Blackwell Golf Club

Blackwell Golf Club is home to a wonderfully laid out and always absorbing course. The two nine-hole loops, crafted by two revered designers, Herbert Fowler and Tom Simpson, make excellent use of the pleasantly undulating, but never overly tiring terrain.

In a quiet rural setting, with gently rolling hills beyond this quintessentially English parkland course, the two nine-hole loops never wander too far from the attractive brick-built clubhouse. Many elevated tees and greens give the course its pleasantly rolling character.

On this not overly long layout, water occasionally comes into play courtesy of a few water ditches. A possible dunking is clearly a threat at the par-3 9th, with a tee-to-green carry required over an attractive pond. A crumbling old farm building sits off to the right.

To the north of Birmingham, the likes of Little Aston, Sutton Coldfield and Beau Desert may steal the local limelight. But here to the south of the UK's second largest city, lies a wonderful course that is certainly a match for its more renowned peers.

Pick of the holes: the par-4 10th and par-3 11th offer the most extravagent examples of the Club's recent bunker renovations. Both holes displaying an abundance of crinkle-edged bunkering, also found on other holes around this attractive layout.

A special mention also needs to be made for the par-4 18th. This gently doglegging final hole brings you directly in front of the clubhouse, once you've cleared a deep intimidating front bunker. Framing this lovely closing hole, is a towering Sunningdale-like oak tree, which stands sentinel behind the green.