Temple Newsam Golf Club

I played the Lady Dorothy course on the 28th September and the course, along with the Lord Irwin, was in immaculate condition. This is the best that I have ever seen the place and if this course was to be put in private hands would be the `Jewel in the Crown` of Yorkshires courses. It still has the vandal element to spoil things but I would imagine the same can be said for nearly all municipal courses.

If you are looking for a relaxing game of golf, do not play these courses. Played the Lord Irwin course on 22nd August 2009 for the first (maybe last) time. After an approach shot to the first green I was about 10 yards to left when the group of local kids who had stopped on their bikes (there are a lot of locals wandering across the course) to watch the shot rode of, one of them kindly stopping by my ball to steal it. My playing partner who had played this course before told me about this happening and I thought he was joking. As I said, there is a lot of local involvement in your round, mainly kids hacking through the rough around the fairways. There was also a seemingly intoxicated gentleman with a bin bag full of balls setting up shop on one of the fairways. We were also stuck for about four holes behind a ridiculously slow threeball who did not wave us through until we asked. Im not joking when I say it took them around 4 shots each to get half way up the fairway, where they would spend ten minutes hunting through the rough while we waited on the tee. The round was topped off by a family riding 4 quad bikes across the course next to where were teeing off. The course itself is an interesting challenge with some good holes, but a few are up steep hill and one requires climbing equipment to reach the summit. Worth a punt for a tenner (arguably).

I played the Dorothy course yesterday (Thursday) with a colleague who is a member. Considering the recent weather, the course was in the main quite dry. Most of the damage in wetness appears to have been caused by tractors or greenkeepers equipment, which was a shame. Some of the grass had been cut but not very professionally and more damage had been caused by the cutting than anything else I could see. The course is a little challenging, although there is plenty of room for the odd wayward shot as the fairways are quite wide and not really challenging. The rough is horrible, there are quite a lot of trees in amongst the rough, which is a double penalty. Either have one or the other, not both. If you are in deep rough, you may as well pick up. I thought with it being a municipal course it was for all handicaps, but it appears to penalise high handicappers. Some of the holes are interesting and some work looks to be going on improving parts of the course, bridges etc. The need for trolley paths is paramount and much drainage work needs doing, especially at the far reaches of the course. The clubhouse leaves a lot to be desired, the changing rooms are filthy and the cafe, well, need I say more. I don't think I'll play the course again as there are many other courses superior to this withing the neighborhood.

Played the Lord Irwin course on 21/02/09. The course is far more challenging than it actually looks, although the front 9 is all a bit samey, with 2 par 3's and the rest very similar par 4's, without much character. The back 9 was far better, a couple of par 5's, par 3's and the rest par 4's. I'd have been happy playing the back 9 twice. On the day I played, it was windy on most holes, making the course significantly more challenging than it would otherwise have been. There are two courses here and they do interlink. This makes it very confusing as there is a lack of signage as to where the next tee is. For first timers, like myself, this is something which should be improved. Most tees were off temporary mats, the greens were in good condition and a consistant pace. Likewise, considering the recent weather conditions here, the fairways were also in good nick. I would play the course again, though because of the front 9 it would not be my first choice, and would like to play the second course here (Lady Dorothy). You get what you pay for here, 1 adult and 1 junior cost me £17.10. Very reasonable I thought.

nightmare of a course, water logged, cant see half the flags, cos their not there, kids by the hundred, never again.

PBC From Leeds Played the course in February 08. Could not believe how good the greens were, they were like summer greens. Well done to the ground staff.They also arranged for the sun to shine. What a bonus!

i play both courses at temple newsam regularly and it must be one of the best tests of golf in yorkshire.before i played at tempsie i was a 20 handicap now down to 10.the greenkeepers have done a great job in the past few years and it is a pleasure to play the courses.if you have not played tempsie you should really think about a round

have just played the irwin course which was a very good test.excellent fairways and greens.long slog in the heat though.should have hired a buggy!!!!

I ve been playing these tracks on and off since i was a kid and still find them challenging, there are some brilliant veiws of Leeds on the back nine of both tracks, the course at present (04/2007)is in great shape a tribute to the green keepers but get a buggy if your not too fit.

Ive been playing Tempsey for over 10 years and both courses are 1st class. They are both well looked after and the greens are top class. These are as good as any private course in Leeds and at a fraction of the cost. No two holes are the same, no blandness as most holes are treelined. Money is now being spent and the pro shop had been refurbished, the courses are great and the constant vandalism which let it down has diminished. Play early so you can get in the cafe for a full monty. :)

Two great courses that do help challange the beginner. Value for money is a shoe in.

These are really two of the best courses anywhere. The greens are now in excellent condition and it is probably the best value for money Golf Course in the UK.

Both excellent courses however recent vandalism has left many of the greens damaged (tyre marks on more than half played). Great value for money both weekdays and weekends. Worth a visit again.

A magnificent pair of golf courses. Many "character" holes on both courses with varied challanges on all. Only downside is its proximity to Halton Moor that brings occaisional vandalism to Irwin hole 1. Excellent condition of tees, fairways and greens belies its municipal course status. Would recommend either course to everyone but unfit/elderly may want to use a buggy :-)

I have played the Temple Newsam golf courses regular for the last 10 years and at this moment, May 2005 they are the best two courses in Leeds, these are two championship courses that have stood the test of time, there are no two holes the same, the approaches to the greens are just like what you see on the TV. Undulating fairways, the lot. I have played all of the new pay and play coures around Leeds and there is no comparison! They are like flags in a field....

I used to play both of these courses when I first took up golf nearly 20 years ago for £2.00 a round when I was on the rock and roll. 4 years ago only one green had grass on it, the others were fred bare. I played the course the other day and gone are the days of burnt out cars and motorbike tracks on the greens. The place has been turned around by the new greenkeepers that joined the club a few years ago. The greens are now outstanding and the overall condition of the courses are fantastic. The courses are both intresting with the N0.1 course being the longer and more difficult with an opening hole that's as hard as you find anywhere. Take a 2 for 1 voucher and it's £4.50 each in the week. That's got to be the cheapest anywhere in the UK. I have paid more for a bucket of balls on a driving range.

Two demanding 18 hole courses. Fairways and greens currently in good condition (early August 2003), bunkers a little inconsistent (no rakes). Course layout is interesting, excellent bunker positions making approach shots to greens more difficult-after a few rounds you begin to suss out where you should try to be on the fairway in order to have a better chance of hitting the dancefloor. The general consensus seems to be that if you play to your handicap on either course you have played pretty well. There are some minus points - gangs of youths on bikes roaming the fairways and greens is not uncommon and at times the course can be overun by non-green fee paying players who can sneak on with ease at places out of sight of the club house (Leeds Council please take note on both counts!). For those playing there for the first time, the absence of full length flagsticks with flags can be off-putting, but understandable! Overall, i would recommend it to anybody, but perhaps not to an older person/lady going round there towards the end of the day.

Having played these two courses recently, i find them both to be an equal challenge. The fairways are of good standard, as are the greens. Both courses have a mixture of long and short holes, with plenty to worry about in and around the fairways. Both courses are a good test for the average golfer.

HAVING PLAYED BOTH COURSES I HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE A GOOD TEST WITH A LOT OF UNDULATING FAIRWAYS .GREENS IN GOOD NICK FOR WINTER .AND ALL FOR UNDER A TENNER.GREAT VALUE

I HAVE PLAYED BOTH COURSES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND I HAVE FOUND THEM BOTH TO BE A GOOD TEST.TOP VALUE FOR UNDER ATENNER AT WEEKENDS