History

The course has been laid out on 127 acres of land of which 100 acres had previously been open cast mined. The land was purchased by the local Council from the National Coal Board who restored, landscaped and fenced the site. The course was designed by Frank Penninck and opened in 1972.

Course Information

At 6,813 yards and a par of 73 Bedlington is not short and in windy conditions it can be difficult but it is not a killer course and if you hit straight, you’ll score well. It’s a bit unusual in that it opens with two par fives and both of them are birdie chances provided you get your drive away because they measure 483 yards and 487 yards off the back tees. But if you are lulled into a sense of false security, the third a 460 yard par 4 stroke index 1,is a real tester, a quality drive drive past the fairway bunker on the right is required to have any chance of reaching a tight green bunkered on both sides – a par here is a real bonus. The downhill fourth, a dogleg right to left needs a pretty precise tee shot. Go left and your in trouble, keep it to the right and you’ll likley have a 6 or 7 iron to the green. The fifth is a straight forward par four and the 6th a good strong par three at 188 yards while the seventh is a real birdie chance at 507 yards provided you avoid the bunker on the right, take a sensible lay–up to leave a short pitch, and then avoid the three bunkers guarding the green. The eighth isn’t long at 352 yards but it’s a swinging left to right uphill dogleg – not an easy green to hit if you have'nt got the drive away and into the right place. Then it's on to one of the great short holes although it isn't short at 230 yards, but played from a raised tee it’s a terrific challenge and hugely enjoyable to have a go at it. The 352 yard 10th is a really nice par four with a ditch on the right and two bunkers right on driving length; accuracy could be rewarded with a birdie here as it will at the 495 yard par five 11th. A good drive, solid and sensible second to avoid the bunkers, and another staightforward pitch to the green is the way to play it. The 367 yard par four 12th ,another swinging left to right dogleg heralds the aproach of Bedlington's own Amen Corner. When Pennink came to design the course the land that the 13th,14th and 15th occupy was not originally available and he reckoned he couldn't squeeze the course into what was just over 100acres and do it justice. Negotiations were opened with the National Coal Board for the land, and after some lobbying the NCB agreed. As this area was not open cast, the land had many advantages over the rest of the course, and that is evident by the number of mature oaks, beech, horsechestnut, azaleas and rhododendrons. The 13th is a great driving hole matched only by the 15th, and the 14th is a terrific par three. Push the drive too far right on the 13th, which measures 403 yards and you are blocked out by a stand of tall trees; pull it left and you are in deep woodland. Place it in the middle and you have a good mid-iron to the green. The 14th is not a difficult looking par three at 164 yards but miss the green and it is not easy to get up and down for par. The 15th is not a long par four at 382 yards, but you have to drive between two sentinal trees and if you're off line and manage to miss clattering into them, there is plenty of trouble waiting behind them. Again a good drive will give you a mid iron to a perfectly framed hole. Bedlingtonshire's closing three holes are as good as you will get anywhere. The 16th is a long par four which doglegs right to left. The 17th, a difficult 194 yard par three to a raised green is a real card wrecker, while the 18th at 521 yards is a geniune par five which requires two solid hits and an accurate pitch to a narrow green which runs off steeply to the right and back.Then its into a warm and welcoming clubhouse with excellent food and drink.