What a great example of English golf. Circa 1800s this is one fantastic place to play…read more Well maintained, beautifully designed and a true test of your game from tee to green. Deep bunkers, undulating greens and surrounded by trees, burns and streams on all sides - it is as picturesque as it is challenging. The clubhouse is old, classically rural in feel and inherently charming. There is a lovely old bar with top shelf spirits, great wines and a selection of micro brews on tap. Throw in a delicious sausage bap and an ice cold gin n tonic to end the day and I hope to return very soon. Well done. Great value. Can't wait to play there again. Thank you Blackwell Golf Club.

Birmingham is dotted with great golf courses but one of my favourite is this one in Licky Hills. It…read moreis stunningly attractive, not only because it offers one of the best views of Birmingham but it is situated in one of the most picturesque spots of the UK. The course is shadowed in parts by massive pine trees, jolly green giants towering above you while you balance your next shot. The greens are superbly maintained by a dedicated team of expert gardeners who clearly take pride in their results. The course is run by Birmingham city council so contact them for more details of this stunning golf course, there might be a waiting list!

A most pleasant golf course to play, visually stunning and requiring mental and physically input…read more Five par threes have no problem making one look foolish, at least four par fours that can take shots off you with out trying to hard. All this is put together by a dedicated team on a shoe string budget, I have a friend travel from Oxford three days a week to play at the Lickyhills 130 miles round trip, says a good a test as most private courses nearer home, with the course condition not far removed. Thanks guys

Birmingham boasts many pretty impressive golf courses. I've played a round or two at Warley Woods…read moreover the years and I am impressed with the course. Beautifully maintained 18 hole course is looked after by a small, dedicated team, some of which are volunteers. There's a Pavilion which is a public building with a cafe offering a delicious breakfast and toilets. It's home to the Club house and golf coaching is offered by resident professional Greg Lynch. Greg takes on individual clients including groups and he occasionally offers drop sessions. There may be a charge so best to check before turning up. The Pavilion is open all year round except Christmas Day.

9-hole golf course really close to the centre of Brum. Nestled just past Bearwood in the middle of…read moreWarley Woods Park, this is a good quality pay-and-play course for all-comers. Also boasts an excellent greasy spoon café for egg and chips on those chillier days. The holes are mostly a decent length with a couple of gentle par 3's and some more demanding 400+ par 4's. The greens are well-groomed and the bunkers pretty well maintained. Not too much rough to go trapsing through, and the hilly lie of the course means you get a good workout, too. At £7.50 to go round, it's well worth a visit.

Fancy a swing? Then this is the place…read more This is a driving range place where I think it has 14 bays for right and left handed players. The grass is cut and maintained well, the customer service is great and they also have a on site trainer who charges approx £30 per lesson. £5 for 100 balls.

From the owner: Four Ashes Golf Centre is a place for all of the family. We have an 18 hole Adventure Golf, 28 bay…read morefloodlight Driving Range, Cafe with Licensed bar and Function Room, Personal Training Studio, Golf Superstore, Club Repair service as well as a Golf Academy with 3 friendly PGA Professional teachers for your golf.

A tough and very challenging golf course. You can play a round of 18 holes at Hill Top Golf Course…read morebut you also have the option of playing nine holes. This is a golf course I have been to twice and being an amateur golfer, I did find it difficult. However I did have fun at the same time. If you are playing 18 holes, it can take at least 3-5 hours to complete. It could even take 6 hours if you are a beginner. There are many holes over the 300 yards mark so it might be worth going to a driving range before coming here. The greens are not in bad condition although I did come across litter on some of the holes I played. Hill Top Golf Course is very popular and the golfers I have spoken to have said they love coming here. The course is a challenge but if you get it right on the day, it could be a day you remember for a long time. You can of course bring along your own golf clubs or hire them from the clubhouse. The choice is yours.

HillTop is a very challenging course where, as the name suggests, you are playing around a lot of…read morehills! This means it can be a tiring course, particularly if you are as wayward a golfer as me and often find yourself taking the scenic route to the hole. There are, however, mitigating circumstances for occasional waywardness as HillTop is quite an exposed course and can be all but unplayable on a windy day. Did I mention it's on top of a hill? Well, that obviously increases the wind factor considerably. Compared to other municipal courses in the city HillTop is relatively quiet so you rarely have a problem getting a tee-time, even in summer months. I suspect that this is partly to do with the fact that it's a little tucked away and off the beaten track compared to other urban courses. It's very near to the West Bromwich Albion ground, so you may want to check their fixtures before you go as you could end up in traffic on your way there and miss your tee-off. The clubhouse is decent and you can get a very good and welcome cup of tea and a bacon sandwich before or after your round. My advice when playing here is to take waterproof or windproof clothing for the weather, and either take or hire a trolley for the hills. Oh, and one hole has an electricity pylon in the middle of the fairway - you don't see that at Augusta.

