The Belfry golf guide: playing the Ryder Cup's Brabazon
The Brabazon Course near Birmingham has hosted more Ryder Cups than anywhere on earth — and unlike most famous venues, you can just book it. How to play the iconic 10th and 18th, the resort, when to go, and stay-and-play.
The Belfry's Brabazon Course has staged four Ryder Cups — 1985, 1989, 1993 and 2002 — more than any other venue on earth, and it's where Europe's modern Ryder Cup story really began, with the 1985 win that broke a 28-year drought. Best of all, unlike almost every course with that kind of history, you don't need an invitation or a handicap certificate: it's a resort course anyone can simply book and play.
That combination — genuine major-team-event drama and open, stay-and-play access — makes it one of the most rewarding bucket-list rounds in England. This guide covers how to play the famous holes, the resort setup, when to go, and how to build a trip around a course you can walk in the footsteps of Seve, Faldo and Torrance.
Where
Wishaw, Warwickshire (West Midlands) — about 8 miles from Birmingham
Courses
The Brabazon (par 72, ~7,255 yds), plus the PGA National and The Derby
Nearest airport
Birmingham (BHX), roughly 15–20 min away
Best time
April–October for the best conditions; the parkland can be soft in winter
Access
Public / resort — book directly, no handicap certificate needed; stay-and-play packages
The history
Host of four Ryder Cups (1985, 1989, 1993, 2002) — more than any other venue
The courses
The Brabazon
Dave Thomas & Peter Alliss · 1977 · 18 holes · Parkland · par 72 · ~7,255 yds
Host of four Ryder Cups — more than any venue in the world
The Brabazon was built as a modern, American-style parkland course — water, trees and big, shaped holes — expressly to hold a Ryder Cup, and it delivers two of the most famous finishing-stretch holes in the game. The par-4 10th is a short, tempting risk-reward hole of around 300 yards with water down the right, the one Seve Ballesteros famously drove; the par-4 18th plays over water twice to a huge, tiered green ringed by a natural amphitheatre, the stage for Sam Torrance's tearful winning putt in 1985 and Christy O'Connor Jr's immortal 2-iron in 1989.
For a visitor, that's the appeal: you get to take on the exact shots you've watched decide Ryder Cups, from the same tees. It's not a subtle links puzzle — it's bold, watery, dramatic target golf that's enormous fun to play, and the resort keeps it in genuine tournament condition.
The PGA National & The Derby
Dave Thomas / Peter Alliss (with later work) · PGA National 1997; The Derby original · 18 each holes · Parkland
The resort's two other courses complete a golf-focused break. The PGA National is a strong championship-style test that has hosted professional events, and The Derby is the friendliest of the three — a good warm-up round or an option for higher handicappers. Stay-and-play packages typically pair a Brabazon round with one of these.
How visitors play The Belfry
This is the easy part: The Belfry is a resort, and the Brabazon is fully open to the public — no handicap certificate, no members-only days. You book a tee time (or, better, a stay-and-play package that bundles a night in the 4-star hotel with rounds on the Brabazon and one of the other courses) and turn up. It's genuinely one of the most accessible famous courses in the world, which is a big part of its appeal.
Because it's a resort, it's also buggy-friendly and well set up for groups, making it a natural choice for a golf society trip or a milestone weekend. Green fees on the Brabazon are premium but far below the private-club giants, and the whole operation is geared around visitors having a good time.
The 10th and 18th
Two holes make the round. The par-4 10th is a short, drivable risk-reward hole with water guarding the right — lay up safely or take on the carry to a small green, exactly the gamble that has produced Ryder Cup fireworks. The par-4 18th is the showpiece: a drive over water to a fairway, then an approach over water again to a vast three-tiered green wrapped by grandstand mounding. Standing on that tee, picturing Sam Torrance's arms aloft in 1985, is the reason most people book. Take more club than you think and enjoy the theatre.
When to go
April to October gives the best of the parkland, with the course firm and the amphitheatre greens running true. Being inland parkland rather than sandy links, it can play soft and heavy in winter, so the main season is the safer bet for the full experience. Midsummer offers long evenings ideal for a second nine after a round on one of the other courses.
How to build the trip
The Belfry works brilliantly as a self-contained golf break — three courses, a hotel, and enough on site to keep a group happy for a couple of days without moving the car. It's central too: a short hop from Birmingham and well connected by motorway, so it's an easy meeting point for a group travelling from different corners of the country. Golfers chasing more famous-venue golf on the same trip can reach the Midlands' other parkland courses easily, though most visitors are happy to make a weekend of the Ryder Cup history alone. It's a very different day out from the heathland of Wentworth — brasher, wetter underfoot, and all the more fun for it.
What to pack
The kit this trip demands
The Brabazon is watery parkland golf played in a British climate — pack for showers, cool mornings and the odd wet lie, plus the confidence to take on those famous carries:
Yes. Unlike most famous venues, the Brabazon is a resort course fully open to the public — no handicap certificate and no members-only restrictions. You book a tee time or a stay-and-play package and play, which makes it one of the most accessible historic courses in the world.
Why is The Belfry famous?
Its Brabazon Course has hosted four Ryder Cups (1985, 1989, 1993 and 2002), more than any other venue on earth, including the 1985 European win that revived the modern Ryder Cup. Its par-4 10th and par-4 18th are two of the most recognisable holes in the game.
What are the famous holes at The Belfry?
The par-4 10th is a short, drivable risk-reward hole with water down the right that Seve Ballesteros famously drove. The par-4 18th plays over water twice to a huge three-tiered green in a natural amphitheatre — the stage for Sam Torrance's 1985 winning putt and Christy O'Connor Jr's 1989 2-iron.
Does The Belfry do stay-and-play packages?
Yes. You can book directly with the resort for a package that bundles a night in the 4-star hotel with rounds on the Brabazon and one of the other two courses (the PGA National or The Derby), plus dinner — an easy, group-friendly way to play.
How do you get to The Belfry?
It's in Wishaw, Warwickshire, about 8 miles from Birmingham and 15–20 minutes from Birmingham Airport (BHX). It's very well connected by motorway, which makes it a convenient meeting point for a group travelling from different parts of the country.
