Shirley Golf Club

25th May, 2016 REVIEW OF SHIRLEY G.C. Dear Sirs, Our Society played here yesterday May 24th. It’s a pleasant parkland course, mostly fairly flat and easy walking (although I have to have a buggie - bad back.) It’s very well maintained, and the greens were in excellent condition, ….. firm, mostly billiard-table smooth, and quite fast. That said, they have some very deceptive slopes and borrows which make them far from easy - you think it’s just going to drop in and suddenly it’s five or six feet past. There are several ditches and ponds, particularly on the first few holes, and unfortunately the course planner doesn’t do them justice (one ditch turned out to be a pond, complete with water-lilies). The planner is perhaps better than nothing but it’s not the simplest I’ve used. Given that I hate bunkers I was very relieved not to get into a single one, but there are quite a few scattered about, although they look to be in decent condition. The layout of the holes seems a bit haphazard, with no obvious pattern, and the 10th is particularly noteworthy. The drive from the 11th tee is directly back across the 10th green, so there are big notices to stop you going near the 10th green until the group before you have teed off from the 11th. Incidentally, this corner of the course is adjacent to the very busy A34, so you have to try to be oblivious to the traffic noise. The clubhouse is modern and very nice indeed, with all the facilities you could reasonably wish for. The catering is very good, and all the staff are helpful and friendly. Overall verdict? Quite a difficult course for a first timer visitor, but I imagine that a bit of course knowledge can save a lot of shots. I wouldn’t rush to play it again as an individual, especially since it’s a little way from home, but if our Society plays there again I’d be more than happy to do so. Yours faithfully John Stephens, Stourbridge

Had the pleasure of teeing off 0800 sat in blustery but dry conditions. Whisked round in three and quater hours and enjoyed every minute of it. Course a good challenge with the greens in excellent knick for the time of year. A real credit to the green keeper. Definatley worth a visit.

the coures is a test of golf for all players. it is its 50th year as a golf club befor it was dog racing track. as it was the clubs 50th year there was a pro am with 50 of the top midland pros the best score was 69 and there was only 3 other scores under par(par 72)this shows its a real chalange of golf. i woould say you should play the the course if you have the chance.

the course is fantastic and i would recomend it to anyone who enjoys golf. it suits all abilitys while still giving difficult challenge to the better players. it is worth paying the money just to see its signiture 15th hole, its breathtaking and reminds you why you play golf. the pro was extremely welcome along with his staff in the shop. speaking of which i would like to say that it was probably the best pro shop i have seen all over the west midlands.

THIS COURSE HAS IT ALL. A REAL GOOD TEST OF GOLF. ACCURATE DRIVING GIVES YOU A REAL CHANCE TO PUT A GOOD SCORE TOGETHER. THE PAR 3'S ARE VERY GOOD. THE 17TH IS A PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT HOLE, WITH HEAVY ROUGH DOWN THE LEFT. THE GREENS WERE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, DESPITE THE HEAVY RAIN. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS COURSE TO ANYONE SERIOUS ON GOLF. THE PRO GAVE ME A WARM WELCOME AND THE GREENSTAFF PROVIDED PLEASANT CONVERSATION ON THE WAY ROUND.