Ramside Hall has begun a major renovation of its two championship layouts as part of a multimillion-pound investment into the County Durham-based hotel, golf and spa resort.
Following the opening of a new 43-bay Toptracer range and indoor 10-pin bowling venue last month, attention is now turning to the course work, which is already well underway on significant updates to the venue’s Cathedral and Prince Bishop’s courses, alongside the addition of a new floodlit short-game area.
The Jonathan Gaunt-designed Cathedral Course, which opened in 2014, is undergoing significant changes that will reshape how it looks and plays. Led by Course Manager Shaun Embleton and his team, the project includes splitting the old par-5 7th into two new holes, a short par-4 and a par-3, along with a full reworking of the former 17th to create a dramatic new finishing hole beside the clubhouse. The wider work also involves new grasses and more naturalised roughs, giving the course a stronger inland links feel.
“The 7th and 17th were always the holes that sometimes came up for debate when looking at areas where we needed to improve the layout,” says Embleton. “We’ve redesigned them to become two of the standouts. The new 18th will deliver a really dramatic finish over water and hopefully one of the best closing holes in the North East.”
He adds: “We’ve introduced new grass types around the bunkers and added areas of hay grass to give the course a more linksy look. The bunkers used to be very large and time-consuming to maintain, so we’ve softened the edges with a wispier finish. It’s more natural, more sustainable, and it looks fantastic through the summer months.”
Alongside the Cathedral redevelopment, the Prince Bishop’s Course, another Gaunt design, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026. The layout has also been undergoing a series of careful modernisations, with updates including extended tees, refreshed bunkering and improved sightlines around several greens, all aimed at adapting the course to the demands of the modern game.
Tree management has been another key focus, with areas around greens opened up to improve airflow, light and visibility. The team has also worked to widen fairways and extend the 15th green to create more variety in pin positions.
A new floodlit short-game area is also taking shape as part of the project. Featuring twin greens and extensive bunker and pin-position areas, it has been designed to match the quality of Ramside’s wider practice offering and will provide a dedicated space for members and elite players to sharpen their skills. When complete, it is expected to be one of the most impressive facilities of its kind in the region.
“There’s nothing else like it in the area in terms of standard or quality,” says Embleton. “It ties everything together, the new holes, the range, the overall practice setup, and it’s going to be floodlit too.”
All works are on track to complete by early summer 2026.
Ramside Hall Manager Director John Adamson said: “Our aim has always been to create a venue that golfers at every level can enjoy, while giving the best players the facilities to really develop their game. I’m incredibly proud of what the team is building, and I think these changes have the potential to make Ramside the best golf venue in the North East.”