leg right, with the ideal tee shot being a fade to peel it off the bunker on the outside corner and to the centre of the fairway. Another two-tiered green lies in wait so check your distance before you hit your approach. 12 also turns to the right, around the side of the 5th green. Bunkers are dotted down the right side, along with a solitary trap on the left. Two more protect the green, which has runoffs on both sides. The 13th takes you back outside the racecourse again, and it is the hardest hole on the property. A 470-yard par 4, playing long and straight, the tee shot needs to hit well. Large mounds are in play for those laying up short of the green, while the track left, and trees right make it feel much narrower than it actually is.
The last of the par 3s is also the shortest hole at the Northumberland. 14 is less than 150 yards, and plays over the racecourse once more. OOB is down the right side, while there is a runoff on the left edge of the green. A tricky prospect considering its distance. The run for home begins at the 15th, a par 5 with the track on your left side and playing as OOB once more. Two bunkers on the left side of the fairway are in play off the tee, while there are then two in the laying up zone, and two more by the green. A par is a good score down 15, especially if the prevailing wind is into your face.
The closing stretch continues with the 16th, as you move back inside the racecourse again. It starts right next to the track, before moving slightly to the left and away from danger. However, at 440 yards, there is still plenty that can go wrong. The penultimate hole is a 365-yard par 4, with mounds down the left. The longer hitters will aim to hit their tee shots over the corner, but anything pushed right might find the trees that sit down that side of the hole. The green is right next to the racecourse, so anything long could well be in trouble. The Northumberland finishes with an absolute cracker of an 18th. Teeing off from inside the racecourse, your drive must go over the track and through a funnel of trees to find the fairway which is severely uphill. Take at least one, if not two more clubs for your approach, just to at least cover the three bunkers that sit some 30 yards from the putting surface.
