Inspiration and ideas for my trips comes from various sources. Reputation, word of mouth, striking photos or a timely email all play their part, but there is no doubt that a video from Bentham Golf Club by Liam of Golf Mates had piqued my interest this time. I’m a bit of sucker for hidden gems in out-of the-way locations and Bentham looked just my sort of place.
Even better, when I made enquiries, owner John Marshall kindly offered me a night in one of the excellent pods, which it transpired were set just above the 9th green. I’d played many of the best courses in Cumbria before, and Bentham lies at the point where Cumbria meets Lancashire meets Yorkshire,
Inside one of the excellent pods near the 9th green at Bentham Golf Club
(Image credit: Wenningdale Escapes Ltd)
It was warm, cosy and very comfortable and, even better, when I played the course next day and ran into a bit of traffic with no-one behind, it formed the perfect personal halfway hut. I stopped for a cheeky cuppa, soaking up the views across to Ingleborough on an unexpectedly fine mid-October morning.
A little piece of heaven
Bentham’s story is intriguing. Golf here dates back to 1922, with the club expanding from nine to 18 holes in the 1990s in a bid to halt the exodus of members to 18-hole courses. Then, in 2009, it switched from members’ club to proprietary set-up.
My home for the night was one of these at Bentham Golf Club
(Image credit: Wenningdale Escapes Ltd)
The Marshall family, owners of the Riverside Caravan Park in the village, saw its potential and started Bentham off on its journey to becoming a stay-and-play venue in this beautiful part of the country. As well as the very competitively priced pods, there are luxury lodges here.
I really loved my short stay, with the course boasting a number of fine holes and those ever-present views across to Ingleborough – one of the Yorkshire Dales’ famous Three Peaks – which you forge straight towards on the up-and-over par-5 2nd and risk-reward 3rd, which is definitely worth having a pop at.
The short par-4 3rd at Bentham with Ingleborough in the distance
(Image credit: Jeremy Ellwood)
You’ll know all about it after the steep climb to the 7th green, and that 9th hole mentioned earlier is a real toughie as you turn left and cross a stream on the long approach.
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