Going for Golf

The Belfry - in the footsteps of heroes

The Belfry

After turning into the resort’s gates you’re met by the gleaming PGA National Golf Academy, which offers custom-fitting across an array of brands, state-of-the-art swing analysis technology and practice facilities to make a weekend hacker drool.

On an average day 20-30,000 balls are sent fizzing out from the 34 floodlit bays, every one of them supplied by Nike and designed to mimic the performance of your game ball. It’s all in the detail at The Belfry.

Inside the sprawling four-star hotel, golfing nostalgia is everywhere. There are rooms named for Severiano Ballesteros, Tony Jacklin and Sam Torrance, and the never-ending corridors are lined with mementos to the event that made The Belfry famous.

The Ryder Cup has stopped four times in Wishaw, Warwickshire. It was here, in 1985, that captain Jacklin and his victorious Europe team sprayed champagne from the balcony. And here again, in 2002, that Paul McGinley sunk the winning putt and took a dip in the lake (it’s deceptively shallow by the way, so don’t get any ideas).

There was also the tied match between Jacklin’s Europe and Ray Floyd’s United States in 1989, and a victory for the legendary Tom Watson and his men in 1993.

Watson, Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods are just a handful of the illustrious names to have gone at it on the revered Brabazon Course, and the opportunity to walk in their footsteps draws golfers from all over the world. Thankfully, and unlike some iconic venues you could mention, The Belfry does not rest on its laurels.

The Brabazon was co-designed by Dave Thomas and Peter Alliss and opened in the summer of 1977. Along with its Ryder Cup heritage, the course hosted the now-defunct Benson & Hedges International Open four times and is now home to the Quinn Insurance British Masters – which is no coincidence when you consider Quinn owns the resort.

After checking in, a look around the well-stocked pro shop is highly recommended. There’s a distinctly American feel to it, but when American means a wealth of choice and the opportunity to snag a bargain, you won’t find anyone complaining.

The Brabazon’s first is a short walk from the clubhouse and from your opening tee shot the meticulous work of its dedicated 18-strong greens staff comes to the fore. The fairways are lush and even the tee boxes are manicured to perfection.

As you would expect, the putting surfaces are true, fast and even-paced, but forgiving enough that an accurate approach will hold the green. Such accuracy, however, is tested by the presence of water on no fewer than 13 holes. The most memorable of these is the short par-four 10th, where Severiano Ballesteros famously drove the green during the 1978 Hennessy Cup. If you can hit a 300-yard fade over water then it’s worth a go. If not, have a go anyway.

Your round culminates in dramatic fashion, with a dogleg par-four that asks you to fly water twice on your way up to a devilish three-tiered green. The stadium galleries might not be there to see it, but that won’t stop your imagination running wild with schoolboy fantasies of Ryder Cup heroics.

At £140 The Brabazon represents superb value for a challenging and beautifully presented course in tip-top condition. And as you’d expect from an iconic matchplay layout, there are plenty of risk-and-reward holes.

The number two track at The Belfry is the PGA National, an inland links layout which was opened for play in 1997 and is the perfect complement to its distinguished elder brother. Green fees on the PGA are £70, which is more a reflection of the smaller greens staff assigned to the course (12) than its comparative quality to The Brabazon.

The layout provides an invigorating test. There are horrors to be had in the deep, thick grass that lines the fairways and the deep bunkers liberally sprinkled across the course. Lose track of your land-locked geography for a minute and it’s easy to imagine yourself on the east coast of Scotland.

If you’ve still time, the Derby course is worth a look and the ideal place on which to get in some practice before heading out on The Brabazon. There is less variety on offer here, but the layout is in excellent shape and good value for £40.

Finally, if you need further convincing, a mention for the superb French Restaurant in The Belfry Hotel and the resort’s excellent spa – which together did a fine job of appeasing my ever-understanding wife. There’s also a nightclub on site, the superbly named Bel Air, where you might just find yourself dancing the macarena with Padraig Harrington. Or not.