Golfers flock to Bamburgh Castle course

While North of the border might be the home of golf, players from as far afield as America and Ireland are swinging into the region attracted by the range of demanding and scenic courses on offer as well as year-round accessibility.

With a similarly spectacular setting, climate and wealth of surrounding history, they say the success of Scotland in securing itself as one of the world's top golf destinations, could be mirrored by Northumberland.

Bamburgh Castle Golf Club secretary manager Mike Robinson said: "Certainly the courses we have here stand up to comparison to Scotland, there's no doubt about that.

"There are so many good golf courses in the area. There is the Open Championship qualifying course at Goswick, Foxton at Alnmouth and of course ourselves. We have been billed as the most scenic golf course in the country.

"The courses in the North East offer more variation in play and scenery than in Scotland, which tends to be just links courses. In our region we have parkland, heathland and links golf and some of the finest views in the UK."

Scandinavian players love the North East's courses.

Mr Robinson, a former Ryder Cup referee, said: "While we are getting plenty of international visitors right now and there's a big market at the moment in Scandinavian golf travel.

"Scandinavia is a hotbed of golf. They love coming to this area to play. Getting here is easy for them to access via Edinburgh and the majority of our courses are accessible all year round and right now the Swedish Krona is very favourable against the pound, making a golf trip to the UK good value."

Among the most recent golf tourists to tee-off on Northumberland's shores are Swede Lars Andersson, who led a 15-stong tour for rounds at Bamburgh, Goswick and Dunstanburgh courses. He said: "We really like this place both for its golf courses and the area.

"We have been up to Scotland but we prefer to play here. It's the most amazing golf course and the views are incredible."

Hotels in the region are cashing in on the growing popularity. Gary Taylor, manager of The Lindisfarne Inn at Beal in Northumberland, said: "We've seen a rapid rise in the number of golfing party bookings we've taken.

"Over the next couple of months we have over 150 bookings from UK and European golfing parties.

"We're carving out a name for ourselves in the golfing sector because not only because of the huge variety of courses within a 20-mile radius of the inn but because our accommodation is geared up for the golfers to come and go as they like as it is separate to the main inn building."