Enville in Staffordshire

[Sean_A]

Played the Highgate 18 of this course today.  I was mightily impressed.  It was far better than memory served.  It is a moorland come heathery affair with old-time cross bunkering, firm conditions and wonderful elevation changes throughout the course.  The routing (what little I understand of routing) strikes me as very good.  It takes advantage of a few large swales in the property quite well.  I haven't a clue who designed the course.  I think the finished courses are relatively new.  

The course opens with a short par five that is reachable, but a cross bunker must be dealt with to reach the green.  From the tee this hole offers a view of beauty that will seen again and again.  

The third is a canny little two shotter blind from the tee with bunkers left and right to keep the bloke laying up honest.  The fairway cleverly turns left forcing the player with a driver in hand to shape the ball or risk the dreaded heather.  The green is a fallaway type making the judgement for approach very tricky.  

The 6th is a gorgeous two shotter going down into a swale then back up.  At 435 from the tips it ain't easy, especially with the approach blind.  

The 9th is a monster par 5 of 585 with a dogleg starting at about 175 out from the green and a few large trees guarding the right side.  It takes two very good shots to be in position on the right side leaving 150 up the hill to an unprotected green.  The further right one is after two, the longer the carry.  An excellent par 5 without a bunker.

The back nine is not as good, but it still  has a few very good holes.  

The club also a a second 18 which is more difficult, but also has a series of holes across the road which are less interesting in my opinion.  In a way it seems a shame the club could not somehow take the best of both 18s on the good side of road and just create one hell of a course.  

Enville has certainly been a sleeper for me in the greater Birmingham area.  It is probably as good as Little Aston and not far off Beau Desert.  In fact, I think for most they would prefer Enville because it is more forgiving than BD.  I could happily play either, but prefer BD probably 6.5 to 3.5.  I think the greens at BD swing it.  They are tougher to read.  

Ciao

Sean

[Mark_Rowlinson]

It was only 18 holes when I lived in Wolverhampton in my teens.  Did they split the old course in half and divide the holes between the two new courses, or is one of them the original course left intact?

Have you played Penn?  It used to be kept in tough condition when I was young - narrow fairways and ferocious rough.  Charlie Ward was the pro - the best-known celebrity in the region.  I can't have been there since 1964!  

[Mark_Rowlinson]

All I can say is that the more I know, the less I know.  It seemed well/long-established when I played there as a lad and the date of foundation is given as 1935 so I assume that the original 18 date from then, but why should I assume that?  I remember it as being up there with Beau Desert and Whittington (Barracks) as one of the best tests in our neck of the woods.

[Mark_F]

Sean,

You're a bit of a bugger in constantly highlighting more UK gems like this to suss out.

As if deciding which courses you have to include/forego on a UK trip wasn't already hard enough...

Thanks a bunch...

[Mark_F]

Sean,

Ahh, there it is then.  

I can't imagine not wanting to play Notts or Beau Desert.

Still, there is a fair attraction to those 2nd tier courses.  Some nice architecture, some good holes, friendly members, generally uncrowded, the delight of the unexpected.

The best way to play them is to fit them in around one or two of the biggies nearby.  

That's how I stumbled across Whittington Heath - a nice, neat course with a few really good holes, but you would be disappointed to go out of your way just for that.  

But with BD nearby, no hassle.

Good thing the UK is a compact island.