Blackwell

Blackwell Golf Club is based just south of Birmingham, and one of several West Midlands venues to claim a spot on the NCG Top 100s: England list.  

Originally founded as a 9-hole layout in the 1890s, Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler came together to create a special 18-hole design in the 1920s.  

A century on, and the layout has become tighter thanks to the planting of thousands of trees, making it tougher. Add in the numerous bunkers on every hole and despite its relatively short yardage, the course is not to be shunned.

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1893 was the founding date of Blackwell Golf Club, with the original 9-hole layout being designed and constructed over less than 50 acres of land. 

Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler then came together, with the 18-hole design at Blackwell being just one of seven that the influential pair collaborated on. 

Many names have been associated with Blackwell, but perhaps none other than the great Bobby Jones. He played the course just a day after winning the 1930 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, in what was a historic year for the American.  

Blackwell Golf Club is set over just 102 acres of land but the course that Fowler and Simpson created more than a century earlier remains a high-quality track. That’s largely down to some spectacular green surfaces. Firm, true, and with careful borrows and crowns, negotiating them successfully is the key to a successful score here – even though anything wayward off the tee settles down into some tough rough that is difficult to negotiate. Thousands of trees have since been planted to change the course from a heathland layout to a parkland track. The par 70 layout is not long, coming in at just 6,250 yards, but there is a quintet of tricky par 3s to navigate. 

The opening tee shots is played over a small ravine to find the fairway but if you play just to the left of the marker post, then you will find the short stuff. From there, the green is protected by three large bunkers. The 2nd is the first of those five par 3s, playing just more than 175 yards. There are three bunkers greenside once more, with two of those short right of the putting surface that need to be avoided. The near double dogleg of the long 3rd all but forces you to work the ball both right and left. The drive must stay short of the ditch that runs across the fairway, with the green then being guarded once again by sand. 

The first of three par 5s at Blackwell comes pretty early on. The 4th fairway pinches in at the landing zone thanks to a slew of trees and a bunker on the right side. Find it, and you can have a crack at the green in two. However, there are two large bunkers in front of the green. 5 is a short par 4 of just 350 yards, and requires just a bunt down the fairway, before then finding the putting surface with a short iron or wedge. The 6th is the second short hole, and it plays less than its carded number of 160 yards. Four bunkers, two on either side, guard a long and narrow putting surface. The 7th is the shortest of the par 4s at Blackwell, coming in at less than 290 yards from the tips. Despite being so short, taking the green on is not for the faint-hearted, and also not for those that have not played this course before. Find the fairway and play on to give yourself a birdie chance. 

The second of the three par 5s comes at the 8th. The tee shot is played up a narrow funnel to a fairway that runs diagonally to the left. The hole then turns even further to the left across a ditch, which splits the fairway. That ditch then runs down the right side of the fairway up to the green, one that is guarded by sand once more. The par 3 9th is 203 yards and a stretch of water away from the safety of the green – a hole that not only requires a good strike but some nerve as well.  

The back nine begins with what may have originally been the opening test at Blackwell - hence the rather grandiose raised tee, flanked by floral arrangements on one side and pines on the other. Two large bunkers on the left of the fairway are in the way on your tee shot, but if you can clear them, then the green is very much attackable. 11 is the longest par 3, coming in at more than 220 yards from the tips. It plays slightly downhill with the very linksy feature of a train line running down the left side of the hole. Three bunkers sit front right of the green, which angles diagonally away from the tee box, just to make this hole even more difficult.  

The last par 5 comes at the 12th, followed by the final par 3 at 13. The former is the longest hole on the property and has a number of bunkers to avoid off the tee shot, both left and right. The green is small, and most will opt to lay up. You’ll have to work out for yourself whether the 13th, at 181 yards, really is the inspiration for the famous 12th at Augusta National, but you can definitely see the similarities between the two. 

The closing stretch at Blackwell consists of five par 4s, all of which have they own challenges. The 14th is the Stroke Index 1 with the tee shot being played down a narrow run of trees, over a bunker on the corner as the hole turns slightly to the left. The 15th has a large tree in front of the fairway, so make sure you avoid that with your tee shot. At 462 yards, the 16th is one of the toughest par 4s on the property. No fewer than six bunkers line the way, from fairway to green, all just making this hole that bit more treacherous. The penultimate hole is a birdie opportunity at just 320 yards, and with a generous fairway that can easily be found with just a long iron or hybrid. The 18th and final hole at Blackwell is also relatively short at 365 yards, and playing slightly downhill off the tee. It turns slightly to the left with a huge tree at the back of the green, which often causes the entire putting surface to be in its shadow through the afternoons. The glorious clubhouse is the backdrop, sitting just behind the tree.  

Dan Murphy: If the front nine is lifted anywhere near the levels of the back nine then we are in for a treat. Another course in the midst of significant improvement work, we believe Blackwell can climb much higher in future lists once the work on the front nine is concluded.

Chris Griffiths: Wonderful bunkering. Very enjoyable

Steve Carroll: Work goes on to restore the feel of Herbert Fowler's principles

Read more about our panellists here.

Where is Blackwell Golf Club located?  

Blackwell Golf Club is located in the West Midlands, just south of the city of Birmingham. Bromsgrove and Redditch are both within a few miles, while the centre of England’s ‘Second City’ is around 15 miles to the north. The venue is just a few minutes from the M42, providing links to both the north and south via road.  

Bromsgrove, Barnt Green and Alvechurch are the three closest train stations to Blackwell Golf Club. The former sees services running through it to Lichfield Trent Valley from Birmingham New Street, while both Barnt Green and Alvechurch are on the line that runs from Four Oaks to Redditch, through New Street Station. Birmingham Airport is 20 miles from Blackwell Golf Club, while East Midlands Airport and Manchester Airport – the latter being the busiest airport in the United Kingdom outside of London – are within 90 minutes from the golfing venue.  

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: England venues nearby?  

Blackwell is one of several venues that are within a short drive from the centre of Birmingham. The likes of Little Aston, Sutton Coldfield, Enville (Highgate) and the Brabazon Course at The Belfry are all in close order as well.

What golf facilities does Blackwell Golf Club offer?  

Blackwell does not have its own driving range, but there is a cracking short game area for guests and members alike to use before taking to the course. There is a chipping green and two bunkers, along with space to practice pitching from around 80 yards or so. The putting green is between the 10th tee and the 18th green.  

What are the green fees at Blackwell Golf Club?  

The price of a green fee at Blackwell Golf Club changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. 

For more information on current green fees at Blackwell, visit their website here.