Willow Valley Golf course is a great example of a Yorkshire golf complex comprising of 2 18 holes courses, a 9 hole course and a driving range.
Overview
Quality of course(s)
85%
Levels of Challenge
95%
Amenities
90%
Overall service
85%
Value for money
90%
Summary
You will be pushed to find a better golf course / complex in Yorkshire.
Overall score89%
89
2 Fantastic 18 hole golf courses in the heart of Huddersfield
This golf course has 2 18 hole courses to choose from at Willow Valley.
The Championship course is their flagship course which they label as their ‘Jewel in the Crown’. A Par 72, 7040 hole course is built to USGA standard the course which has an extraordinary 11 out of the 18 holes guarded with some form of hazard / serious challenge; From water, rock walls, and its own Yorkshire Sawgrass island green, with hole #14. On their website it states that visitors must allow for up to 5 hours to play this course.
Their second course is named Pine Valley which is a Par 67, 5032 hole course, designed in the same way as the championship course (built to USGA standards) but it’s shorter which is better for golfers who struggle with distance but don’t think that there the challenge gets any easier. The 6th hole is an example of this where users face a challenge worthy of the championship course. It’s risk / reward Par 4 where the risk is a large water hazard protection 80% of the green but the reward is a potential eagle putt.
Both of these challenging courses meet together on the 18 hole facing the signature water hazard which is one of the most picturesque holes in Yorkshire.
This golf complex has it all
As well as two excellent and challenging 18 holes, this golf complex boasts a small 9 hole course and a 20 bay driving range. There is also a large golf shop with a fully stocked shop of the latest ranges, custom fitting, trade in’s, club regripping and PGA pro lessons.
This course also boasts a well stocked bar with an extensive menu, from light breakfast bites to their famous ‘Hole in One’ breakfast. There is also a varied Lunch & Brunch menu with plenty of sides and sweet treats to choose from.
A hole to remember
Hole #13, (pine Course) is a 347 yard par 4 dog leg right with a blind green heavily protected by water on the front left of the hole.
The hole forces you to aim right of the water hazard for safety but it might be better to just go for the green unless you want to lay of short. The reason for this is that the right hand edge of the approach is a high bank which is guarded by heavy rough / tree area so there is a high likelihood that the odds favour the direct approach.
The green is protected by a large lip at the front left with hidden bunkers on the edge. You are better to aim for the back of the green as this lip is so well placed that you will easily run back down into the water with a miss placed shot.
pine used to be a lovely little 18 hole course but perfect to learn how to play golf but now there more sand on the tee... boxes than in the bunkers and the greens are as bad as I've ever seen them and it's definitely isn't worth the £22 per person we payed to play itread more
Went in April. Parts of the course were still quite boggy. Ball "plugged"on some fairways. Greens were bobbly. We... played the Pine Valley course. I would like to compare that to the championship course which is right next door. Great pro shop and bar/food.read more
Took my son round the 9 hole practice course for his first actual game, nice little course which is mainly par 3 with a... few short par 4 holes.Most holes have a few pitch marks on them so some golfers just need to be mindful of repairing these to keep the greens nice and flat.read more
At Willow Valley Golf Club there are 3 golf courses, a driving range, a moderately sized practice putting area and a... short game area.The driving range isn't the smartest ive seen but it is functional and is a welcome practice and/or warm up facility. The other practice facilities are great and well maintained.There are also teaching professionals who offer both individual and (very reasonably priced) group tuition. I have had some coaching from Joe at WVGC and I can highly recommend his services.I have played all three courses many times and they offer a good variety of challenge.1) Fountain Ridge: This is the 9 hole course. It comprises of 6 Par 3 holes and 3 par 4s. All of the holes are relatively short but there is a nice bit of variety for such a small course (2 dogleg holes - one left and one right, some slight elevation changes and a few well placed bunkers). The course is very beginner friendly but is also good fun for golfers of all abilities; I sometimes play the 9 hole course if I'm short on time but still want to have a knock around.Be aware; it is a popular course and being so beginner friendly means you may well encounter players of a poorer standard or very young players etc. However everyone has to start somewhere (and this is a great place to do just that) so as long as you accept that on busy days you might be waiting a little, there should be no issue.2) Pine Valley: The first of two 18 hole courses. This I would say is a good step up from the fountain ridge course, providing longer holes and more of a "full" golfing experience, but is still beginner friendly. With a slope rating of 97 this course is very forgiving. Most greens are open on approach and not heavily guarded by bunkers etc. The bunkers there are though, are well placed in areas, and at distances that are fitting for the beginner - intermediate golfer. Better golfers will not find a great challenge here but will still find a fun and enjoyable round of golf. I like to play Pine when I just want a relaxing round.I will say that the Pine course is very popular and can start to suffer from heavy use as the season goes on; tee boxes can be particularly worn at times, though it would be tough to keep up with so much traffic. My only real issue with Pine is that there are a lot of casual golfers who either don't know or don't care about the rules and etiquette of golf, meaning on occasion you can be stuck being groups who ignore much faster groups (or individual players) and insist on hacking their way slowly around the course as you stand on the tee tearing your hair out. I appreciate everyone is playing as well as they are able, it's just that there are rules in place specifically to tackle this issue.Failure to repair pitchmarks also seems to be a popular characteristic of some of the less golf-savvy clientele.3) Willow Valley: the "Championship Course". This full 18 hole course provides a good challenge for any player. With a slope rating of between 129 and 137 (depending on tee box) it is a great test. There is a lot of water on this course, some tight fairways and an interesting variety of holes in terms of shape, elevation, length and hazards. Simply hitting driver on every hole is likely to get you into trouble and thinking your way around the course is advisable. I have been reliably informed the club actually removed a number of bunkers from the course a few years ago as it was felt to be too challenging!During the season this course is well maintained, the greens are typically quick and roll beautifully and I would recommend a round here to anyone who is serious about their game.I will add that, out of season, all three of the courses can get VERY wet and boggy in places - I have lost balls in the centre of the fairways at times due to balls plugging so deeply. However, there is a refund policy clearly displayed and the course is regularly inspected and will be closed if conditions get too bad.All in all Willow Valley Golf is a great club with a wide range of facilities and options for all abilities.read more
Unfortunately the constant wet weather prevented any golf being played today, however the undercover golf range was... open. Visited the bar after for a fabulous barista style coffee served by very friendly staff.read more
Society day 12 golfers, nice coffee and bacon buttie to start. Very nice course, but a warning, if you book a buggy you... will almost walk as much as you would with a trolley(buggy on path only). Course a bit trafficked at mo, mid/late Oct (it is late season) but still worth every penny. Willow Valley Championship Courseread more
Amazing!My first experience golfing with a friend and it couldn’t have gone any better.The location is absolutely... perfect with lots of well looked after fields and very friendly golfers.Everything is well spaced out and the practice facilities are clean and to the point.Ample car parking and great atmosphere. Highly recommended!read more