The Belfry Hotel & Resort Lichfield Rd, Sutton Coldfield…read more B76 9PR, United Kingdom Phone: +44 1675 238600 www.thebelfry.com We had a chance to stop by the historic Belfry on our way from Chester to Stratford-Upon-Avon to see the course and spend a fair amount of money in the pro shop. The course was impressive even though I was able to see just a few holes and the pro shop well-stocked with fairly reasonably priced gear. I bought a few hats, a waterproof pullover, and a few other items for me and my two sons. The pullover is perfect for the cool, wet days in the UK as well as our home in the Pacific Northwest, keeping me dry and reminding me of our trip to the Belfry every time I wear it. I will be sure to bring my clubs on our next trip to the area so I can play their three courses: The Brabazon, home of four Ryder Cups and one of the best courses in the UK; PGA National with its inland links appearance, fast-running fairways and cavernous bunkers; and The Derby, a par 70 parkland golf course. CombatCritic Gives The Belfry Hotel & Resort 10 Bombs Out Of 10 ... HOOAH!

Gutted but have just come back from a stay and sad to say it will be my last... Ive been coming for…read morea few years now but the last few stays I have been in rooms that have a real damp, mouldy smell. This last stay was the worst. We were in a family room (had booked the family package) and the room smelt so bad I didnt sleep well and woke up feeling really dirty. My son couldnt smell it at first but when he got into bed he could. Its so bad I wonder if there is black damp behind the paper/paint. The room was also incredibly dirty. See pics. There were crumbs in the bed and all over the floor. I did tell the receptionist but she said she could only move us to another room in the building next to us and it will be exactly the same. She was a little patronising and made me feel bad for mentioning it. Last couple of minor bits... Flies at dinner and at breakfast, lots around the food. No conditioner and they didnt have any on site. So note that when you see they say they have toiletries that doesnt include conditioner. You have to pay for anything other then black coffee at breakfast, never ever had to pay for a latte but apparently its a specialty coffee so extra charge of a fiver. Bought a latte in the golf place next to the kids green and it was awful. Had two sips and left the rest. Despite having the family package I had to ask for the kids golf tickets, the sweet cart tokens etc. it was only because I had read up beforehand that I knew what was included. Oh and the picture shows a teddy and kids activity pack, the two kids with me didnt get anything. Lots of building work going on at the min. Hoping it will be somewhere new to sleep that will be fresh and clean. The kids go karts and the stuff on the green are good but not good enough to make us return. £18 each for a childs dinner buffet (not including drinks) is a little extortionate, as is charging a service charge on drinks when you have to go to the bar because nobody serves you. Could be an amazing place but needs work.

Our Witney office rate this as one of their top 5 places to play sport. There is a waiting list for…read morethis prestigious 18-hole club. However, day rates are available for non-members.

This is a 9 hole municipal golf course that is fun to play. If you want to play 18 holes then you…read moreobviously go around twice, which it least gives you some advantage on the back 9 as you know what you're up against. None of the holes are particularly long, with the exception of the 9th (18th) which in comparison with the others 8 (16) holes feels a bit of a stretch. That's not to say that this isn't a challenging course. There are a couple of deceptively tricky short par 3s and the entire course is covered in trees, making lost balls a possibility. It's quite a hilly course, even though it's in a small area, so it drains reasonably well in the wet winter months - although you'll more than likely be hitting winter greens at the stage, which shorten the holes considerably. There is a putting green and driving net near the clubhouse and a decent parking area. The clubhouse itself is quaint and has an air of the 1950s about it. There is also a pro shop on site should you need anything (including lessons). The best thing about playing this course is the short walk up the hill afterwards for a pint in The Bell! All in all this is a really decent municipal course.

I quite like this one, its really tests those with an accurate shot off the tee. I would definitely…read morereccomend this to beginners, or families looking to take younger kids who have perhaps just started. I say this because its not really a very long course, and those who opt for the driver are often punished. All in all, its great for what it is, a nice 9 holer. However, maintainance of the course is slightly suspect. The tees are often really worn, and the greens are often overgrown on certain holes. But in terms of value, you really cannot complain. A personal recomendation if you're planning on a morning round, is to pop into the on site cafe which serves really great food, simple and great for breakfasts.

Easy walking distance from The Alcester Road and The Billseley pub. I've not played golf here but…read morewent for a birthday party-you can hire then venue out and food, music and a bar can be provided. The gold club offers asocial membership as well as one for full members. Reasonable bar selection, plenty of parking and great views from the club house.

I've played here a number of times as a guest of friends who are members. As someone used to…read moreplaying 99% of my golf on public courses it really is a treat to play here. When compared to public courses the greens here are ludicrously fast and take a fair bit of getting used to - this is surely down to the extra care and attention these greens get. They are fast! In addition to the pace of the greens the holes are really well protected by bunkers, making this a tricky course for the first time visitor. As this is a private club there are certain rules of dress and etiquette that may catch you out. I turned up once in white socks - this is a no-no. I also once made the mistake of walking into the bar wearing a hat, and then making a phone call - both of these are also frowned upon. Thankfully these were the extent of my transgressions and I was invited back by my fee-paying friends. If you get the chance to play here then I would jump at it. It's a different ball game to the public courses and, if you're like me and have no intention of ever joining a club, this is a rare chance to see what the inside of a golf club looks like.