Church Stretton

It is possible that you won’t find a shorter 18-hole course on any of the NCG Top 100s lists than Church Stretton in Shropshire.

At just 5,000 yards, Church Stretton is short, real short. However, with massive undulation changes, and carries over valleys and gorse, it is still a great challenge.

Add in the incredible backdrop of the Shropshire Hills National Landscape, and you will certainly enjoy your day at Church Stretton.

Visit the Church Stretton website here.

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Like a lot of venues in England, Church Stretton can date its history back to the 19th Century.

The club was founded in 1897, with Jack Morris and James Hepburn being the men to design the course on the side of a hill.

Harry Vardon and James Braid opened the course with a match, with the pair then making changes to the course just a few years later.

Church Stretton is short, but heather and bracken line the fairways to give it enough bite to challenge all who visit.  It is an undulating inland course whose sandy soil drains so well it plays over firm, closely-cropped turf. It offers a rare variety of holes, from intimidating par 4s to sporty two-shotters that can be driven. Its setting takes the breath away but there is also plentiful interest in the holes, from the cute green complexes to the routing over interesting terrain. At 5,030 yards, it is possibly the shortest 18-holer on the NCG Top 100s site, but as a par 66, there are plenty of challenges along the way.

Name us another golf course that begins with a trio of par 3s? That’s the uniqueness of Church Stretton, and they are all different challenges. The opener is 180 yards, but plays significantly uphill, making it feel more like 200. The green is atop a hill, much like it is at the 2nd, but the latter is only 111 yards. The green at 2 is on the side of a hill, with the aiming point being the big tree behind the green. The 3rd plays downhill, and is at least a club less than you think. You finally get to a par 4 at the 4th, and it is a testing one at 423 yards. Your tee shot wants to be just to the left of the marker post, before the hole turns sharply to the right, and you hit your approach over the gorse.

Another par 3 comes at the 5th. Named ‘Plateau’, it is the first relatively flat hole you will play at Church Stretton. It plays across the 15th green, with the 5th green sitting above a large drop. Anything long will see you reaching into your golf bag for another ball. The 6th is another par 4 where you tee off over a brow, with the marker post being your friend. From there, the green is well below you, and there is a marker pole behind the surface for those hitting their approaches from far back. At just 250 yards, some will think that the 7th could be drivable. Where you get there, you might realise that just is not the case. Playing severely uphill, just find the fairway with your tee shot. Then you can attack the small green and try and make birdie that way.

At 267 yards, ‘Kop’ will actually play shorter than the previous hole. The tee shot is played over gorse and a severe drop, so favour the left side no matter how far you are trying to hit the ball. The final hole of the front nine is much longer, pushing towards 370 yards. It is another undulating par 4, and one where if your drive is too far left, you will find yourself behind a pair of trees on the side of the fairway. The run of par 4s continues into the early part of the back nine, with the 310-yard 10th. Teeing off over the 9th green to yet another marker post, the green will then be below you once more, and like on 6, there is a marker pole behind the green to aid you with your aim.

'Long Hole’ is exactly as it sounds. The 11th is the longest hole at Church Stretton, stretching more than 430 yards from the tips. Again, you are aiming at a marker post with your tee shot, before you play slightly downhill to a large green. Don’t be distracted by the glorious backdrop. 12 is another uphill par 3, and another where the green has been built into the side of a hill. Anything to the left of the surface will drop away and leave you with a nasty up and down to save par.

A quintet of par 4s follows, none longer than 370 yards. 13 is a slight dog-leg left, while the 14^th - ‘High Hole’ plays as a slight dog-leg right along the property boundary. Anything right of the fence is out of bounds, and there are two grass bunkers in the landing zone of the fairway. Another blind tee shot comes on 15, which plays severely downhill. Get your tee shot rolling down the fairway and you will have much less into the green than you might think. Out of bounds comes into play if you push your tee shot too far right, so aim slightly left of the marker post.

At just 252 yards, the 16th is drivable for the longer hitters. The green sits somewhat on its own on a hill, but anything pushed too far right of the putting surface will be in grave danger of finding the out of bounds. 17 is a wide par 4, allowing to take driver out and have a whack with it. A grass bunker on the left of the landing zone might cause some issues, while anything long of the green will also be in trouble. The final hole is the sixth and last par 3. Playing strongly downhill, to a small, circular green that sits the other side of a fence, road and between trees, it is a cracking little hole to finish your round.

Where is Church Stretton located?

Church Stretton is located in the Shropshire Hills National Landscape, and the layout is just a few miles from the English border with Wales. Shrewsbury is the closest town, around 15 miles to the north, with the city of Birmingham sitting 50 miles to the east. The A49, which runs from Warrington in the north to Ross-on-Wye in the south, runs past the boundary of Church Stretton.

The town of Church Stretton has its own railway station, which sits on the train line than runs between Manchester Piccadilly and Cardiff Central, which trains running regularly in both directions. For international visitors, Birmingham Airport is the nearest international airport to Church Stretton, sitting on the opposite side of the city of Birmingham, around 65 miles away. Manchester Airport, the busiest airport in the United Kingdom outside of London, is 85 miles north of the golf club.

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

There is only one Shropshire venue on the NCG Top 100s: England list, with Kington sitting 35 miles to the south of Church Stretton. Courses around Birmingham, including Beau Desert, Blackwell and the Highgate Course at Enville, are within 60 miles from the venue.

What golf facilities does Church Stretton offer?

There is no driving range at Church Stretton, but the club does have a short game area that features a practice green and bunkers, along with a putting green so you can work on the final touches before taking to the course.

What are the green fees at Church Stretton?

The price of a green fee at Church Stretton 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 Church Stretton, visit their website here.