Little Aston Golf Club

Little Aston rated 55th in GB&I

"Little Aston set in the mature former estate of Little Aston Hall, has a beauty all of its own."
Comment by Peter Masters Deputy Editor of Golf World

A climb of seven places represents something of a reversal of fortune for one of England's best loved inland courses. Little Aston has an enviable pedigree in the Top 100, but had been slipping out of favour and was well beyond the top 50 in 62nd spot in 2006.

But now, after a significant facelift to the course, the future looks much brighter for a club that has just celebrated its centenary year. Parkland layouts are in the minority in the Top 100, perhaps because they suffer aesthetically against the rugged dune landscapes of a links or the purple heather and yellow gorse of heathland.

Little Aston though, set in the mature former estate of Little Aston Hall, has a beauty all of its own. The changes to the course have largely been made to offset the march of modern technology. An array of new tees has boosted the yardage and in a number of cases the angles into the greens have altered too, adding more strategy to an already strategic test.

The greatest change of all has seen a 12 month project in which the 17th green has been moved into the lake that used to protect its left flank. The water still protects the left, but it now flows round the back of the green as well, making the hole an entirely different proposition, especially if you have a card in your hands. Over 4500 tonnes of earth were moved from the original site of the green and the same turf was relaid on the new surface. A bunker has also been added on the right of the fairway at 278 yards from the tee to catch those long hitters attempting to neutralise the danger of the approach. Little Aston was inside the top 50 four years ago and it now seems to be on its way back to where many feel it belongs.

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