Best golf courses in the Midlands

Where else would we start than our most popular venue in the UK? The Belfry has become known as Europe’s home of The Ryder Cup having hosted the event on no fewer than four occasions. However, The Brabazon’s influence over professional golf also covers some of the DP World Tour’s leading strokeplay events too, notably as the 2021 and 2022 host of the British Masters.

It’s a fantastic layout which continues to do be a mainstay in UK Top 100 lists and is certainly the jewel in the crown of the three courses on-site at The Belfry. Our top tip? Take an extra club on both 9 & 18 as you cross the water in front of the clubhouse… particularly if there’s a gallery looking on from the putting green!

Originally named for the ‘Holy Well’ which lies just beyond the 8th tee, the club has been known colloquially as Hollinwell (rather than Notts Golf Club) for many years and has made the name change more permanent more recently.

The course is a spectacular example of heathland golf, with dramatic changes in elevation and greens surrounded by bright purple heather. Nowhere is this more evident than on the iconic Par 3 which stretches out to a whopping 241-yards! There’s no hotel on-site, making Hollinwell the perfect addition to a wider golf tour to the Midlands – or as the perfect first or last destination for golfers travelling to their base via the M1.

If you are heading up the M1 on the way to or from Hollinwell, then Coxmoor Golf Club is the perfect accompaniment! Slightly shorter in overall length, and a touch easier to score around, Coxmoor is a fabulously-maintained members club which also offers a warm welcome to visiting parties.

The layout also boasts a stunning heathland backdrop, with holes winding their way between the forest. Whilst not the longest course from the daily tee boxes, deep bunkers are strategically carved into the layout, placing a premium on accuracy around this Nottinghamshire gem.

Consistently ranked amongst the best courses in the UK, The Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa is something truly special. The venue is home to England Golf and it’s not hard to see why the organisation has based itself alongside perhaps the finest example of heathland golf in England outside of Surrey.

It’s a true inland masterpiece and has been shaped by the hands of Vardon, Colt and most recently Tom Doak – arguably three of the greatest designers in history! There are A LOT of bunkers here, so make sure to get a little practice in before arriving (or take advantage of the on-site practice areas), and keep your ball in play throughout to avoid losing it to the heather and gorse which line many of the fairways of The Hotchkin. Without doubt one of the best golf courses in the Midlands and well worth adding to your bucket-list.

… and if you’re heading across to play The Hotchkin, you won’t be disappointed in the slightest by the Bracken. A more contemporary brother, The Bracken is one of the best courses in Lincolnshire in its own right, offering more forgiveness and a slightly less sandy experience than it’s elder sibling!

Where possible, we’d suggest playing The Bracken first, to get your game sharp before taking on the more examining test on The Hotchkin. Since this second layout was added to the Woodhall Spa experience around 30-years ago, the venue has become one of the most visited in the UK by our golfers, who love the fully immersive and golf-centric feel that you get from the destination. If you’re looking for a trip that is truly golf-first, then this is your place.

Joining the courses at Woodhall Spa at the top of the Lincolnshire rankings is Forest Pines. Three loops of 9-holes offer great variety for golf trips, and there’s a touch of Wentworth about the layout too, with the tall trees framing the holes.

A relatively new offering, having first welcomed guests in 1996, Forest Pines has become one of the country’s best resort destinations with Doubletree by Hilton Forest Pines located on-site. There’s a peaceful atmosphere to the venue as you wind your way between the forest, allowing you to fully concentrate on the wonderful golf that lies ahead.

When the DP World Tour sought out venues to play a UK-based schedule in 2020, Forest of Arden was an obvious choice. After all, the large hotel has all the possible amenities on-site to easily handle the logistics. However, it was the quality of the golf course which really made the choice a no-brainer.

A relatively modern layout, the Arden Course is blended perfectly into its environment, and presents itself beautifully to the golfer, regardless of ability. The front nine grows greatly towards the pleasant Par-3 eighth hole which is guarded by water that truly concentrates the mind! Interestingly, the Arden also closes with a Par-3, although at over 210-yards from the back tees, it’s worth having a shot or two in hand before you arrive here.

Hawkstone Park is home to two 18-hole layouts, with the Hawkstone Course the more highly rated of the pair. There’s a dramatic landscape to be experienced on the walk around the course, with the layout carved out of the Shropshire countryside.

Sandy Lyle’s father Alex was the Head Professional for many years, and the eponymously named ‘Lyle’s Bar’ is the perfect spot to watch golfers come up the Par-4 18th. With a hotel on-site and the additional 18-holes to experience (as well as a further 6-holes which form a short course), Hawkstone Park is worthy of serious consideration for your next golf break.

Trailing only Hollinwell in the Nottinghamshire rankings, Sherwood Forest is known as the home of the legendary Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men. However, golfers should be rather more familiar with the fabulous 18-holes which are laid out amongst this land, some of the best golf in the whole of the midlands.

The course now sits on an area of special scientific interest, thanks to the stunning heather which frames the holes, placing a premium on accuracy off the tee. The course has previously played host to The Open qualifying, and although there’s no hotel on-site, many of our customers opt to add Sherwood Forest to their Midlands itinerary – particularly if also playing at Hollinwell, just 25 minutes down the road.