Ilkley Golf Club
7.8/10
7.6/10
9.2/10
8.6/10
8.4/10
8.2/10
The Course
Ilkley Golf Club occupies the lower slopes of Ilkley Moor — the moorland that gave England one of its most beloved folk songs and gives the golf club one of its most spectacular settings. The course climbs from the town on ground that transitions from wooded parkland in the lower reaches to open moorland as the holes ascend, producing a variety of character within a single 18-hole layout that few courses anywhere can match.
The layout plays to a par of 69 and measures around 6,200 yards — compact by modern standards but the moorland terrain makes every yard count. The short par fours demand precise iron play from the tee; the longer holes require drives that stay on the correct shelf of fairway to leave an open approach. The views from the upper holes — across Wharfedale to the limestone scars of the Dales — are among the finest from any course in England and make concentration genuinely difficult.
Ilkley town below the course is one of Yorkshire’s most attractive — a Victorian spa town of stone buildings, excellent independent restaurants and the River Wharfe running through its centre. The combination of a morning round at Ilkley Golf Club, lunch in the town and an afternoon walk on the moor constitutes one of the finest days Yorkshire can offer a visiting golfer.
- The views from the upper holes are exceptional — take a moment on the 8th tee to appreciate Wharfedale before you play
- The lower holes play quite differently to the upper — adjust your mindset as the course character changes
- Ilkley town is outstanding — lunch at Box Tree or The Bistro at The Craiglands is the ideal post-round plan
- Visitors welcome throughout the week — one of Yorkshire’s most accessible good-quality courses
- Combine with Rudding Park for a two-base Yorkshire Golf & Spa Break — 30 minutes between the two
- Ilkley Moor walk above the course after golf is one of the great English post-round experiences
The Craiglands Hotel, Ilkley
A Victorian spa hotel on the edge of Ilkley town — comfortable, well-located and with spa facilities that make it a natural base for a Wharfedale golf break. The town’s restaurants and the moor above are both within easy walking distance.