Worcestershire
Jeremy Ellwood sets out to broaden his horizons in a county where he had previously played just once
Churchill & Blakedown Par 36, 3,236/3,274 yards GF: nine holes: £13-£24; 18 holes: £20-£36
For a nine-holer, this is about as close as you can get to a game of two halves. The opening four are tight and fiddly, with the 3rd boasting a very awkward shelf green. But once you’ve climbed away from the pretty par-3 4th crossing the entrance drive, there’s more room to manoeuvre. The par-5 finale presents a good birdie chance if you can get your drive away and over the crest.
The Worcestershire
Par 71, 6,455 yards
GF: round: £27.50wd, £30we; twilight: £20
The inviting downhill opener at this excellent Alister Mackenzie creation in the lee of the Malvern Hills is followed by a steep climb up the 2nd, where 353 yards means precious little! There are strong side-by-side par 3s at the 5th and 8th, with the 9th and 10th then tough tests – similar yardages, but the former much easier as you head down and then back up. Coming home, the memorable downhill par-3 15th plays towards a distant white building on the hillside, with back-to-back par 5s preceding a final climb up the short but tricky par-4 18th.
Bransford Par 72, 6,248 yards GF: round: £20-£30wd, £25-£35we
Water, water everywhere… well, nearly, at this 1990s creation that grew from 11 to 18 in 1998. You play straight over it on the par-3 3rd, and again just short of the
Blackwell Par 70, 6,260 yards GF: round: £65; day: £100
This highly regarded Herbert Fowler/tom Simpson course near Bromsgrove had long been on my wishlist. I finally got the chance not long after the latest phase of a major Frank Pont bunker renovation project and it didn’t disappoint!
There can be few opening tee shots so close to curious clubhouse eyes, and the 1st, over a crest, can be quite a test. The uphill par-3 2nd knows how to defend itself, too, while the 3rd is a big hole, dropping down before rising back up to the green. You’ll need your wits about you if you venture off the tips on the 9th as it’s more than 200 yards over water. The bunker renovation work on 10 and 11 is both striking and plenteous, with fine hole then following fine hole.
The tee shot on 17 demands precision, before a steeply uphill approach from a furrowed fairway. The 18th then climbs gently towards a towering tree guarding the clubhouse, with more of Pont’s superb bunker work on show. strong par-5 8th. You’ll remember the short par-4 10th. It’s fiendishly narrow, but you must also be long enough to reach the dogleg. As at The Worcestershire, there’s a pretty downhill par-3 15th towards distant hills. Look out for unusual runs of alternate par 3s and 5s from the 3rd to the 8th and from 11 to 15.