West Midlands of England – Best in County Rankings 2023

Welcome to the third of our seven regional updates for England. Last time we featured three counties in the North West of the country and in this edition we head to the West Midlands to reappraise golfing layouts in the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

We have a new #1 in one of those counties and we’re adding a further fifteen layouts to the fifty that we already listed across the five counties. New members of our county panels have identified a few courses which have been overlooked in the past so we’re more than happy to include these additional tracks in our revised line-ups.

Herefordshire

Located only a mile from the border with Wales, the 18-hole layout at Kington Golf Club (pictured above) remains the #1 golf track in Herefordshire. Recognised as the highest course in England, it’s a Major C.K. Hutchison design that first opened for play in 1926. With holes set out in glorious National Trust property, Kington offers unrivalled panoramic views of The Brecon Beacons, The Black Mountains, The Shropshire Hills and the Malvern Hills.

South Herefordshire

The only new entry is South Herefordshire at #5, replacing the Rowan course at Sapey Golf and Country Club which recently changed its golf union affiliation. Situated close to the lovely little town of Ross-on-Wye, South Herefordshire occupies a rolling 135-acre property, operating an 18-hole layout, par three academy course and driving range since 1990.

Click the following link to see the newly updated county rankings for Herefordshire.

Shropshire

Rising two spots to #1 in Shropshire, Oswestry Golf Club (pictured above) was founded in 1903 but the course is a more recent development, designed by James Braid in the late 1920s when the club moved to the grounds of Aston Hall. Course improvements were made in the mid-1980s then a bunker upgrade was conducted in the late 1990s, with six hazards removed, one introduced, three repositioned and forty-nine others refurbished.

The Astbury

The course at The Astbury in Chelmarsh re-enters our county chart at #6. Unveiled in 2010, this 18-hole golf facility was created by former Judas Priest lead guitarist K.K. Downing. Unfortunately, the course closed five years ago when the business went into administration but it’s now back in business under new ownership, having re-opened in April 2021.

Telford

The only new entry for Shropshire arrives at #12 and it’s the course at Telford Hotel Spa & Golf Resort, which was originally established by Telford Development Corporation in the mid-1970s before it became a private enterprise in 1980. The property’s changed hands a few times since then, with Q Hotels as the latest owner.

Click the following link to see the newly updated county rankings for Shropshire.

Staffordshire

Retaining its position as #1 in Staffordshire, the 18-hole layout at JCB Golf and Country Club (pictured above) is one of only three in the West Midlands region to be included in our English national rankings (at #40) and it also makes the cut in our GB&I Top 100 at #93. Designed by Robin Hiseman of European Golf Design for tournament play, the course now hosts the annual JCB Tournament on the Legends Tour for senior professional male golfers.

Penn

The highest of four new entries on the new chart is the course at Penn Golf Club in Wolverhampton which debuts at #11. When South Staffordshire Golf Club relocated in 1908, some members remained behind to form a new golf club, inheriting a 9-hole course that was fifteen years old. The modern day layout extends to 6,457 yards and plays to a par of 70 (35 out then 35 in) on a property of no more than 100 acres.

The other new Staffordshire entries are Leek [#12], Walsall [#13] and Bloxwich [#14].

Click the following link to see the newly updated county rankings for Staffordshire.

Warwickshire

The Brabazon course at The Belfry Hotel & Resort (pictured above) holds on to its #1 status in Warwickshire. Four-time host venue for the Ryder Cup between 1985 and 2002), the Brabazon is a late 1970s design from PGA stalwarts Dave Thomas and Peter Alliss, who somehow managed to transform an undistinguished tract of farmland into one of England’s most remarkable golf courses at what has since become a 54-hole West Midlands golfing mecca.

Walmley

The highest climber in the updated Warwickshire chart is the course at Walmley Golf Club in Sutton Coldfield, rising four places to #11. The club started out with a 9-hole layout in 1902 but within six years this was doubled in size. Three new holes were developed in the early 1980s by Brian Huggett and David Williams to create the 6,603-yard course that’s still in play today.

Stratford-on-Avon

There are five newcomers to the listings and the most prominent of these is the course at Stratford-on-Avon at #13.The club moved a short distance to its current location in 1925, when J.H. Taylor designed a new course with James Carter & Co. of Reading building the holes. Jonathan Gaunt embarked on an ongoing bunker renovation project at the club in the winter of 2020, with contractor MJ Abbot carrying out the construction work.

The other Warwickshire new entries are Warwickshire (Kings) [#17), Maxstoke Park [#18], Kenilworth [#19] and Shirley [#20]. Click the following link to see the newly updated county rankings for Warwickshire.

Worcestershire

The Blackwell Golf Club course in Bromsgrove (pictured above) has been our county number one since we began ranking Worcestershire more than a decade ago and it’s still the #1 layout. The club was formed with a 9-hole course in 1893 and this layout was expanded to eighteen holes thirty years later by Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler. Currently, Frank Pont is working with the club on a 10-year restoration plan.

Kings Norton (Red & Blue)

Climbing four positions to #4, the Red and Blue nines at Kings Norton Golf Club comprise the 18-hole Weatheroak layout at this 27-hole facility. The club can trace its origins back to 1892 but it relocated to Alvechurch in the late 1960s, engaging Fred Hawtree to lay out three 9-hole circuits, any two of which provide an 18-hole golf course of high quality.

Wharton Park

The course at Wharton Park Golf & Country Club is our highest new entry, appearing at #10. Designed by Howard Swan, the 18-hole layout sits just outside the attractive Georgian town of Bewdley on the River Severn. Stretching to 6,402 yards, it plays to a par of 71, with holes arranged in two distinct compartments: holes 1-3 and 11-18 occupy ground closest to the clubhouse, with the remaining holes on the other side of a dense forest.

The other new Worcestershire entries are Droitwich [#12], Kings Norton (Yellow) at #13 and Evesham [#14].

Click the following link to see the newly updated county rankings for Worcestershire.

Jim McCann

Editor

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