JCB Club

The JCB Golf & Country Club is one of the newest venues on the NCG Top 100s: England list, having only opened in 2018.

The idea came about thanks to JCB chairman Lord Bamford, with Robin Hiseman of the European Golf Design group being the man to lay out the golf course, around the ruins of Woodseat Hall.

The venue played host to the Rose Ladies Seriesin its first two years of competition, with Gabriella Cowley and Gemma Dryburgh (opens in a new tab) being the victors. The European Legends Tour visited in 2022 and 2023, with the LIV Golf League hosting an event at the JCB Club in 2024. Spain’s Jon Rahm (opens in a new tab) claimed his first win in the league following his big money move.

When the JCB Golf & Country Club opened its doors in 2018, it was hailed as ‘The Dawn of a New Vision for Golf’. The course plays across the lush green rolling countryside, around the ruins of Woodseat Hall, and it was tour ready from the outset. Brooks, canals and large water hazards all feature throughout the round, and if you want some real pain, you can play from the tips, pushing the course back to 7,300 yards in length. That does come all the way down to 5,000 yards depending on which of the five teeing options you choose to play from.

The round begins with a highlight in itself, as the opening tee shot sees you play across a large body of water to a wide fairway – something that Hiseman does give you to make the course playable for golfers of all abilities. There is also a bunker in the centre of the 1st fairway, just to make your opening drive that bit more difficult. The green then sits on the other side of more water, with three sand traps guarding it as well. 11 bunkers are in your way on the 2nd, which is just 335 yards. The green is long and narrow, while the majority of the sand is to be missed on your tee shot.

The 3rd is the first of the four par 5s at JCB, and the first of three which is more than 600 yards in length. 3 plays as a sharp dog-leg left and for all bar the very longest of hitters, it will be a three shot hole. By the green, there is a long and narrow water hazard which runs down the right side, but there is some space to the left of the putting surface if you are to miss it. The 4th is the only bunkerless hole on the property, and it plays pretty much straight away with no real trouble. 5 is the first short hole, playing 199 yards from the tips. One greenside bunker and trees behind the putting surface are the only real trouble, barring the distance.

The 6th is a cracking par 5, and the shortest of the four at the Staffordshire venue, coming in at just 506 yards, It plays as a double dog-leg, first left then right, but with a good drive, most should be able to reach with their seconds. A lengthy par 4 that turns from left to right follows, with the 8th featuring just a single fairway bunker, and a long and narrow green that might be difficult to find with a long iron or hybrid. The 9th is magnificent, demanding distance control as you estimate the drop down and desperately attempt to avoid the small pond that juts into a well bunkered fringe and putting surface. That it’s framed on all sides by mature woodland only adds to the joyful experience on this 170-yard par 3.

The back nine begins with the longest hole on the property, the 632-yard par 5 10th. If you can find the fairway with your first, and your second, then there is a chance of making birdie on JCB’s lengthiest challenge. 11 is another dog-leg right, with a single fairway bunker on the near side of the fairway to get over with your drive. Manage that, and the green sits behind a narrow stream, making club selection vital. Then there’s the 12th with its stream carved into the side of the green. Anyone considering chancing their arm at this 324-yarder has a real decision to make, while the next, the final par 5, is simply divine with its massive lake framing almost the entirety of the hole. Like the 6th, it turns left first and then right towards the green, but the lake adds that extra level of danger throughout the hole.

The 14th green is one of the biggest on the property, but more in width than in depth. It plays at more than 210 yards in length, and with five bunkers guarding the putting surface, it is a tricky task. 15 is a dog-leg left par 4 of some 470 yards, while the 16th is shorter and bends the other way, but they are just the appetizers for the showpiece which comes at 17.

It’s the hole for which you’ll already have had to retrieve your jaw from the floor. At 255 yards, this has quickly become one of the most iconic par 3s in the country, and with its green resting on a converted island, it will probably require more than one ball for the average player. The final hole at JCB is another that sees you tee off over water, from the same island that houses the 17th green. The fairway has rough patches in the middles, which also hold small bunkers, so they must be avoided. The green is somewhat U shaped, around the front bunker, but it provides a brilliant ending to the round.

Chris Griffiths: Highly rated and I can see why

Sean Arble: JCB impressed me greatly.  Matching hole for hole, I haven't seen a GB&I modern inland course which is in its class

David Walker: Outstanding professional tournament venue with risk-reward holes and dramatic features from the opening tee shot. By far the best parkland course I have played in England

Steve Watton: Some superb holes and virtually all of the green complexes are top-drawer. Some long walks between holes

Joss Powick: Incredible given the age. Feels like it’s been there much longer. Difficult but fun. Great condition

Read more about our panellists here (opens in a new tab).

Where is the JCB Golf & Country Club located? 

The JCB Golf & Country Club is located almost in the centre of the United Kingdom. It is just north of the town of Uttoxeter, with Stoke-on-Trent and Derby both within 20 miles from the golfing venue. Nottingham is also within an hour from the JCB Club. The club is also within half an hour’s drive from both the M6 and the M1, the two major motorways that run north-south in England.

Uttoxeter is also the home to the nearest train station to the JCB Club, around five miles south of the venue. Trains running from Crewe to Newark Castle call in at Uttoxeter, along with stops at Stoke-on-Trent and Nottingham. These services run regularly in both directions. East Midlands Airport is just 30 miles from the JCB Golf & Country Club, while both Birmingham Airport and Manchester Airport are within 60 miles, offering up great options for those coming from further afield to play at the JCB Golf & Country Club.

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

There are plenty of venues that make their way on to the NCG Top 100s: England list in close order to the JCB Club. Beau Desert, Cavendish, The Belfry (Brabazon), Sutton Coldfield, Little Aston, Notts Golf Club (Hollinwell) and Prestbury are all within an hour from the Staffordshire venue.

What golf facilities does the JCB Golf & Country Club offer? 

Along with the stunning championship golf course, the JCB Golf & Country Club also has ‘The Academy’. This is the place where members and guests alike can try and hone their skills. There is a driving range, short game area and the opportunity to make the most of the indoor technology.

What are the green fees at the JCB Golf & Country Club? 

The JCB Golf & Country Club is a private members’ club, with only the chosen few able to play at the club without being a member.

Therefore, there is no information on the price of green fees at the JCB Club.

Visit the JCB Club’s website here (opens in a new tab).

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