Moseley

The following edited extract is taken from Peter Pugh & Henry Lord’s book titled Creating Classics: the golf courses of Harry Colt:

“Moseley Golf Club was founded in 1892 on land rented from Billesley Farm. Moseley today stands at 6,292 yards, par 70 and is set in mature parkland with tree-lined fairways that demand straight driving.

The course was originally nine holes, but was soon redesigned and extended, mainly by Harry Colt, who visited Moseley at least four times. In 1913 he advised on a new layout for the course and in 1926 he came back to oversee bunkering.

Ten years later he returned to create ‘The Lake,’ Moseley’s feature hole at the 5th. This 424-yard par four plays over a lake and doglegs sharply left around thick trees.

The golfer is presented with two options: the conservative approach is to play for the visible fairway between the trees, leaving a long second shot into the well-bunkered green; alternatively, the golfer can attempt a dangerous drive over high trees, cutting the corner. If successful, only a short iron into the green is needed.

During this later visit, Colt also planned the new 4th hole. Today this par three is 200 yards long off elevated back tees and plays to a small green. Just one bunker protects the hole, but the steep drop-offs and heavy rough surrounding it provide strong defence.

Other suggested alterations included changes to the 12th and several other holes. One such proposal – the building of a new tee for the 7th near the top right edge of the 6th green – was only implemented in the late 1990s.”