Beau Desert Golf Club

A great layout, possibly one of the very best I've every played, it's just let down a little by the lack of clear space in bits. There is a slightly trapped feeling which is not in character with a heathland course. Many of the Surrey courses where I live have been sensible in that they've removed lots of the trees which had got bigger and bigger over the years. It would be much better is Beau did the same as those other great courses. It would then be in the same league as many of the top Surrey courses.

Visited Beaudesert as player in the senior men's pairs open event on 30th June. The course is every bit as good as its reputation. The layout, condition and setting are all magnificent and the welcome both in the pro shop and clubhouse was excellent. This is a good test of golf with some narrow driving areas between some penal heathery rough. The par 3's in particular test accuracy and the fast undulating greens grab your attention. A fine course with shades of The Berkshire and Allwoodley. I will be back without doubt.

Superb. Played at the start of June and was in wonderful condition. It is one of the best parkland/moorland courses i have ever played, as a single figure handicapper it was a stern test, with birdies hard to come by and placement off the tee crucial. At only 50 pounds it is a bargain for such a high calibre course. I cannot give this course enough praise. A must play

I had organised a society day at nearby Whittington Heath on Thursday of last week (21st May) but travelled up the day before as I wanted to play another local course. I had read (and heard) about Beau Desert, so booked a tee time for myself and five friends to play there on the Wednesday afternoon. What can I say...this has got to be one of the best courses I have played, certainly in my top ten all time favourites. It always clouds your judgement slightly if you play a particular course well, and I certainly played well around here bearing in mind it was my first visit. But that doesn't take away the sheer beauty and solitude of the place. The first hole is a fairly straightforward par 4, over a ravine that shouldn't really cause you any problems unless you are prone to topping the ball. A decent drive will leave you no more than a wedge, maybe a 9 iron to a massive green. a 3 putt bogie (they're fast these greens!) A fairly straightforward start and you may be forgiven for thinking "what's all the fuss about".... But stand on the second and the fun begins. A very long, tough par 4 (especially if played into the wind) which tempts you to go right off the tee. Not the place to be as it lengthens the hole somewhat, but it's still going to require a big club into the green even if you manage to knock it up the right. Duffed second shot, so so chip and two putts for bogie. The good holes just continue. Fairly straigtforward par 3 to follow, downhill, but don't be long. I was, a chip back and two putts for bogie again. A nice dogleg right par 4 to follow, I managed to birdie this with a "members bounce" off the left hand side mounding which saw the ball end up 3 feet from the hole! Then onto the 5th...what a cracking hole. Standing on the tee with the beautifully manicured fairway going round to the left and a glimpse of the green atop the hill. And so it continued. I played level par golf from the 5th up to the 9th, and I was well pleased. 3 over on the front 9 and cooking on gas. Then we took a breather on the 10th whilst we allowed a faster two ball through. They seemed to take ages clearing the green, but eventually we were off again. The shortest hole on the course, should be a doddle I thought. But no. Maybe it was the hanging around waiting for the green to clear, but I fatted my shot and put it in the deep bunker in front of the green. Managed to escape but didn't make the dance floor, a chip and two putts later my first blob! I won't bore you with the rest of the round but needless to say I will be returning here. This is one of the best manicured courses I have ever played, with views to die for. Superb greens, massive and heavily contoured. And did I mention how quick they were? The green fee for 18 holes was £50.00. Expensive? No way....I'd pay it again tomorrow if I could. If you are in the area, it's a "must play". Trust me. You will love it.

Set in splendid isolation on Cannock Chase, this is an absolute gem of a course. Not long, but it doesn't need to be with such good greens and all the heather and long rough in place. The course is greener than normal, often in the summer it turns a yellowy-brown colour like a links would. We had enough trouble keeping the ball on the fairway in thse conditions, so heaven only knows how tough it would be after a dry spell! The clubhouse is on two levels, with a dining room and bar down stairs and a more informal room upstairs with bar snacks and a snooker table. The views from the balcony are great, especially as you watch everyone else 3-putt the 18th green (knowing that you cleared the heather in 2, chipped up and holed a 6 foot birdie putt!) All in all, very pleasant and a friendly club to boot.

