Church Stretton

Jack Morris, the Hoylake professional and nephew of Old Tom Morris, laid out the original course at Church Stretton along with club professional James Hepburn. The first nine debuted in 1898, with J.H. Taylor and Harry Vardon playing an exhibition match to mark the opening of the course.

The second nine followed six years later and Vardon returned shortly after to refine the layout. James Braid was then engaged to modify the course in 1934 and, as John F. Moreton and Iain Cumming write in James Braid and his Four Hundred Golf Courses, “Braid’s suggestions were implemented one by one over the next year.”

The authors continue: “Certain tees were re-turfed, the 11th and 12th tees were enlarged, five greens improved (1, 10, 13, 14 and 16), two greens levelled (3 and 5), and the bunkering given a critical look, moving, removing and creating new ones.

Church Stretton is an extraordinary course, high up above the town, on the Long Mynd. It climbs up for the early holes. The amazing thing is that it is only just over 5,000 yards from the back tees. There are no par fives, par for the course is 66. It is a natural course in a prime location.”