Little Aston
Little Aston is the Midlands' quiet aristocrat, a Harry Vardon parkland laid out in 1908 across the old estate of Little Aston Hall and refined by Harry Colt. A par 72 of roughly 6,700 yards over free draining sand and gravel, it has hosted national and international championships for more than a century while remaining one of England's most private and admired courses.
Photo: Little Aston Golf Club via Google, by Richard Beevers.
The verdict
For all the great golf in the Midlands, Little Aston has long held a place apart. It is the work of two of the most famous names in the early game, designed by Harry Vardon when the club was founded in 1908 and later enhanced by Harry Colt, and it carries the kind of mature, dignified pedigree that money cannot buy and time only deepens.
The course is laid out over the former grounds of Little Aston Hall, where a subsoil of sand and gravel gives it firm, true conditions through most of the year. At a par 72 of around 6,700 yards it is a proper championship test, and the roll of events it has hosted, national and international, amateur and professional, speaks to a layout the best players have always taken seriously. It is exclusive and understated, a course that lets the golf and the grand old estate setting do the talking.
Little Aston at a glance
- Founded
- 1908
- Design
- Vardon, Colt
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- ~6,700 yds
- Green fee
- By arrangement
Founding year, design history and par verified June 2026 from Little Aston Golf Club and leading course databases. Founded 1908 to a Harry Vardon design enhanced by Harry Colt, Little Aston is a par 72 of roughly 6,700 yards. Visitor access is limited and by arrangement; green fees vary by season and day (indicative, 2026), so always confirm availability and the current rate directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Little Aston is parkland golf in the grand manner, broad fairways framed by stands of mature estate trees, with the occasional lake and a network of well placed bunkers that ask the player to commit to a line and hold it. The sandy base means the ground runs firm, so a thoughtful golfer can use the contours and the angles rather than fighting them.
The strength of the course is its balance and its lack of a weak hole. Vardon and Colt routed it so that the round builds and ebbs, with longer two shotters demanding solid driving and the par 3s and shorter par 4s rewarding precision and nerve. The greens are large, subtly contoured and beautifully conditioned, putting a premium on approach play and giving the course much of its championship character.
What lingers is the sense of calm grandeur. The estate trees, the quiet and the immaculate turf make a round here feel like a step into a more gracious age of the game, and the test underneath is good enough that the best amateurs in the country still come to play. Little Aston is a course to be savored, not merely ticked off.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members' club that takes a limited number of visitors and societies, usually midweek and by prior arrangement; contact the club well in advance |
| Green fee | Visitor green fees are premium and arranged directly; indicative rates are confirmed on enquiry for the season and day (2026); always confirm directly before booking |
| Booking | Reserve well ahead through the Little Aston office; access is easiest on agreed visitor days outside member events |
| On the day | Smart golf dress on course and in the clubhouse; the parkland walk is gentle; trolleys and buggies available |
| Getting there | Streetly near Sutton Coldfield, just north of Birmingham in the West Midlands, close to the A452 with easy access to the motorways and Birmingham Airport |
| Best months | The sandy subsoil keeps the course playable year round, with firm, fast conditions from late spring through autumn |
Access and fee details verified June 2026; rates change by season and day, so always confirm directly with the club or your trip planner before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Most visitors base themselves in Sutton Coldfield or central Birmingham, both close by with plenty of hotels, good restaurants and easy transport links, and an easy morning drive to the first tee.
Little Aston pairs well with the other fine courses of the Midlands, from championship resort golf to classic parkland, so a few days in the region can build a varied and rewarding itinerary around it.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Little Aston.
Build a Midlands golf trip
We arrange access and tee times where we can at Little Aston and across the best of the Midlands, pair them with the region's championship and parkland courses and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Little Aston questions
When did Little Aston Golf Club open and who designed it?
Little Aston was founded in 1908 when Harry Vardon was commissioned to lay out the course on the Little Aston Hall estate. Harry Colt later enhanced the design, which remains largely intact today.
What is the par and length of Little Aston?
Little Aston is a par 72 measuring roughly 6,700 yards from the white tees, stretching toward 6,800 yards from the back, a mature parkland set over sand and gravel subsoil for good year round play.
Can visitors play Little Aston Golf Club?
Little Aston is a private members' club that takes visitors and societies on a limited basis, usually midweek and by arrangement. Contact the club in advance and confirm access and the current green fee before you travel.
Where is Little Aston Golf Club?
Little Aston sits at Streetly near Sutton Coldfield, just north of Birmingham in the West Midlands, close to the A452 and an easy reach of Birmingham Airport and the motorway network.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, design history and par verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.