Doncaster

Doncaster Golf Club was founded in 1894, with members playing on a rather rough and ready course at Cockhill’s Park initially before the club relocated to Town Moor the following year.

In 1907, the club was on the move again, to its current heathland location, known as “The Warren,” where an initial 9-hole course brought into play. Alister MacKenzie was called in six years later to extend the course to a full 18-hole layout.

In his report to the committee during construction, MacKenzie described the course as “having more the character of the real seaside Links among the sand dunes and any inland course I am acquainted with.

The Links are of even a sandier nature than Ganton, the sand extends to 20 feet deep in places, and… the Links are so dry that it would be quite possible to play in carpet slippers during the wettest of winter months without one’s feet being wet.”

The construction of the M18 motorway during the 1970s impacted on several holes in the northwest corner of the property, prompting the club to call in Fred and Martin Hawtree to design replacements for the old 10th, 11th, 17th and 18th holes.

Since 2011, Jonathan Gaunt has been advising the club. Much of the work carried out has concentrated on restoring the general environment from parkland to heathland, involving a woodland management programme and the regeneration of heather. A phased bunker remodelling project has also been undertaken to drain, re-shape and re-line all the sand hazards.