Fulford Golf Club North Yorkshire

Just one mile from historic York lies the magnificent Fulford Golf Club, a club steeped in history itself and celebrated it’s centenary in 2006. After getting the thumbs up by no less than James Braid, the current layout was designed by Major Charles Mackenzie, and has played host over the years to many important amateur and professional tournaments. 

Many major winners such as Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam have graced the fairways of Fulford, when for 20 years the club hosted European Tour Events including the Benson & Hedges, Sun Alliance, and Murphy’s Cup tournaments as well as hosting the first British Ladies Open Championship. But it is surely the image of a flaxen-haired Bernard Langer clambering 20 feet up the magnificent ash tree by the 17th green to play his third shot from the branches that sticks in the memory.

Its reputation for some of the best greens on the European Tour attracted the likes of Greg Norman, Gary Player, Lee Trevino and legends like Sam Snead and Billy Casper. The greens were clearly to Ian Woosnam’s liking in 1985 – he blitzed around Fulford in just 62 strokes, still the ‘all-comers’ record. Built predominantly on sandy heathland, Fulford features superb turf and provides a true test of championship golf. The closing stretch from the 12th onwards are usually into a breeze and provide a real challenge. In particular the 473 yard 13th hole tests most golfers and is the hardest hole on the course.

After a tight drive with out of bounds to the left, the player is left with a long iron to a narrow green. However, that didn’t stop Tom Weiskopf holing his fairway shot for an eagle two, to secure victory by one shot from Langer in the Benson & Hedges in 1981.