
Beverley, United Kingdom
Founded in 1889 on Beverley Westwood common land, Beverley and East Riding Golf Club is Yorkshire's oldest inland golf club. The 18-hole heathland layout features free-roaming cattle, wire-fenced greens, five par threes, and panoramic views of Beverley Minster — a one-of-a-kind golfing holiday destination in East Yorkshire.




Beverley and East Riding Golf Club
Founded in 1889 on Beverley Westwood common land, Beverley and East Riding Golf Club is Yorkshire's oldest inland golf club. The 18-hole heathland layout features free-roaming cattle, wire-fenced greens, five par threes, and panoramic views of Beverley Minster — a one-of-a-kind golfing holiday destination in East Yorkshire.




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A course like no other
Beverley & East Riding Golf Club remains one of those rare places in UK golf that feels genuinely different. While so many courses have evolved toward a somewhat similar template, this is a venue shaped by history, quirks, common land and character, an experience that simply doesn’t exist on 90% of courses in the country. Set beneath the ever‑watchful gaze of the Black Mill, the course rolls across timeless Westwood pasture, full of movement, subtlety and personality. As the second‑oldest club in Yorkshire, it has stood unbothered by trends or architectural fashions, it’s an original, and will almost certainly remain one for centuries to come. Returning here, it’s impossible not to feel that enduring magic.
A course shaped by history and common land
There’s a sense of authenticity at Beverley that you can’t manufacture. Golf here is woven into the rhythms of common land, cattle wandering, dog walkers drifting by, and the landscape itself telling a story older than the club. That rugged, lived‑in charm makes every round feel rooted in place. Even after more than a decade away, the Westwood identity hits immediately: open horizons, natural movement in the land, and an atmosphere that hasn’t changed, because it never needed to.
The stretch that steals the show
The run of 9, 10 and 11 was my favourite stretch of the of the experience. Set alongside the Burton Bushes and under the shadow of Beverley Racecourse, this three‑hole sequence blends subtle strategy with eye‑catching views. None of the holes shout for your attention, but each demands that you think and respect the slopes. It’s classic Beverley, never overpowering, always quietly testing. 13 & 14 are superb holes too!
Inland links vibes in early April
Even in early spring, the course already hints at its inland‑links temperament, with fairways beginning to firm up and offering that lovely, bounding release that encourages imagination from the tee. The natural slopes and run‑offs are quick to gather a ball and usher it into exactly the place you’d hoped to avoid, the greens; small, subtly tilted and just mischievous enough, turn even the simplest pins into puzzles that demand touch and precision. It’s a proper test, but never an unfair one; Beverley invites you to be creative, to play low shots, bump‑and‑runs and anything that uses the contours rather than fights them. It rewards the golfer who thinks, adapts and embraces the land.
A morning of heritage, architecture and discovery
Playing alongside Kenton Wright, who’s working with the club in a heritage role, brought an entirely new layer to the round. Even as someone who grew up here, I learned more in a morning than I had in years, about the land, the Freemen, the club’s evolution and its long, intertwined relationship with the town. Visiting the old mill that forms part of the clubhouse only deepened that sense of stepping into a living piece of Beverley’s past.
And yet, despite all this richness, Beverley is still a course some golfers overlook, perhaps put off by its quirks: the common‑land setting, the grazing cattle, the wires around the greens that keep them out. But those features are part of its identity, not flaws to be hidden. Look past them, and ideally, embrace them, and what you find is a course with genuine charm, playability and personality.
As for the routing, it remains a joy: varied, walkable and intelligently laid out, clearly shaped by someone who understood how to work with the natural contours rather than fight them. Beverley rewards an open mind and an appreciation for golf that feels both simple and authentic.
A fitting way to return
After more than ten years away, playing my best ever round on my hometown course felt almost symbolic. A perfect morning, on a course that has arguably never looked better or played more honestly to its identity.
A huge thank you to the club for the welcome, coming back here reminded me exactly why Beverley & East Riding is such a special and unique gem in when it comes to golf in Yorkshire.





Comments (1)
Beverley & East Riding Golf Course founded in 1889 is a links style parkland course with a gently undulating layout. Originally designed by 1902 Open Champion Alex (Sandy) Herd, he served up a gem with the thrill of the course being for both for those who like to run the ball in low, or those who go for a high flighted shot. The variation of each hole offers a journey through the historic landscape of the Westwood which offers a variation of magnificent views. A true original style golfing experience for all abilities which will remain long in the memory of each who take up the challenge.
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Alex Nightingale
Round Information
Date Played
April 9, 2026
Standout Holes
#9, #10, #11
Rating Breakdown
Strategy
Green Complexes
Variety
Facilities & Amenities
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Overall rating
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