Whickham Golf Club - Whickham

Whickham Golf Club is a long-established parkland course at Hollinside Park near Gateshead. Golf has been played at the club since 1911, giving it more than a century of history in the North East. Its setting on the western side of Tyneside offers a quieter, more rural round than its location close to Newcastle might suggest.

The course has developed into an 18-hole, par-71 layout measuring 6,232 yards from the white tees. It is not excessively long by modern standards, but its challenge comes from the shape of the holes, changes in elevation and the need to place the ball correctly from the tee. The opening half contains several strong par fours and two par threes close to 200 yards, while the back nine includes three par fives and a demanding 424-yard closing hole.

Whickham rewards golfers who plan their way around rather than reaching automatically for the driver. The shorter par fours can provide birdie opportunities, but poor positioning can leave awkward approaches into greens that are difficult to attack from the wrong angle. Longer holes such as the 10th and 16th give stronger players the chance to be aggressive, while the par threes demand solid iron play throughout the round.

One reason to play Whickham is the balance it offers. The course is accessible enough for everyday club golfers without feeling repetitive or overly forgiving. There is a useful mixture of short scoring holes, longer driving tests and approaches played from uneven ground, meaning different parts of a golfer’s game are tested without the round becoming punishing purely because of length.

The club also has a covered driving range and dedicated short-game practice area, making it possible to warm up properly before playing or combine a round with a longer practice session. Its position near Gateshead and Newcastle makes it a convenient option for visiting golfers, while the established parkland setting gives the course a more traditional feel than many newer developments.

Whickham Golf Club is worth visiting for golfers looking for a genuine North East members’ course with more than 100 years of history.