Marc Westonborg, then of the Hawtree firm, built the course (Marc is on here occasionally, isn't he?). Steve Gibson, Middlesbrough FC chairman, is the developer, and the football club's training ground is also on site. The hotel is big and fancy, a bit flash for my taste. The course is pretty big too - I think it tips out at 7,800 yards, although one should say that the back tees are small, surrounded by basically unmaintained grass and don't really have much of an impact on how normal golfers play the course. Consider the whole place as an attempt to make a northern version of the Grove.