Stinchcombe Hill Golf Club Gloucestershire

In 1889 a small band of enthusiasts ‘resolved to introduce the Royal and Ancient game to this part of England’ and so Stinchcombe Hill Golf Club was laid out as a 9-hole course by Arthur Hoare, the course being lengthened to 18 holes in 1906.

In 1922 James Braid (5 times Open Champion) played the course which had been recently re-designed by Fred Hawtree. Seven years later in 1929 James Braid was asked to advise on further alterations, which were then carried out over the next seven years. In modern times perhaps the course, measured at just under 6,000 yards, may be termed ‘short’, but any scratch player who returns a net 68 can, and indeed would, be well pleased with himself. In fact the challenge of this exciting eighteen-hole golf course can be appreciated from the fact that only in 2007, when Mark Pitcher broke the course record of 63, set by the late Tim Smith in 1992, with an outstanding 61.

There can be few better places to spend an afternoon, or better still, a day, than at Stinchcombe Hill especially with a golf club in your hand.