Matfen Hall (Douglas & Standing Stone)

Situated in an idyllic spot within the beautiful Northumberland countryside, Matfen Hall is home to an excellent 27-hole golf facility, where the Dewlaw 9-hole circuit was added to the original Douglas and Standing Stone loops by John Harrison and Craig Parkinson in 2007.

The 1st on the Douglas is a straightforward par five that plays slightly uphill but still presents a decent birdie opportunity with the second shot played over a Ha-Ha wall to a two-tier green. The long par four 4th is a tough hole, with fairways bunkers on the left but a good drive leaves a long downhill approach shot to a green that falls away left and at the back.

The opening hole on the Standing is a short par three with a pond to the left of the green. The par four 5th is maybe the hardest on the scorecard, requiring a tee shot carry over water with wayward shots to the right lost in the woods. The par four 9th is not a long finishing hole but there’s a water course to cross with the tee shot before approaching a small, well bunkered green.