Harborne Church Farm Golf Course

I played this course today and found it very pleasant. I live 110 mile from this course and whilst on business squeezed a game in. Although the distance and not being a regular had me slightly aprehensive to the welcome i was extremely im pressed. Welcomed like an old friend was given direction on the way round the course and there was no hold up at all. This is a loveley course albeit a little short it still posed some difficult holes and challenging placements. the course is kept to a great standard and thne greens are quick and true. A little gem and would play again if in the area.

The course was fairly quiet at 0920 am but even still holes crossed in a few places which meant that you had to be on guard for t-shots. A slightly wayward ball found its way about 10 ft off line onto the fairlway next to us. I lost my ball due to the fact people on that fairway decided to play it! The greens and bunkers are in nice condition with the fairways being in places a bit soft like a sponge. It is a course to be thought about rather than just smashing it with a driver each time. I would advise ealier the better, at 11 ish by the time we finished 9 the number of people waiting to play would make it quiet a busy place to be.

Nice course but you feel like you are playing with all the people on the course at the sametime. Lots of 'after you' 'no please after you' as someone plays across your fairway. If you just fancy a quickie after work then a nice little course with some testing shots if you are a serious golfer, don't even get your clubs out of the boot.

This is a great course, although the greens tend to get very muddy during the winter months. The first tee is daunting, the green being surrounded by deep bunkers and sloping wildly from downhill. The long second needs a good drive over the water, followed by an accurate iron shot to avoid the front and back bunkers. The short third is my idea of a nightmare. Narrow, tree lined, downhill and short, no more than an 8 at the most. Have played this hole many many times and have never par'd it, but that might just be more about my golf than the hole! The uphill 4th is a tight hole, a drive over the water, leaves an uphill iron to a blind green, small and well protected. This is a real challenge. The short 5th is bounded by water on the left and a green with cunning undulations. A 6 iron should see you fine. The 6th is a lovely hole, long, straight but with some cheeky bunkers around the green. A good 3 wood will see you on the green, and a real chance of a birdie. The dogleg (albeit slight) 7th is another fun hole. Best to aim right to avoid the lefthand trees, but this leaves a tough 9 iron onto a raised green. The 8th tee is at a wierd angle to the green, leaving a tricky approach shot. The green itself is wooded and bunkered. The 9th back to the clubhouse involves a blind tee shot. The water runs left to right at driving distance, so best to play short and leave a long iron up to the violently banked green. Best hole on the course. For a municipal course this really isn't bad, and will provide a challenge to all levels of golfer. Definately best played in summer.

The course is kept in excellent condition through the year. Harborne is a picturesque course and a pleasure to play on. The golf professional Paul Johnson offers a wide range of services which include a fully stocked shop and expect advice and golf lesson that I can especially recommend. On my numerous visits to Harborne the Head Green Keeper has been more than helpful and polite. it is a pleasure to play there.