LATEST
NEWS

Richard Humphreys
/ Categories: News

Handsworth opens three new holes following flood management project

Handsworth Golf Club in Birmingham, England, has opened three new holes — designed by Jonathan Gaunt — replacing those lost in a project to reduce flood risk in the local community from the river.

The River Tame flows to the north of the Handsworth property and, in recent years, it has been prone to bursting its banks and flooding the golf course, valley and the area of Perry Barr and Witton. “In 2010, it was so extreme that 10,000 homes were flooded,” said Gaunt.

The UK Environment Agency’s proposed flood storage reservoir sits within the floodplain of the River Tame.

“The flood embankment project, via the use of the Environment Agency’s use of statutory powers, impacted the golf club’s land, which included the existing twelfth hole,” said Gaunt. “This, therefore, would have a major influence on the layout, especially because the twelfth was at the northern end of the site and in order to replace this hole it would involve not just one hole, but a three-hole loop.”

In 2013, Gaunt was approached by John Weir, managing director of Cornerstone Golf to incorporate the flood storage embankment into the golf course at Handsworth.

“We were appointed as a subconsultant to Cornerstone, who act as specialist consultants to C2HM Hill Companies — now Jacobs Engineering Group,” said Gaunt. “Jacobs has been responsible for all design and engineering work relating to the flood storage reservoir and infrastructure associated with it. As golf course architects, we worked closely with Cornerstone and Jacobs to deliver a solution for Handsworth to provide an equivalent golf experience to that which was being impacted.

“Birmingham City Council agreed to exchange land alongside the existing fourteenth hole which allowed two new holes to be built to accommodate the realignment and rerouting of the golf course. The new layout involves the abandonment of the par-three eleventh, which is now replaced with a new 198-yard par-three thirteenth.”

The new eleventh hole is a slight left-to-right dogleg par four, the second shot plays over a new water feature to an island green. The new 422-yard par-four twelfth plays with a left-to-right dogleg and has been created on new land.

“The new layout provides Handsworth with an 18-hole golf course which is slightly longer than the original layout, but remains the same par. The design of the new holes reflects the high architectural calibre of the Colt-designed golf course. This was an important aspect of the design brief — to interpret the Colt design of the existing holes and to create new holes that matched with the existing as closely as possible so as not to create three new holes completely out of character to the existing layout.”

John Greasley Ltd, headed by Charlie Greasley, was in charge of construction, whilst Jacksons Civil Engineering was responsible for the work relating to the flood embankment project. “They worked remarkably well together, and each was able to support one another to achieve all agreed deadlines in what were — on occasions — highly challenging site conditions due to extreme weather,” said Gaunt. “As you could expect, the entire membership of the club could see progress on a daily basis, as they were playing the holes alongside the development site, so every aspect of our work was constantly scrutinised and observed with great interest.”

Greasley completed work from late February 2018 to October. Paul Woodham of STRI Group advised on agronomy relating to the new greens, while irrigation was supplied and installed by Irrigation Control.

“We’ve created some really interesting contours on the new greens that are definitely Harry Colt in style, but not so severe that pin positions are limited,” said Gaunt. “Adam Jones, the course superintendent, is a scratch golfer and I’m really pleased that he gave us the ‘thumbs up’ after playing in the opening event on 31 August. Plus, he said that the feedback from the members was extremely positive. This is the kind of thing that makes the project worthwhile and really satisfying. I’m also delighted that the Environment Agency is happy with the finished result.”

The new holes opened for play in August 2019.

Previous Article Chaska approves Artisan Golf Design’s redesign plans for short course
Next Article Hilltop Valley Golf Club in Vietnam opens IMG layout
Print
2732 Rate this article:
No rating
Slideshow HTML
  • Handsworth

    Three new holes have opened for play at Handsworth Golf Club

  • Handsworth

    Jonathan Gaunt designed the holes to replace those lost in a flood management project

  • Handsworth

    The new holes have been designed to complement the existing Harry Colt design

  • Handsworth

    Paul Woodham of STRI Group advised on agronomy relating to the new greens

  • Handsworth

    The River Tame flows to the north of the Handsworth property

  • Handsworth

    John Greasley Ltd, headed by Charlie Greasley, was in charge of construction

Richard Humphreys

Richard HumphreysRichard Humphreys

Other posts by Richard Humphreys
Contact author

Contact author

x
The April 2025 issue of Golf Course Architecture is out now!
Magazine, News | Wed 16 Apr, 2025

The April 2025 issue of Golf Course Architecture is out now!

Includes reports from Maggie Hathaway and Apogee, interviews with Martin Ebert and Dave Axland and a feature on golf art

Spring 2025 issue of ASGCA’s By Design magazine is out now
Magazine, News | Fri 14 Mar, 2025

Spring 2025 issue of ASGCA’s By Design magazine is out now

New issue asks whether the golf boom has led to an increase in municipal golf investment

FEATURE
ARTICLES

Bringing golf to Benin
Afrikafun Production Stephane Brabant
Report | Richard Humphreys

Bringing golf to Benin

Jeremy Pern and Gregori International are creating the first 18-hole course in the West African country, on an ‘almost perfect’ site that also includes a sacred grove and voodoo shrines

The future of vegetation management on Melbourne’s Sandbelt

Lukas Michel/CDP

Opinion | Mike Clayton

The future of vegetation management on Melbourne’s Sandbelt

Mike Clayton discusses Alister MacKenzie’s transformative impact on Australian golf and how clubs can avoid repeating previous mistakes by establishing a long-term plan focused on indigenous plants

Maggie Hathaway: A force for good
Stephen Barton – Second Collective
On site | Adam Lawrence

Maggie Hathaway: A force for good

The reconstruction of the nine-hole course in Los Angeles is the golf industry at its best, says Adam Lawrence

Designs for the big screen
Pizá Golf
Interview | Richard Humphreys

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

The ties that bind
Crooked Stick
Opinion | Justin Olmstead

The ties that bind

Justin Olmstead of Profile Products talks about the relationships behind the renovation of Crooked Stick in Indiana

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz
Konrad Borkowski
Interview | Adam Lawrence

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Jim Wagner and Rusty Mercer discuss Kinsale design and build
Kinsale Golf Club
Interview | Richard Humphreys

Jim Wagner and Rusty Mercer discuss Kinsale design and build

Florida course is a tribute to the Golden Age designs of Raynor and Macdonald

Are bunkers getting too pretty for their own good?
Larry Lambrecht
Feature | Adam Lawrence

Are bunkers getting too pretty for their own good?

Is the beauty of bunkering being over-emphasised at the expense of its function, asks Adam Lawrence

Good Read: The Prairie Raynor
Grant Books Ltd
Good Read | John Moran and Rand Jerris

Good Read: The Prairie Raynor

John Moran and Rand Jerris share insight into their book about Seth Raynor’s design at Chicago Golf Club

Vinpearl Golf Léman: New pearls for Vietnam
Vinpearl Golf Leman
Report | Richard Humphreys

Vinpearl Golf Léman: New pearls for Vietnam

The first of two Golfplan-designed courses at club near Ho Chi Minh City has opened for play

Seven Canyons: Desert drama
Brad Klein
Report | Bradley Klein

Seven Canyons: Desert drama

Brad Klein reports on a Phil Smith Design renovation in Sedona, Arizona

Gopher Watch Competition – April 2025
Gopher Watch, News | Wed 16 Apr, 2025

Gopher Watch Competition – April 2025

Which course has Sandy the gopher visited this month?

MOST
POPULAR

FEATURED
BUSINESSES