Back in 2009, our roots as Midlands Golfer were under a previous guise as Staffordshire Golfer magazine, we were just getting started and The Manor (Kingstone) GC in Uttoxeter starred as one of our feature reviews in issue two. The Manor became a regular advertiser in the years that followed as we developed into the magazine as it is today.
My review companion in 2009 was my old friend Bill, who eventually sought more gainful employment elsewhere in the years that followed. Bill retired in May of this year, so when the club got in touch to invite us to a fresh look at club and course, who better to accompany myself for his first game as a retiree.
The club has been owned and run by the same family for all of its existence since the day they turned farming land into golf course in the 1970s. They’ve done a simply amazing job, turning The Manor into a thriving club with over 800 members and also one that societies flock to year on year. They rarely have a problem with repeat business here.
Lately, a new modern outlook on things and plenty of investment too. A younger pro shop team, head pro Max and his assistant Jamie look after the membership and also have a recently developed Trackman indoor swing room to carry on private lessons and group coaching. Lately, especially with ladies and junior sections in mind when the weather turns unfavourable. A new fleet of GPS powered buggies are on hand to hire as well.
On the course, head greenkeeper Jack who is another family member and his team have set their four strong squad of robot mowers to work on the fairways and first cut – if you look at some of these images here from our round, the definition and striping they are producing is pretty impressive.
The work that the robots do saves the greenkeepers time, giving them the chance to concentrate on other areas of the course. That’s also evident with the look of the tees and greens right now and their concentrated work with the bunkering.
Coupled with the Manor’s permanently friendly welcome and the lovely home cooked meals they serve up from the kitchen, it’s a recipe for success. Yet what about the golf course itself? Here’s a reminder, just in case you’ve never visited before.
It’s set on a simply beautiful piece of land, from your highest point at the clubhouse lovely views of the surrounding Staffordshire countryside greet you in as well as a glimpse of the golfing to come. When you reach the lower levels, the winding River Blythe comes into play on a number of holes, never failing to charm the senses. It does tease you in with some risk and reward questions to answer on a couple of the shorter par fours, many have come to grief failing to provide the right answers. For instance, rusty golfer Bill bit off more than he could chew on the very clever dog leg eighth, it’s always a longer hit that it seems over those tall trees!
Two green fronting ponds on the fourth ‘Ivor’s Island’ and on the dog leg 12th named ‘Blythe’ which also has the river running around the back of it will also test your nerves and skill. To the side of the 12th hole in a thicket of woodland, the club have developed an ecologically friendly area, a hidden away habitat for nature to do its thing and a useful site for local wildlife studies and educational purposes.
The 14th ‘Ruby’s Retreat’ has always been our signature favourite. The river plays a full role in this one, making your tee shot a much narrower prospect from the raised tee, and then once again running all around the rear of the putting surface. It measures just 277 yards so the low handicappers who can shape it well might well have a dash.
The course isn’t a long one, the rolls, undulations and tight corners give it some teeth along with the water hazards. Yet there are two exceptions to the rule, and they are pretty similar to each other. ‘Summit’ and ‘Long’un’ are the third and the 17th holes, 556 and 574 yards respectively from the yellows. Both have raised tees and glorious views, both lead you along a lengthy pathway to their distant raised greens. Inspiring driver holes for sure, a pair of sixes we will always take in a heartbeat.
With reliable USGA standard greens and tees in place, the quality is there for you to enjoy a good round. Enjoy the surroundings, there is no better place to be on a warm summers day and make sure you reserve enough time to enjoy the 19th hole fare and the friendly atmosphere they have maintained here over the years.
The Manor gets it right, a very hard-working establishment who invest their profits back into the golf course and their off-course facilities. The footfall they get here is testament to the constant growth in standards. It wasn’t hard to feel as equally impressed, if not more so than we were on our first visit in 2009. Watch this space too, because there’s more to come.
