Handsworth

Founded in 1895, Handsworth Golf Club moved to its current location a year later. In 1920, the layout was remodelled by Harry Colt and it remained virtually untouched for almost a hundred years until a flood management scheme from the UK’s Environment Agency in 2018 resulted in the introduction of three new holes.

Jonathan Gaunt oversaw the work – to protect households in the floodplain of the River Tame – which involved the installation of an embankment along the course’s previous par four 12th fairway and the loss of the former par three 11th and par four 13th holes. Two of the replacement holes are now situated in what were adjacent fields.

Overall, this tree-lined course extends to 6,362 yards from the back markers, playing to a par of 70, with only two par fives on the scorecard at the 486-yard 5th and 504-yard 18th. Feature holes include the left doglegged par for 14th, rated stroke index 1, where a stream runs diagonally across the fairway and the approach shot plays uphill to a sand-protected green.