Hunting at Slaley Hall

The Hunting Course at Slaley Hall is a Dave Thomas design set in the Northumberland countryside near the village of Slaley, approximately twenty miles west of Newcastle upon Tyne. Thomas, a former Ryder Cup player who became one of Britain's most prolific golf course architects, created this layout in the early 1990s as part of the estate's development into a golf and leisure resort. The course occupies rolling parkland terrain with mature woodland defining many holes and establishing distinct playing corridors through the property.

Thomas routed the Hunting Course to take advantage of the natural elevation changes across the site, producing a varied test that moves through different sections of the estate. The layout incorporates strategic bunkering and water hazards on several holes, with the design philosophy reflecting Thomas's emphasis on playability for a range of abilities while maintaining challenge from the back tees. The course name references the estate's historical associations with country pursuits in this part of Northumberland.

Slaley Hall operates as a hotel and golf resort, with the Hunting Course serving as one of two eighteen-hole layouts on the property alongside the Priestman Course. The facility has hosted professional events on the European Tour, bringing competitive golf to the region and raising the profile of both courses. The setting offers views across the Northumberland landscape, and the estate's position in this relatively remote area provides a parkland golf experience distinct from the links courses found along the nearby Northumberland coast.