£1 Million Refurbishment Completed At Wharton Park Golf & Country Club

The owners of a popular Midland Golf and Country Club have completed a £1 million refurbishment of its clubhouse facilities – with the promise of future investment.

Wharton Park Golf & Country Club in Bewdley, Worcestershire was taken over in 2010 by local businessman Alan Umbers, his wife Anne and daughter Stacie. Mr Umbers quickly pledged to ‘breathe new life’ into the club’s facilities and the renowned 18-hole championship course. 

Exactly three years on and with the club celebrating its 20th anniversary, the family owners say they are ‘extremely proud’ of the seven-figure overhaul which includes three new-look bars and restaurant, refreshed function rooms, seven boutique-style bedrooms and an extended golf shop with café.

The refurbishment at the club, which has 450 golf members, has also played a role in the club becoming an important local employer with 55 employees now working across its golf, conferencing, wedding, restaurant and accommodation offerings.

Managing Director Stacie Umbers said: “When we took over the club three years ago we identified a number of development areas to concentrate on and how we could make the most of our stunning countryside views.

“We concentrated mainly on our clubhouse facilities and how we could make Wharton Park not just a place for golf, but also somewhere for visitors and members to eat, sleep, relax and use our large function rooms and banqueting suites for weddings and other celebrations.

“With the help of our team we have completed what we think is a fantastic refurbishment. It now allows us to offer first-class facilities which are really helping to entice local people and visitors into the club and into Bewdley.”

Ms Umbers said they hope to begin the next phase of the refurbishment programme this year. Planning permission has been granted for a state-of-the-art, floodlit driving range which will include a golf academy and club fitting service catering for both members and visitors.

She added: “The past three years have been a whirlwind for us. We have invested a lot of time, money and effort which was needed to prepare the club for an exciting future. We are really proud that we now have a clubhouse which matches the standard of our golf course and we look forward to starting the next phase of our plans.”

Wharton Park’s 6455-yard, 18-hole championship golf course is well respected across the UK. Designed around a 43-acre Royal Forest by course architect Howard Swan, it hosts regular professional tournaments as well as society days, junior championships and competitions for members.

The course, which has over four miles of buggy tracks, is also open to members of the public.