Cleobury Mortimer Golfshake Visit

Feature by Golfshake Member Mel Davies who visited in Jan 2017

Cleobury Mortimer Golf Club is located on the Worcestershire/Shropshire border and is a proprietary Parkland course founded by Rob and Graham Pain (brothers) that offers 27 full holes, (3 loops of 9 holes) all starting and finishing at the Clubhouse.

The first 9 (Deer Park) was opened in 1993 and designed by Ray Baldwin. The 2nd 9 (Badgers Sett) was opened in 1996 and final 9 (Foxes Run) opened in 1999.  The 3 loops provide various options for visiting golfers all of which are of an excellent standard and this also makes Cleobury Mortimer a fantastic venue for golf societies.

During my visit (Jan 2017) I played the Badgers Sett which is a Par 36 measuring 3271-White, 3093-Yellow and 2845-Red. The signature hole is the par 3 6th which measures 150 yards off the whites and is one of the most picturesque holes in the region and one that everyone wants to play.

Upon arrival I was greeted by Dave Pain (Robs son) Director of Golf and Golf Pro in the well stocked pro shop and his brother Tom who works in the shop. We had a quick coffee and chat before venturing out onto onto the course. The course looked in great condition and I was really looking forward to blowing off some post Christmas cobwebs.

Course overview - Badgers Sett

The first hole is a gentle opener which measures 400 off the whites dog legging to the right to a generous green without any bunkers (always a bonus to me).

The second is the first par 3 which is 174 yards to a large green protected by 2 bunkers left and right, out of bounds is just to the left ready to catch anything slightly left of the target.

The 3rd is a tight par 4 with out of bounds all down the left and trees lined to the right, the green sits tight to the OOB with a deep bunker front right, a par here is a great score.

The 4th is a 478 yard par 5 which is a good chance of a birdie if you get a good drive away. Water runs down the right for those laying up in 2 an there is also water left and a bunker right at the green.

5th is a short par 4 which requires a tee shot down the right to open up the approach to a well protected green with a massive bunker left and 2 other bunkers to the right.

The 6th is the signature hole with the tee sat about 100 feet above the green. The green is protected by a horseshoe of water. Club selection is really difficult as the wind can swirl round and with the drop it doesn’t play to its yardage of 150yds, I played a soft 9 iron pin high and was happy to 2 putt and walk away with a par on a truly great  and challenging hole.

7th is the second par 5 which again can offer up a birdie if you get a good drive away though the second shot is blind over the hill down to a green protected by 2 bunkers short right, go long and you are left with a devilishly hard up and down.

8th is the stroke index 1 hole which doglegs to the left and has a 2 tiered green with bunkers left and right awaiting any miss struck mid-long irons.

The 9th is a great finish to a superb 9 holes with a tee shot over a small pond to a fairway with 2 bunkers left and 1 right. A mid-long iron into a green protected by a bunker short right then awaits.

Given the time of year the course and especially the greens were in great condition and would be a delight to play again especially in the summer with the greens firmer and faster!!

Worth a visit and great society venue

Upon finishing we headed into the clubhouse for a drink and some food, the “bangers and mash” was fantastic!! The clubhouse had a really friendly and welcoming atmosphere with both a standard menu and a specials board for food.

Dave then took me upstairs to show me the recent addition to the club, an indoor swing studio which is a great and well thought out idea which can be removed and put away if a function is taking place.

The SkyTrak launch monitor is a superb piece of kit which gives all the data and feedback of other launch monitors and also offers challenges, courses, range play and various other options for both individuals to use or for Dave to use for his coaching. A True Strike mat is in place to play off and is another great piece of equipment.  Additionally you can book the swing room for £20 for the first hour then £10 each hour after.

Given the facilities on offer, course options, course conditions, friendliness of the venue, catering and additional facilities - Cleobury Mortimer is well worth consideration if you are looking for somewhere to play or planning a golf society outing.  Bookings are be taking for tee times from the 1st April at £32 per person which includes 18 holes with a full English breakfast before the round.

For those looking to improve their game and local the venue then you could even look at the coaching offers currently available including; 7 lessons for £99 the first 5 being 45 min lessons and the last 2 being 9 hole playing lessons. The charge for a normal 45 min lesson is £20.  To enquire about lessons or the swing room contact Dave on 07876445035/01299 271112

To find out more about this fantastic venue visit the Golfshake page to read the latest independent reviews, visit them on Facebook or Twitter @Cleoburygolf or check out their website via: www.cleoburygolfclub.co.uk