Appleby Golf Club

The first thing that hits at Appleby is that you're about to play golf in some of, if not, the most beautiful surroundings of inland golf.

There is a specific type of golfer who seeks out hidden gems, not for the manicured, soft resort experience, but for the architectural soul of the game.

Appleby Golf Course epitomises English moorland golf and stands as hidden gem in the North of England.

 Late summer, 1999, and I am standing on the first tee at Appleby.

“If it’s character, in a golf course, you desire, then travel no further…”.

Appleby is a juxtapose in that it is well off the beaten path but is easy to get to, it is a hilly moorland course that does not feel hilly, the course is open to wildlife and there are lots of sheep droppings, but you never seem to get a bad lie, and the greens are smooth are run well.

Its a fair journey to get here but well worth it, although its a moorland course its not as hilly as i expected .

Hidden gem is an overused term that I tend to try and avoid using, but due to Appleby’s reasonably remote location and it’s engaging and understated quality, it could safely be placed in this bracket.

On the way through to Cumbria on the A66 is Appleby and I was fortunate to have time and play on a Saturday afternoon at 4.

I played Appleby in March 2022 having passed it many times on the A66, the skies were clear but with a stiff breeze I knew I was in the for a test been so exposed on the top of the rolling hills.