I enjoyed a perfect golf break with my son at Slaley Hall

LET’S be honest, kids can drive you mad.

So what a pleasant change it was to go driving, chipping and putting with one of my sons on a perfectly relaxing day at the fantastic Slaley Hall Hotel, spa and golf resort.

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My son Joe is crazy about golf and plays every chance he gets. Which is about six days a week. I like to join him whenever I get the time.

Which is about once a year.

So it was an absolute treat for both of us when I booked an overnight trip to this stunning spot in Northumberland.

Any time I do manage to find the time to play a round with Joe, who is 16, it usually means shooting home straight afterwards.

The beauty of our time away was that not only did we get to enjoy a relaxing 18 holes, we then had the rest of the day ahead of us.

Yes, that did include a quick stop at the proverbial 19th hole!

But we just had to check out the fantastic spa facilities too.

Then it was off to dinner in the beautiful Mr Kennedy’s Brasserie. But more of all that later. Golf always comes first for Joe and Slaley Hall has two fabulous courses.

There is The Priestman Course, but we opted for The Hunting – also known as the ‘Augusta of the North’.

Without giving too much away, there is a fair gap in abilities between 8-handicapper Joe and his slightly more inconsistent dad, but The Hunting provided a good challenge and enough rewards for both of us.

A Par 4 first hole is followed by two par 5s and is a tough start to your round. But we were both quickly in the swing of things.

It truly is a beautiful course and you can tell it is lovingly cared for by the whole greenkeeping team.

My favourite hole was the par 3 15th where you need to drive over a lake and land the ball on the green or you are in big trouble – and not just because I somehow managed to do just that!

But my favourite moment of the round was as we were strolling up the 12th hole.

I had seen a few pheasants flying past on previous holes but now there was a whole extended family of them on either side of the fairway as we walked towards the green.

I’m sure it would be frowned upon to do this at The Masters, but I just had to get my phone out to video these magnificent, colourful birds in all their glory. And yes, that was the only birdie I got all day!

But for me, the day didn’t hinge on breaking course records (thankfully). Getting to spend some precious time with Joe was far more rewarding. And the day was far from over once the last putts had been sunk.

Slaley Hall has a fantastic leisure area that includes a spa, a large swimming pool, bubble pools, sauna, steam room and loungers for, well, lounging about in.

Watching Joe’s face when he entered a steam room for the first ever time to be met by a wall of hot, humid air is something I will never forget.

Next stop was for dinner. We had headed down from Glasgow on a midweek day but the restaurant was still bustling with a great atmosphere. And the food was sensational.

We both opted for the same starter – focaccia with tomatoes and dipping oils. We also both chose steaks with peppercorn sauce – though I went for the fillet and Joe had the ribeye.

Joe then had the sticky toffee pudding while I plumped for the cheese board. It was a real treat for both of us and the perfect end to a perfect day.

Teatime down to a tee!

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