Belfry - Best Golf Course and Hotel in England

[Ethan]

not sure why people knock the brabazon ? Your not going to get 18 memorable holes. I don't know a course that has,it's a parkland course in Sutton Coldfield, your not going to get stunning views Stood on every hole..it's a cracking course and it keeps getting better.

Plenty of inland courses that offer 18 better designed and more interesting holes. If you don't one than you haven't played many decent golf courses. The Brabazon will never be a great course until they dig it up and start again. They rely on selling the history of Ryder Cup and other events to kid people into thinking it is a great course.

 

[woody69]

I don't know why people bother or even comment on these sort of things. It's all subjective. It's like asking who is the best footballer in the world, or the hottest woman. Everyone has an opinion. If you have been there and enjoyed it, you'll say it was one of the best. If you went, it rained the whole time, the staff were rude, you'd say it was one of the worst.

 

[Duckster]

Must admit, I've been to the Belfry several times and always enjoyed it. Plus the wife enjoys the spa etc... I get that some people think it's ranks higher than what it should be but when you hear people saying that your playing in a farmers field. Come on.

It's in a great location being just off the motorway, it's a decent price for what you get. Then add in that it's recently had the hotel re-vamp and, like it or lump it, it has held the Ryder Cup more than any other course and that automatically gives it a bit of history and the punters recognise most of the holes. The 3rd, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th then IMHO 12th all the way through to the 18th are some good and in some parts great holes.

It's not the best course in the UK and I don't think it markets itself as such. But it is a very good course tied in with a very good hotel.

 

[hovis]

Plenty of inland courses that offer 18 better designed and more interesting holes. If you don't one than you haven't played many decent golf courses. The Brabazon will never be a great course until they dig it up and start again. They rely on selling the history of Ryder Cup and other events to kid people into thinking it is a great course.

So when you played this bland and poorly designed course i take it you ripped it apart and shot well below your handicap?

If the brabazon never held the rider cup it wouldn't get the criticism it does. When anything in life is put on a pedestal it seems human nature to want to knock it off.

I agree the brabazon is a overrated course. Perhaps its because i play it every week. But to say its poor is just silly. The condition of the course is amongst the best you can get and the layout is spot on.
Wether it comes down to bribery or persuasion i dont know but even if it was they wouldn't hold the most prestigious of golf tournaments multiple times on a potato field!!!!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have been critical of the Brabazon course. There are some decent holes on there and some bland ones too and yes off course was shabby and run down. The latter has been rectified and for me, there are plenty of courses that have hosted tour events (Celtic Manor, St Peirre, FoA, and even Wentworth) that don't have a course full of "wow" holes. I've never suggested ripping it apart but have said it has worked hard to trade of the heritage of the RC while not necessarily moving and improving with the times. Maybe, the answer is a forum meet up there to play it again and see what the consensus is

 

[hovis]

I have been critical of the Brabazon course. There are some decent holes on there and some bland ones too and yes off course was shabby and run down. The latter has been rectified and for me, there are plenty of courses that have hosted tour events (Celtic Manor, St Peirre, FoA, and even Wentworth) that don't have a course full of "wow" holes. I've never suggested ripping it apart but have said it has worked hard to trade of the heritage of the RC while not necessarily moving and improving with the times. Maybe, the answer is a forum meet up there to play it again and see what the consensus is

Perhaps its because i see day in day out the improvements that have happened that go unnoticed.

For eg. The bunkers are being put back to their original design. the 10th green looks like a building site at the moment. fully grown trees have been removed and planted elsewhere because the modern game has changed in length.

Another improvement is to the drainage (you don't see that) i always have a smile to myself when forum members on here moan about fairway mats, winter greens and course closed because of rain. Not me, I'm busy taking big dry strappers out of the fairway when most are sulking at home

I also have to add that i find the course incredibly easy off the yellows. There isn't a fairway bunker i can't fly. Most holes are a driver wegde for me. However, go back on the stones and it literally becomes a different course. All of a sudden everything is a danger and brings me to my knees every time.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I also have to add that i find the course incredibly easy off the yellows.

 

[MendieGK]

Perhaps its because i see day in day out the improvements that have happened that go unnoticed.

For eg. The bunkers are being put back to their original design. the 10th green looks like a building site at the moment. fully grown trees have been removed and planted elsewhere because the modern game has changed in length.

