Edgbaston

If you were to search for Harry Colt classics in the Midlands, then Edgbaston would surely be right near the top of the list!

The course, situated just a couple of miles from the centre of Birmingham, was the last that the great man ever designed, and it is a proper test of golf.

It might only be 6,100 yards in length, but with just a single par 5, and with a quartet of cracking short holes, the distance is not the issue when it comes to scoring well at Edgbaston.

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Edgbaston has a long and storied history, one that dates all the way back to the end of the 19th Century.

From 1896 to 1910, the club resided in Warley Woods, before moving to Tennal Hall, where the club remained for the next quarter of a century.

In 1936, Edgbaston Golf Club made the move to its current location, and it was the great Harry Colt that would design this parkland classic. It would be the last course he designed.

A year later, when the course was officially opened, it was Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain that was the man to do so.

If you find yourself at this course, just over a mile away from the centre of Birmingham but a lifetime away from the bustle of the metropolis, strap yourself in for a Harry Colt classic. With its bunkers recently restored to the architect’s original intentions, Edgbaston’s raison d’etre is as it was nearly a century ago: challenge in the most picturesque of settings. The greens at Edgbaston are small, demanding efficient and accurate iron play and those who fail that test are going to find themselves among swales, run-offs, and fiendish places from which to try and find par. This might be the toughest 6,100-yard course you’ll ever play and its slope rating of 132 means it demands respect.

After a trademark gentle Colt opening hole, one of just 360 yards, things heat up quickly. The 2nd is also a par 4, but is some 70 yards longer. It bends round to the left towards the green, with a bunker slap bang in the middle of the fairway. The short 3rd travels through a long chute of birch on both sides to an off-tilt green with bunkers perfectly positioned to find any shot that doesn’t safely come to rest on the putting surface. There’s another avenue of foliage to negotiate at the next, along with cross bunkers, a split fairway and a two-tiered green as well. All sorts of hazards – including a stream, a ditch and a trio of bunkers lining the right-hand side of the green – will take your eye at the par 3 5th.

The 6th is the Stroke Index 1 at Edgbaston, and it is not too difficult to see why. The tee shot is played over water, with that same hazard then working its way down the left side of the hole. A tree in the centre of the fairway, along with two cross bunkers that split the short grass, just add to the challenge on this 430-yard par 4. The green on the 7th is large, and at only 145 yards, this doesn’t seem too difficult. Miss the putting surface, though, and you might be in the water, bunkers or trees... Clear the line of bunkers manning the landing area at the 8th to have a chance of finding the green and make sure that the tee shot is arrow straight at the conclusion to the front half. The 9th green sits slightly above the fairway, so your approach must carry all the way to the putting surface.

The bunkers that lie 60 yards from the green catch out plenty at the 10th, a hole that comes in at 457 yards from the tips, while the next is described on the club website as the ‘easiest seven on the course’. It’s a par 4 of less than 300 yards, but if you don’t play it with brains, that seven might come quicker than you think. There is water all the way down the left side on 12, so accuracy is at a premium. Trees encroach into the fairway from the opposite side. There is more water on 13, with a hazard that starts on the left, works its way across the fairway as a stream, and then sits on the right side nearer to the green. If you can avoid that, then you might come away with a par on this 385-yard par 4.

14 is the last of the par 3s at Edgbaston, and with three bunkers protecting a long and narrow putting surface, the miss is out to the left, just don’t hit it too far... Although the 15th is only carded as 320 yards, it plays much longer due to it being uphill all the way. The fairway is wide enough, though, so it should be a simple two-shotter. Drive the green at 16 or lay up short of the bunkers? It is only 285 yards, and slightly downhill, so take your pick... The penultimate hole is the only par 5 on the course, but the green is guarded by one of Edgbaston’s deepest traps. At 520 yards, and playing as a dog-leg right, play this as a three-shotter to give yourself the best chance at birdie. The closer on this Colt classic is an arrow straight, 405-yard par 4. Two large bunkers guard the long putting surface, on what is a great finishing hole.

Where is Edgbaston Golf Club located?

Edgbaston Golf Club might well be the closest golfing venue to the city of Birmingham, with the centre of England's ‘Second City’ just three miles away by road. The golf club is next to the Edgbaston Priory Club, while Edgbaston Cricket Ground is only a few hundred yards to the east. The club sits just off the A38, which runs right into the centre of the city.

The closest train station to Edgbaston is University (Birmingham), which is just over a mile from the golf club. Trains operate on a regular basis between Birmingham New Street, Lichfield Trent Valley and Redditch, among other destinations. Birmingham Airport is only ten miles from Edgbaston Golf Club, and it is the second busiest airport in England outside of London. East Midlands Airport is also within 50 miles of the venue.

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

Thanks to Edgbaston’s proximity to the centre of Birmingham, there are several West Midlands venues, all of which are on the NCG Top 100s: England list, that are within an hour’s drive. Beau Desert, Sutton Coldfield and Little Aston are to the north, while Blackwell and Copt Heath are to the south. Enville’s Highgate Course and the Brabazon Course at The Belfry are also in close order.

What golf facilities does Edgbaston Golf Club offer?

Although there is not a driving range at Edgbaston, there is still plenty of space for you to warm up prior to taking to the course. There are a pair of hitting nets to warm up the swing, along with a great short game area that features a green with several flags to aim for, along with two bunkers of different heights and depths, to work on those sand saves. There is also a putting green, which offers subtle contours and a variety of putts, alongside the opening tee box.

What are the green fees at Edgbaston Golf Club?

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