Sutton Coldfield

Sutton Coldfield Golf Club is one of the West Midlands’ finest offerings when it comes to golf, and one of the finest inland courses in the country. 

Founded in 1889, the current layout was redesigned by Dr Alister MacKenzie in following the First World War, eventually fully opening for play in 1934.  

The course, which is just north of Birmingham, plays in a horseshoe shape, and winds its way through dense trees, as well as having wide open spaces. 

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The golf club at Sutton Coldfield dates back to the late 19th Century. Originally founded in 1889, it was only a year later that the course had to move to the other side of Sutton Park.  

Following the end of the First World War, Dr Alister MacKenzie – of Alwoodley and Moortown fame – was drafted in to bring the course back to its best. A fire in the early 1920s pushed MacKenzie’s improvements back, with the revamped course only opening in 1934.  

The club celebrated its centenary year in 1989, hosting a Pro-Am. The likes of Vijay Singh and Dame Laura Davies were among those who played in the event at Sutton Coldfield. 

Sutton Coldfield Golf Club is laid out over a magnificent piece of land, and one that you might expect to find in the further reaches of Surrey. This is a site of real scale, and the turf is firm and sporty, which is just how I like it.  The layout forms a horseshoe, and each nine takes you first away from the clubhouse before doubling back. The course plays at almost 6,550 yards from the back tees, playing as a par 72 with four short holes and four par 5s.  

The opening two holes are gentle enough to get you going, before the real test begins. The 1st is just 316 yards from the tips, and played to a very generous fairway. The green is surrounded by trees, so those going for it off the tee must be incredibly accurate. The 2nd is the first of the four par 3s, and the shortest hole on the property at just 130 yards. Trees and sand surround the putting surface, so accuracy is vital despite the lack of distance. You then get to the longest par 4 on the course, the 448-yard 3rd. Playing as a slight dog-leg left, it will take two solid hits to find the green. The 4th is a sharp dog-leg right, played back out into the open so there is space for your tee shot if you’re slightly offline. The green is open as well, with just three bunkers sitting in front of the surface. 

You then come to one of Sutton Coldfield’s quirks – three consecutive par 5s. The first of those is the par 5 5th, which really gives you the feeling of scale and space that is a Sutton Coldfield trademark. It doglegs from right to left and the green can be reached in two on a good day. The 6th is the longest hole on the course at 523 yards from the tips, and continues to turn right throughout. A wide fairway allows you to have a swipe with driver, but only those within reach should be tempted to go for it in two. Lay up short of the cross bunkers before knocking it on with a wedge to give yourself the best chance of a birdie putt. 7 turns right and then left, but again there is a wide fairway. If you are too far left, the cluster of trees to the left of the green might block your line to the surface with your second.  

You then get the tough section around the turn at Sutton Coldfield. The 8th is only 385 yards, but it pinches in the further down you get. 9 is the second of the short holes, with the tee shot being played through a funnel of trees to find the putting surface. After a walk through the trees, you come to the 10th. The back nine begins with another short par 4, like the front side, and one that is a good scoring chance. 11 and 12 will test you though, as two of the longest par 4s on the card. The former is a dog-leg left, and suits those who can play with a right-to-left shape off the tee. The 12th is narrow, with heather and gorse encroaching into the fairway on its right side. There is also a narrow stream that runs across the fairway, so you have to make sure your drive stays short of that! 

13 offers some respite as another relatively short par 4, before you come to the toughest hole on the course, the Stroke Index 1, par 5 14th. It is only 501 yards, but with out of bounds running down the entirety of the left side, and a thick grouping of trees down the right means your drive must be accurate. The OOB also runs behind the green, so make sure to get your distance right with the approach. 15 is a testing par 3, with the 16th playing as a dog-leg left, and another of the par 4s of more than 400 yards. 

The penultimate hole at Sutton Coldfield is the last of the par 3s, and the longest at that. It is 196 yards from the tips, and played to an oval-shaped green that is guarded by two bunkers at the front and trees on three sides. The final hole is a slight dog-leg left, and played to a relatively wide fairway, but accuracy is the key over distance. The wide green is inviting, but there are three bunkers short of the putting surface, which might stop you from running your approach shot up to the green.  

Dan Murphy: We love the dedication and enthusiasm that the Sutton Coldfield team continue to show as they seek to restore their MacKenzie-designed heathland. The course is only going in one direction and that is upwards.

Ed Battye: Finding good quality heathland golf north of the Surrey sandbelt is no easy task. Sutton Coldfield ticks the box

Steve Watton: Ever improving heathland continues a long renovation program including considerable tree removal and a complete overhaul of the bunkering. A course that is certainly on the up

Greg Webber: Further tree clearance, bunker development and creation of a new hole on the heath continue to improve the experience on this very fine course

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Where is Sutton Coldfield Golf Club located?  

Sutton Coldfield Golf Club is situated in the West Midlands of England, just to the west of the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield. The city of Birmingham is just a few miles to the south of the venue, with Wolverhampton and West Bromwich also in close order. Its location means it is close to both the M6 and M6 Toll, while the A452 runs close to the western boundary of the golf club.  

Butlers Lane and Four Oaks are the two closest train stations to Sutton Coldfield Golf Club via road. They both sit on the same train line, which runs trains from Redditch to either Bromsgrove or Lichfield Trent Valley – all via Birmingham New Street. Birmingham Airport is less than 15 miles from Sutton Coldfield Golf Club, providing international travellers with great access to the region. East Midlands Airport is also within 50 miles, while Manchester Airport – the biggest and busiest airport in the United Kingdom outside of London - is only 75 miles to the north.  

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

Sutton Coldfield is one of several venues on the NCG Top 100s: England list that is located in the West Midlands. Little Aston is just a stone’s throw away to the north, while the likes of Beau Desert, Enville (Highgate), Blackwell and the Brabazon Course at The Belfry are all close by as well.

What golf facilities does Sutton Coldfield Golf Club offer?  

Although there is not a proper driving range at Sutton Coldfield, there is a practice area which sits in the middle of the property, in the centre of the horseshoe. It is between the 3rd and 12th holes, and offers guests and members with the opportunity to hit their own balls to warm up. There is a putting green by the clubhouse for those final touches before taking to the golf course.  

What are the green fees at Sutton Coldfield Golf Club?  

The price of a green fee at Sutton Coldfield 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 Sutton Coldfield visit their website here.