Another improvement is to the drainage (you don't see that) i always have a smile to myself when forum members on here moan about fairway mats, winter greens and course closed because of rain. Not me, I'm busy taking big dry strappers out of the fairway when most are sulking at home

I also have to add that i find the course incredibly easy off the yellows. There isn't a fairway bunker i can't fly. Most holes are a driver wegde for me. However, go back on the stones and it literally becomes a different course. All of a sudden everything is a danger and brings me to my knees every time.

I think it gets knocked too much on here too but then again, if the course isn't at least 100 years old, under 6500 yards then it always will!

I don't think there is that many bland holes either to be honest. It's a quality parkland course.

BUT I think it's the cost per Round that cAuses is it to be knocked.

 

[hovis]

I think it gets knocked too much on here too but then again, if the course isn't at least 100 years old, under 6500 yards then it always will!

I don't think there is that many bland holes either to be honest. It's a quality parkland course.

BUT I think it's the cost per Round that cAuses is it to be knocked.

One thing that suprised me is the holes that are bland such as the 11th and 14 th look unrecognisable when have spectators and grand stands.

Oh and this bland course that people talk about has already sold out on the winter series all the way through to March when it ends!!

 

[Val]

I think the criticism is unjustified. I played the Brabazon last year the day after I played Little Aston which I thought was a better course BUT I don't think I putted on better greens anywhere than the Brabazon. I really liked it.

 

[quinn]

Plenty of inland courses that offer 18 better designed and more interesting holes. If you don't one than you haven't played many decent golf courses. The Brabazon will never be a great course until they dig it up and start again. They rely on selling the history of Ryder Cup and other events to kid people into thinking it is a great course.

Right oh.😂 go on then name a course with 18 memorable holes that you've played ...this should be good.

 

[quinn]

One thing that suprised me is the holes that are bland such as the 11th and 14 th look unrecognisable when have spectators and grand stands.

Oh and this bland course that people talk about has already sold out on the winter series all the way through to March when it ends!!

love the place mate,bet the ones that knock it are the ones that hack their way round it 😂 You probably spend most of your rounds on it putting their massive divots back, it's getting better all the time 👍

 

[Fish]

About time I got a guest invite to play it, on the doorstep and still not had a chance to give it the official [Fish] approval :smirk:

I do like the PGA, more so when the straw is up and it's a bit tighter and running fast, had some decent knocks around the PGA, have to stay out of the shop though, although where they've repositioned it it's hard now to avoid

 

[MendieGK]

There are very few resorts in the country that can compete with the Belfry in terms of having at least two courses and good hotel.

Imo, the brabazon is better than both East Sussex Nationals, St Pierre, Stoke by Nayland & Forest of Arden. I also think it's better than the 2010 (now that is just a glorified field)

The only place I would rather play and stay would probably be St Mellion.

Places like Woodhall Spa can't be counted as they don't actually have a hotel on site.

 

[Val]

There are very few resorts in the country that can compete with the Belfry in terms of having at least two courses and good hotel.

Imo, the brabazon is better than both East Sussex Nationals, St Pierre, Stoke by Nayland & Forest of Arden. I also think it's better than the 2010 (now that is just a glorified field)

The only place I would rather play and stay would probably be St Mellion.

Places like Woodhall Spa can't be counted as they don't actually have a hotel on site.

You've never been to Scotland I take it? Believe me, I'm a fan of the Belfry but there are a handful in Scotland head and shoulders better

 

[ger147]

You've never been to Scotland I take it? Believe me, I'm a fan of the Belfry but there are a handful in Scotland head and shoulders better

The award and OP is referring to England as the country, not the whole of the UK.

 

[Jacko_G]

Just head to Gleneagles. No passport required.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

love the place mate,bet the ones that knock it are the ones that hack their way round it 😂 You probably spend most of your rounds on it putting their massive divots back, it's getting better all the time 👍

I didn't hack it round there yet I'm not a fan of it.

As a hotel golf course it is a good venue

As a stand alone golf course ( Brabazon ) then I have played courses not in the Top 100 that are better in my humble opinion

 

[User20205]

it's maybe a little unfair on the Belfry to compare it to other non resort courses.

it's OK, not amazing but there aren't many places in England where you can play x3 courses, spend a fortune on a beer & a sarnie and pull Hovis' mum, all without needing to get in the car :thup:

 

[hovis]

and pull Hovis' mum, all without needing to get in the car :thup:

Oh no you didn't 😀