Droitwich is a fine members’ club where the club’s history adorns the walls of the attractive red brick clubhouse. James Braid was as relentless an architect as he was an Open Champion, and it is clear the club at Droitwich are very proud of their association with one of the greats of the game. Braid was engaged to extend and redesign the course after the club acquired more land, and I would say that the land the course is built on comes at you in a number of well defined sections.

There are five holes on the lower ground on the clubhouse side of the small road that dissects the property, three holes that run across the highest section of ground across the road and ten holes that wrap around the hill, located on lower ground coming in two sections, one on each nine.

Firstly, it has to be said that Droitwich was presented in creditable condition for late April, having suffered record amounts of rainfall for the months running up to our visit. Built on clay, and with sections of low lying ground, it is inevitable that there would be some damp spots, but the short grass areas and bunkers were impressive taking all of the above into account.

You get straight into some good golf from the off, and I felt the opening run of five holes was the finest on the course. The uphill par 4 1st is a gentle handshake on first glance, but it is a pretty affair and the green is tiered in a way that can bite you if you find yourself out of position. The 2nd boasts a lovely ground feature in the approach to the green, with a U shaped valley shaping the 2nd shot landing zone and dominating the strategy. The 3rd is the finest par 3 on the course and features a left to right cantered green and dangerous run off on the right side. Finally, my favourite hole on the course was the 5th, a par 5 where the fairway slopes right to left and the quite bonkers tiered green site and front run off defend the hole admirably.

The rest of the front nine is okay, with the short par 4 8th probably the pick of the bunch. Drive-able in theory but in practice, with plenty of devilment to overcome, I feel a strategic and considered approach might be the more appropriate play. You cross the road four times during the round, and the second time is from 8th green to 9th tee. A number of the teeing areas had been relaid, and those on 9, 17 and 18 were newly open and impressively presented. 

Crossing the road once again, you play the heavily uphill par 3 11th to climb the high ground. Sadly, when you reach the summit, you are presented with wonderful all encompassing views but also, the worst hole on the course, the par 4 12th which is a severe dogleg that feels awkward and uncomfortable. That discomfort is short lived however and there are plenty of fine shots to enjoy coming in, with the beautifully framed tee shot on 13 and the blind tee shot over the marker post on 16 particular highlights.

I am glad Droitwich was brought into the county rankings in 2023. It is a pleasant place to visit, offers a good amount of variety and boasts an interesting routing that wraps back and forth across a potentially awkward plot of land, which keeps the round engaging. You will not be blown away, but equally I imagine during the summer months you won’t be disappointed, and there won’t be many finer places to play in Worcestershire when taking into account all elements of the experience.