Such is the reputation of Beau Desert I was really looking forward to playing here – and was not to be disappointed. Set within Cannock Chase the course wends its way through an ancient forest of huge, impressive trees interspersed with penal rough. Very true. I’d heard from many quarters that it was tight off the tees - enough to give me more than a degree of trepidation given my recent lack of form. However, the sun was warm and the winds (fairly) light, so a positive state of mind ruled as play began. This was soon dented when faced with a daunting first tee shot. It’s not that the 1st, at just 291yds and uphill, is particularly difficult, just that you are faced off the tee by a deep, rough filled “hollow” demanding a carry of about 120yds to find the other side. Again, not particularly difficult (although I managed to screw it up) but very intimidating. The 5th (392yds, par 4) is a lovely hole – and S.I.1. From an elevated tee, your drive first of all requires a carry over the ever-present heather to a fairway which falls away from you and doglegs to the left. At the turn, the fairway starts to rise up again to the green. Your 2nd shot must carry a cross-fairway bunker placed just 30-odd yards from the front of the green. The 7th (par 3, 147yds) looks tighter than it is. From the tee all you can see is a jumble of deep, unfriendly rough (contained in another hollow, similar to that faced on the 1st.)between you and the green, including a large tree in the centre. To the left and right are more mature trees making the whole quite daunting. However, beyond the right hand trees, there is a large area to where you can “bail out” and play either a chipped approach or a long putt. (On our visit the flag was on the extreme left edge of the green.) To those confident enough, the 9th is a drivable par 4. At only 252yds it can theoretically be reached with a well hit 3-wood. Beware though, as there is nothing between tee and green but trouble as the ground falls away from the tee to rise again to the well elevated green. Another elevated green is to be faced on the 10th, but here it is only 110yds away. Major clubbing decisions are to be taken here as anything just short of the green lands you in a very deep bunker! The 12th (S.I. 2, 416yds, par 4) is a “Double dog-leg”, left right first, then right-left. Your drive needs to be well placed off the tee to leave you any chance of a decent approach to the green. The par 5 15th, at 516yds the longest on the course, marks the start of a cracking end to your round. Just at (a well hit) driving range the fairway is bisected by a chain of humps and hollows. Only the brave (and long) will attack the green from here as your view of the green is obscured by the contours of the land and anyway, it is protected by a well-placed bunker in front. 16 is a short (135yds) par 3 with a bunker the width of the green between you and the flag. 17 is another long (417yds) par 4 with a ditch across the fairway in the area where your drive is likely to land. The 18th (par 5, 476yds) once again puts you in the position of flirting with a chain of bunkers and mounds across the fairway at driving distance. With 200+yds still to the green there is one final hazard to negotiate: 60yds short of the putting surface is a hollow filled with gorse bushes waiting to gobble up any ball not purely struck. The ground staff and green keepers deserve special mention, as all 18 holes are kept exceptionally well manicured, and the greens are fast, true and in great condition. All greens have subtle borrows to be negotiated, but are a pleasure to putt on. At 5961yds, the shortness of the course is easily offset by its difficulty, which in turn lends much it interest and charm. Excellent Clubhouse facilities and an idyllic setting (the only sounds heard during the day were birdsong and the wind rustling the leaves) Beau Desert rightfully deserves its reputation as one of the best courses the Midlands has to offer. Report supplied by Graham Adams on behalf of the Barton under Needwood Golf Society. Date of Visit: May 2005

This is a great course. The greens were huge and you can leave yourself huge putts. Its not a problem though because the greens were so quick you still barely had to touch them. Interesting layout with too many good holes to mention. The par 3's are interesting and the par 5 18th ends the round superbly. Play here and it will not disappoint. Had one run in with a very snooty member but he was an exception. We were made to feel most welcome on the whole.

A great challenge, long carries and very punishing for a low handicapper who may miss the fairway. There is no room for error. 1st hole alone presents a good drive across a huge chasm, the short holes require good accuracy and every green needs to be read carefully. Course is always in excellent condition.

This is one of the best courses in the midlands. You have the tree lined fairways, gorse, long carries, fast rolling greens on a typical heathland course.There is one problem, the course is designed to make you try shots which you later regret! Great course worth the price! Michael Holmes, DERBY.

i played this course a few times and it is very tight but not particularly long, the greens are quick and true.Miss the fairway and kiss your card goodbye! And Lee Daish is a bandit

This is a great course. I have played it a few times and it is always in excellent condition - even in winter the greens are quick. It's relatively tight with many tree-lined fairways. Many longish carries over heather-filled rough. Most-definitely a championship standard course that will test any golfer.