Broadway – Golf Course Review

Golfer’s Tips

• The 2nd is drive-able for longer hitters, who should try to pitch the ball short right of the green in order to run on due to the ground camber. For those that will play this as a two-shot hole, then leaving yourself below and left of the green is key, as holding the severely sloped green from the right hand side is incredibly difficult.
• In years gone by the short par 4 7th was an iron lay up, but the grounds team have sought to make driver an option by creating a flat open landing area for the 50-75 yards leading up to the green. My suggestion would still be a mid/ long iron, favouring the right hand side of the fairway for the best angle into a tricky green positioned diagonally, as there is a dangerous drop off left and stone path/ wall right.
• The par 3 13th is a subtly difficult par 3 – the quarry that cuts in tight to the left hand side is in range, and the green is a relatively long, three-tiered surface which slopes significantly from back to front, so club selection is important. Many decent players hit a fade away from the quarry, favouring short right, and then try to chip uphill to get up and down for par.

Signature Holes

• 3rd – a testing long par 4 which starts with a tee shot over one of the many Cotswold stone walls on site, which can require a decent hit if playing from the back tees, to a fairway that is positioned between two wooded areas. From there it is a subtly downhill approach into a green that runs away from you, with an almost linksy feel due to the requirement to land short and negotiate mounding around the green.
• 5th – a memorable par 3 played significantly downhill from an elevated tee with superb views over the surrounding area. With the wind likely to be up then accurate clubbing and hitting the green for a well-earned par is paramount.
• 6th – a really interesting par 4. The tee shot faces a significant mound on the right hand side of the hill sloping right to left, which as a long hitter you can clear, and then you reach an incredibly undulating fairway with its linksy and prehistoric feel. The shot into the green is not overly long, but it is severely sloped from back to front so it is imperative to finish short of the pin.

Review:

Perched on top of a hill in the Cotswolds, overlooking up to nine surrounding counties on a clear day, Broadway is a nice club with a really interesting and visually impressive front nine, but does not quite hit ‘hidden gem’ status due to the comparably mundane back nine.

Like a few that have reviewed this before me, I would agree that the first nine is excellent, but unfortunately the back nine is considerably easier and more forgettable which does bring the course down. This contributes in making Broadway a very enjoyable outing on a mature course with some breathtaking views, but at the same time not a standout.

The front nine is formed of a series of challenging holes on the top and side of the hill overlooking several nearby counties, with Cotswold stone walls and cleverly designed short par 4s the order of the day.

An absolute standout is the par-3 5th, hitting down to a green 30 feet below the tee with a view over Worcestershire to the Malvern Hills beyond. That hole gets the plaudits, but the short par 4 6th and 7th are worthy follow ups, both played over undulating fairways with strategic tee shots the order of the day.

The back nine is clearly an add-on, still very well kept and not without their enjoyment, but it feels a bit put together and doesn’t pose the challenge or beauty of the front. Too many bland par 4s leave you wishing for a continuation of more of the same, to the extent that the ratings of this course on the strength of the front nine alone would see this shoot Broadway up the rankings into the thoughts of a much wider audience.

• “Top 100” Ranking: 12th (Worcestershire)
• Golfer View Rating: 64%

https://www.broadwaygolfclub.co.uk/

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