The valley before sunrise, mist in the folds of the ground, a dry stone wall running toward the dark hills

Low sun through beech trees along the first fairway, frost still on the shaded grass

The course at midday, flat bright light, shadows short under the fairway trees

Long shadows crossing the ninth green as the afternoon light goes gold

Dusk over the valley, the last colour draining from the sky above the hills

Established 1921, Leeds 6

Eighteen holes above the valley. Members, visitors and one very good function room.

A parkland course on the western slope of the valley, a clubhouse that does a proper sandwich, and a membership that has been full for four years and still moves every spring.

Membership and fees

The course

A tree-lined parkland fairway on the front nine, a dry stone wall running along the left rough

Front nine Parkland, tight, tree-lined Par 35

A golfer walking a wide open fairway on the back nine under a heavy sky, gorse bent by the wind

Back nine Open, exposed, the wind matters Par 37

The blind tee shot on the seventh: a single marker post on the crest of a rise, frost on the grass, nothing else in view

The seventh. Blind tee shot, index 1.

Practice

Practice ground Nets, short game area, putting green Open daily

Membership

Joining fee waived until March.

Four categories, one waiting list.

There is a waiting list for full membership and it moves in spring, when the subscription year turns. Every other category is open now.

Full Seven days, full voting rights, handicap and competitions.: £1,240 / year
Weekday Monday to Friday before 4pm. Competitions on request.: £790 / year
Intermediate Under 30. Steps up a band each year to full at 30.: £420 / year
Country For members living more than 40 miles out. Twelve rounds.: £310 / year

Visitors

Green fees, and what to expect.

Visitors are welcome seven days. Handicap certificate not required, but the dress code is, and the starter will tell you kindly if you have got it wrong.

A rain-soaked flag over the hole, close enough to see the stitching

Weekday, before noon: £38
Weekday, after noon: £30
Weekend and bank holidays: £52
Twilight, after 4pm: £22

The function room

Sixty seated, ninety standing, and the whole valley out of the window.

Wakes, birthdays, small weddings and the odd company day. Room hire includes the bar staff, and the kitchen does the catering rather than a caterer coming in.

Enquire about a date

The function room set for nothing: chairs along the windows, the parquet floor bare, the valley visible through every window

The same room laid for a wedding breakfast: round tables in white linen, flowers, the same valley through the windows

Room hire, weekday: £180
Room hire, Saturday: £340
Buffet, per head: from £14
Sit-down, per head: from £29

The clubhouse from the eighteenth green: a low stone building with a green-painted veranda, vintage cars parked outside

Enquiries

The secretary reads these, not a mailbox.

Tell us which category you are after, or which date you are looking at, and you will get a real answer within two working days.

[email protected]

Meanwood Vale Golf Club, Leeds LS6, 0113 000 0000