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Otterburn Hall Golf Course, Northumberland. (1927 - WW2)

First appeared in the late 1920s when the professional was J T Long.

The following article is taken from the Yorkshire Post dated 15 February 1927. It’s headlined – Mansion To Become A Hydro – Shooting Fishing Golf:- “Otterburn Hall, a well known mansion in the romantic Border county of Northumberland, is about to change its name, and to become the Otterburn Hydro.

As was announced some time ago the hall was acquired by a Scottish group for the purpose of a sporting hotel, and the work of conversion has proceeded steadily. At a cost stated to be in the region of £20,000 , the promoters of the scheme are making 53 bedrooms and public rooms, and are laying out an 18-hole golf course to the designs of Dr Mackenzie of Leeds.

Fine views of the surrounding moorland are to be obtained from the hotel and the grounds, which cover some 330 acres, and there will also be available shooting over 2,384 acres, and fishing in the River Bede.

Otterburn Hall was built in 1868 by Lord James Murray, son of the Duke of Athol, and a quarter of a century ago it became the property of Sir Charles Morrison Bell, who lived there up to the time of his death, when the estate was bought by a Newcastle syndicate, and subsequently transferred to the Scottish group”.  

Fire at Otterburn Hall in January 1929.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer Wednesday 23 January 1929. Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Picture showing Otterburn Hall (bunker to the left).

In 1930 the secretary was J McEwan the professional and green-keeper was J T Long. Listed as an 11-hole course at this time which was 1 mile from the village. Visitors’ weekly fees were 2/6. Local hotel was the Percy Arms.

In 1933 it was still being advertised as the Otterburn Hall Hotel (no mention of Hydro). Facilities included golf course and tennis courts.

Hawick News and Border Chronicle Friday 5 May 1933. Image © National World Publishing Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

In 1935 the secretary was H T Bush, telephone 26. The green-keeper was J Young. The course had now been extended to 18-holes. The Otterburn Hall Hotel which adjoined the course was situated on the main Newcastle to Edinburgh Road.

The above picture of the course is from the late 1930s. Image courtesy of Frank Accleton.

In 1940 and 1947 and the secretary was Norman B Smith and the green-keeper J Young. An 18-hole course with a membership of 35. Visitors’ fees 1/6 a round, 3/- a day and 10/6 a week and Sunday play was allowed. The LNER station at Woodburn was 6 miles away with a regular bus service to the course.

Otterburn Hall and golf course.

O.S. Map Revised 1948; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1951}.

Otterburn Hall Golf Course had disappeared by 1951.