Hawkstone Park (Championship)

Hawkstone Park lies close to the small village of Weston-under-Redcastle, consisting of landscaped grounds, caves, crags and follies based around the medieval Red Castle.

Hawkstone Hall, an impressive early-18th century country mansion now operates as a luxury wedding and events venue, with the fairways of the Hawkstone Park Golf Club laid out a couple of miles to the southwest of this property.

Golf was first recorded here in 1920, when a 9-hole course opened for play. Another nine was added by professional Bert Sheppard then in 1930 James Braid was called in to re-design and improve the layout which is now called the Hawkstone course.

The club’s professional and greenkeeper Alex Lyle – father of Sandy Lyle – laid out a tight, par 66 course (called the Weston) in 1975 but twenty years later, under new ownership, this was remodelled by Brian Huggett and renamed the Windmill course.

Subsequently retitled the Championship, this layout now extends to 6,472 yards, playing to a par of 72. The 531-yard 10th (“The Road Hole”) is regarded as the signature hole, with the fairway hugging the cliff top as it doglegs around water on the way to the green.