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.

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.

I like this place and have been several times to use the pitch and putt course and practise area…read more Has a decent bar and busy restaurant too. Great place so worth trying out.

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.

Brought my friend here as a belated Birthday dinner, I've driven past it so many times, and heard…read moreit talked about so often- I thought it was finally time to actually have some food here. It's exactly my kind of decor, dark, homely, rustic, kind of scottish castle feel-y, which is what I aim for in any property... It was quite quiet- but on a simultaneous Tuesday off, I wasn't particularly surprised. The staff were lovely, two quite attentive waiters. Rosemary olives were lovely to start, and gorgeous warm bread. Both of us went for the duck, jus, charred broccoli and game crisps. I honestly could have eaten it all day, perfectly balanced, perfectly cooked and rich without feeling too heavy. My friend is weird, and hates vegetables, which usually concerns the maternal nag in me, but today I didn't care when it meant bonus broccoli. I will definitely come back again, I can completely see why people get married here- I would just for the food, never mind a bedroom swing!

Slightly slow service at the bar was no indication of the excellent meal that was to follow…read more Oysters, smoked salmon blinis, moules and escabeche of haddock and prawns were all pronounced good starters. For mains, sea bass, loin of venison and salt cod were all received with praise and the treacle tart and custard for dessert was very good. With two bottles of wine and three beers the bill was £210 for four. An enjoyable evening in pleasant surroundings and good value for money.