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Close House (Colt), England |
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Close House Hotel & Golf
Heddon on the Wall
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE15 0HT
England |  | Scott Macpherson of Turner Macpherson |  | Peter Llewellyn |
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 | +44 (0) 1661 852255 |  | 10 miles W of Newcastle upon Tyne |
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Golf Club Website
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 | Welcome - contact in advance |  | John Glendinning |
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Close House is home from home to Graham Wylie, entrepreneur and co-founder of the software company, Sage. Wylie purchased the Close House Estate from Newcastle University as a “thank you” for his education and subsequently invested a cool £25 million in the project, the centrepiece of which is an elegant 18th century mansion.
Set in stunning Northumberland countryside, close to Hadrian’s Wall and the village of Heddon-on-the-Wall – which attracts thousands of visitors to the longest unbroken section of wall – Close House is far from the madding crowd and yet less than ten miles from the centre of Newcastle.
The first golf club was founded here in 1968 for Newcastle University golfers to hone their skills and this course, now called the Filly, underwent a refurbishment in 2006. The Filly is a pleasant course with USGA greens and fine River Tyne views, but the real golfing thoroughbred at Close House is the new Colt course, which Scott Macpherson of design company Turner Macpherson routed across 170 acres of new land.
Macpherson spent eighteen months researching designs by architect, Harry Colt, and developed a plan to create a modern course for Close House that doffs the hat to the Golden Age of golf course architecture.
 Opened by Lee Westwood – Close House’s ‘Attached Tour Professional’ – in May 2011 and measuring a respectable 6,850 yards from the tips (par 71), the Colt course is a thoroughly engaging layout that incorporates many of the site’s historical features in its routing, including a Roman Fort, ha-ha walls, ancient woodland and Ice Lake.
Lee Westwood commented, “I think Close House is a perfect members course that has the capability of staging a major tournament in years to come.” The Journal’s Tim Taylor was also impressed, “If Scott Macpherson is not the 21st century's re-incarnation of Harry Colt, then I don’t know who is. A drop dead gorgeous course and you can see from the way Macpherson has subtly set his jewel into the breathtaking countryside alongside Hadrian’s Wall, that he is a student of Colt’s gentle way of doing things.” We were similarly moved when we visited in August 2011, so moved in fact that we had no hesitation in placing the Colt course in our 2012 English Top 100 rankings. The future is bright for Close House, but don’t take our word for it, check it out yourself and prepare to be impressed. | |
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If the above course review article is not accurate, let us know by clicking here |
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 |  | | Average Reviewers Score: |  | | | I've now played the Colt Course on three occasions and can safely say it's one of the most enjoyeable and challenging courses I've played. The course is set in a great location in the Tyne Valley with stunning views from the top of the course. On arrival, the club house and facilities are some of the most modern yet friendly I've seen with plenty of staff on hand to guide you in the right direction. The course itself is a challenge from the outset, with the first requiring a good drive to set up a tricky approach to a semi-blind green. The need for good tee-shots continues around the front nine, with a mixture of length and accuracy needed on the good variety of holes. The 8th and 9th holes provide a challenging end to the front nine, with the 8th requiring an accurate tee shot to find part of the split fairway from an elevated tee. The second shot into green protected by pot bunkers and a winding stream was one of the most challenging on the course. The 9th is a lovely long par three over water into a shallow green, with only the brave taking on the flag. The back nine continues as the front started, with good driving essential. The tee shot from the 13th is probably the highlight of the round, looking straight down into the Valley from an elevated tree tucked into the tress. The 18th is a great finishing hole- not too long, particualrly when it's playing down wind, but the second shot into a green tucked into the trees behind a little ha ha wall is a lovely way to finish. All in all, the course is great. It is long, but fair and in great condition particularly given it's age. The course has clearly been well thought out, with shots to challenge you all the way round, and no two holes being the same. If you have the opportunity, i'd definitly recomend a visit to the Colt course. |
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| 07 April 2012
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| Response: | | | Keith | 30 July 2012 | | Just played yesterday morning greens are fabulous some of the best anywhere you need to be a mountain goat to walk round here and the only two holes I remembered were 8&9 |
| | | The Colt course has something to offer for every golfer. A real test off the Championship tees making the longer holes play even longer into the prevailing wind. Off the yellow tees this also provides a challenge for the club golfer. The greens were immaculate for the time of year and the course did not have a blade of grass out of place. I would advise anyone to go and play the Colt course. It is well worth the price tag that it holds. |
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| 21 February 2012
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| | Another new course that needs ten years of bedding in? Not a chance, the Colt course at Close House that opened in Spring 2011 has maturity all around. Throw-in a superb collection of 18 holes, a great club-atmosphere and complementary buildings and you have a new golf venue that England can be proud of, let alone just the north-east of the country. I know the reviews here should be just about the course but just a quick note that the service throughout is really good and that everybody seems to be very proud of where they are working. Starting your round is seamless, from the bag drop, to the locker rooms and then a very pleasant walk to the 1st tee through part of the old estate – and the opening hole is a cracker…a rather tough par-4 with a semi-blind approach to the green – the early signs are good. The 6th is 400 yard par-4 from an elevated tee that is really good looking hole with a tight drive but with more fairway over the wall than it looks. I think the back nine is very strong, a couple of uphill holes start this half with a very tough drive at the 11th – trees either side of the fairway and narrowing at about 250 yards. The 14th is my choice of best par-3 on the course; the hole has trees all around, plays slightly uphill and has a small green. The tee shot at the 15th is one of the toughest; uphill, over the old lake and needing to move right to left should keep you focused! The last is a strong par-4, bunker on the left-side, Ha-Ha wall to the right and the old lake back in play to the right of the green. I will return to Close House later in the year to play again and also to have a look at the old university course called the Filly … plus this is a hotspot for some ‘recognizable’ local faces …. Keep your eye out for a famous footballer with the initials AS and also a couple of TV presenters ..’A&D’ is a little clue… Recommended… |
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| 10 February 2012
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