Close House Golf Club – Filly Course

A short-but-sweet and charmingly refurbished parkland layout – a fun but challenging foil for the venue’s neighbouring Colt course. 

The Filly course at Close House has been impressively re-worked by Edinburgh-based architect Scott Macpherson and definitely falls into this category.

Leading north east venue Close House now boasts two quality 18-hole layouts – the Colt and the recently refurbished Filly – and former World no.1 Lee Westwood’s name is attached to both of them.

‘Westy’ officially opened the new Colt course in May 2011 when he was literally on top of the golfing world and he was on hand again – just two day after just missing out on Open glory at Muirfield - for the grand re-opening of the newlook par-70 Filly layout.

He even took the Ryder Cup along with him – the occasion was marked by a special Ryder Cup-style match between Close House and the Media. Ryder Cup hero ‘Westy,’ who has appeared in eight Ryder Cups, led Close House to a 7-2 romp.

Westwood has been attached to Close House, just outside Newcastle, for the past two years – he wears the resort’s logo on the right side of his cap – and is a close friend of owner and local entrepreneur Graham Wylie, like ‘Westy’ a multiple race horse owner. These are the first courses Westwood has put his name too.

Over £500,000 was spent on upgrading the gentle, existing course which was re-named Filly in 2011, the changes being instigated by Edinburgh-based course architect Scott Macpherson who also designed the neighbouring Colt.

With the addition of 19 new tee boxes, two new greens (1st and 7th) and 37 new and renovated bunkers (fairway and greenside) , the former demanding better course strategy and accuracy off the tee, the renovated Filly is now a worthy no.2 course. It’s still fairly short (6,000 yards) but is both challenging and charming, a wonderful parkland alternative to the longer, brasher and more open and exposed Colt.

“Close House is all about high quality service and golf course conditioning and a fun place to play. Apparently, two of the corporate clients have already decided to have their golf days on the Filly Course which says a lot for the changes we’ve made,” said Macpherson.

• Course does not have: Bar
• Course does not have: Buggy Hire
• Course does not have: Driving Range
• Course does not have: Practice Green
• Course does not have: Pro Shop
• Course does not have: Restaurant
• Course does not have: Trolley Hire
• Course does not have: Dress Code
• Course does not have: Club Hire
• Course does not have: Handicap