Bingley St Ives Golf Club

Slick greens a tough test on challenging course

With its unusual mix of parkland, woodland and moorland holes, Bingley St Ives is a superb test of golf. Players start in relatively open countryside but soon you find yourself with mature trees on right and left. By halfway you are in moorland, with heather snaring wayward shots, before you go back into the woods and finish downhill into the parkland and the clubhouse, pictured, with its balcony overlooking the course. St Ives started as a municipal course, built by Bingley Urban Council in 1931 as a nine-hole course.

Its early layout was supervised by Alister McKenzie, whose most famous creation was Augusta, of Masters fame.

During the 1980s, the course was the venue for the Lawrence Batley International, a major event on the PGA Tour. Among the great names who played the course were Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino.

The event was staged three times at Bingley St Ives, with Sandy Lyle twice heading the leaderboard and Nick Faldo taking the trophy on the other occasion.

In 1990, the members formed a limited company, secured a long-term lease from Bradford Council and started the impressive clubhouse, which complements the outlying St Ives estate.

Today, the course has a reputation for having slick, tricky greens and being in top condition. Long and in parts requiring accuracy, it is an enjoyable challenge for golfers of all abilities.

FACT FILE Name: Bingley St Ives Golf Club Address: Bingley St Ives Estate, Bingley, BD16 1AT Website: bingleystivesgc.co.uk Telephone: (01274) 562506 President: Nigel Moulds Club pro: Nigel Barber, pictured right Annual fee: £809 Visitor fee: £30 Mon-Fri, £40 weekend Course length: 6,482 yards Par: 71 Signature hole: 11th – cut off as much of the corner as you dare Shop: Yes