Wynyard Golf Club

The fairways at Wynyard roll out across proper golfing terrain just outside Stockton-on-Tees, and this is the sort of course that rewards decent ball-striking without being brutally punishing about it. Eighteen holes wind through mature parkland with enough water hazards and strategic bunkering to keep you honest, but nothing that feels designed purely to humiliate a 15-handicapper.

It's a members' club first and foremost, which means visiting golfers need to book through a member or contact the club directly to arrange a game. Day rates apply, and it's worth ringing ahead to check availability rather than turning up hopefully. The course plays to around 6,600 yards from the back tees, so it's not a monster, but the design keeps things interesting. Allow four hours for a full round.

Seriously keen golfers will get the most from Wynyard. It's not a links course, so if you're after that windswept Scottish drama, look elsewhere. But for a solid test of golf in the North East, it delivers. The layout encourages you to think about club selection rather than just hammering it straight.

If you're staying at Donnewell Farm Caravan and Motorhome Club site nearby - only four miles away - this makes a natural morning or afternoon outing. The countryside around here is pleasant enough, and the course offers that genuinely local feel you don't always find in golf tourism. Check their website for current green fees and member reciprocal arrangements before you travel.