Aldwark Manor golf: my lesson with pro Jamie Barrow

Well, set you sat nav to Aldwark Manor Estate and treat yourself to a lesson with course pro Jamie Barrow, who is the estate's new head of golf.

It will be great fun - and you may well pick up the golf bug (or at least some great tips).

I can vouch for that because that's just what I did one sunny Monday morning last month.

Less than a 30-minute drive from York, I met Jamie at Aldwark's new Bunkers cafe bar right by the first tee.

Handy, I thought, until he had different ideas.

"We're taking the buggy," he said - moments later pulling up in a open Jeep-style golf cart.

Aerial view of Aldwark Manor golf course. Photo supplied

We loaded our clubs into the back and Jamie tore off across the revamped course to hole nine where the fun was to begin.

When I say fun, I'll admit it took me a while to break into a smile.

I have been trying to learn golf for the past two years and have reluctantly accepted is the most frustrating sport. For every ten shots I hit, one is OK. But maybe I am being over generous. My first 'card' I put in to get a handicap saw me complete 9 holes in 109 shots. Golfing readers will laugh or cringe at that figure; for non-golfers out there, trust me, it is bad. Really bad. Could I be the worst golfer in York?

But let's keep positive! What was not to love about at day at Aldwark? It was a Monday morning, the sun was shining and I was being driven around the estate's stunning course by someone who could hopefully make my game better.

Which was just what happened. After patiently watching me hack away and swing unsuccessfully for a few holes, Jamie began feeding me some advice.

Every player is individual, but for me, it was all about aligning my feet correctly, and making sure the ball was in the correct position. To help me with my swing, Jamie jabbed a pencil into the ground just ahead of where the ball would be and told me to swing through and hit the pencil. Which I did - and it flew into the air. Now for the ball to do the same thing!

The take-away was for me to imagine or focus on something on the ground just ahead of the ball and make sure my swing followed that trajectory.

From then, the tips followed thick and fast.

Over a very tasty lunch (Korean chicken burger with fries) at Bunkers, I took out my notebook and before interviewing Jamie, scribbled down his top tips, least I forget them!

Inside Bunkers bar at Aldwark Manor. Photo supplied

New to Aldwark, Jamie, aged 45, has been teaching golf for almost 20 years.

It's a great time for him to return to his Yorkshire roots because Aldwark Manor Estate has been undergoing some big changes.

In recent years, the owners have spent millions on a total refurbishment of the hotel, completed by May 2021, including a multi-million-pound redesign of the golf course, which opened last summer.

Bunkers launched a year ago and is in a separate building, offering not just a place to eat and drink (the legendary 19th hole), but also a golf shop, sports bar and 11 bedrooms - a perfect spot for a sporting break.

This spring, Aldwark's £3m fine-dining restaurant, Chartwell, opened, complete with speak-easy, private dining room and bespoke wine tasting room.

But back to golf. The 18-hole course has a brand-new lay out with five new holes. Membership packages vary, and range for a two-month taster deal at £199 to a twilight membership of £250 a year to full membership at £890.

The setting is stunning, with the beautiful red brick of the historic manor building offering a picturesque backdrop as well as the challenge (for men) of hitting across the River Ure that winds through the 70-par course (women can tee-off from the other side!).

Jamie offers golf lessons at £30 an hour - or pay for five and get two free.

At that price, I might well be back!

Find out more at: www.aldwarkmanorestate.co.uk