There are few golf resorts in the world where one course dominates the conversation quite like it does at The Belfry. For generations of golfers, the Warwickshire venue’s Brabazon Course is synonymous with Ryder Cup history and some of the most memorable moments in European golf.
While The Belfry’s hosting of golf’s greatest team event four times between 1985 and 2002 will still resonate with many older golfers, there is a new generation of golf fans who will have made their connection with this corner of Sutton Coldfield while watching the DP World Tour’s British Masters, which has been held here eight times since 2006 – with the 2026 renewal taking place just last week under the auspices of the DP World Tour and the headline sponsorship of Husqvarna. The hosting duties fell to six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo, a legend of the game who, along with Seve Ballesteros, became synonymous with Europe’s resurgence in the Ryder Cup in the 1980s and 90s.
As the stage for these high-profile events, the Brabazon remains the course that drives much of The Belfry’s golfing traffic, but for a resort operating three 18-hole layouts, delivering a consistently strong experience across all 54 holes is commercially important. And that is why the recent reimagining of The Derby Course could prove to be one of the resort’s most significant golf investments, alongside the many off-course enhancements it has made in the last year or so.
I had played The Derby once before, many years ago, and while I recall it being perfectly enjoyable, it didn’t leave much of a lasting memory, and I came away thinking that it felt very much a poor relation in the grand scheme of things. The visitor green fee – currently £45 – reflects that positioning and comparisons with the Brabazon and The Belfry’s other championship course, PGA National, are inevitable and not always favourable, despite the clear disparity in price.
Having now played it again following its recent renovation, I found a significantly improved golf course and, perhaps more importantly from a business perspective, a product that makes The Belfry’s overall stay-and-play proposition considerably stronger.
Originally designed by Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas and opened in 1977, the 6,099-yard, par-70 layout has been reinvented with a heathland character that gives it a much clearer identity against the championship parkland of the Brabazon and the links-style challenge that is presented on the PGA National.
The Derby’s transformation – which was carried out by The Belfry’s in-house team led by Director of Golf Courses & Estates Angus Macleod – is immediately noticeable from the first tee. More than 60 white-sand bunkers have been introduced, with irregular faces and varying depths creating both visual drama and greater strategic interest.
Raised tee complexes have improved sightlines and opened views across the course and the surrounding countryside, while reshaped fairways and widened approaches now provide players with more options over how they tackle individual holes. Heather planting has further reinforced the heathland theme and gives the course a much stronger visual identity.
Several holes underline just how effective the work has been. The 150-yard par-3 third is visually impressive, with its raised green and strong bunkering making it a more appealing target, while the fifth, a 400-yard uphill par 4, provides a particularly good showcase for the landscaping. The par-5 13th is now played from an elevated tee, which gives players a much better view of the demands of the hole, while the striking new bunkering is hard to miss visually, although often hard to avoid with your ball.
I particularly liked the dog-leg designs on the par-4 10th and the par-5 15th, both of which give you risk and reward options off tee, while the par-3 16th, which features the course’s only water hazard, is part of a quartet of excellent par threes which are varied in their challenge.
Conditions during my visit were extremely firm following months of dry weather and the ball was running extraordinary distances on the fairways, but the tees were well watered and in good shape, while the greens and aprons shone like beacons of green in an oasis of brown, and were in equally excellent condition.
New teeing options, including a new set of white tees, and dedicated forward junior tees, allow the course to accommodate everyone from beginners and younger golfers to experienced players. At the same time, better golfers are presented with enough strategic decisions to maintain their interest.
Above all, The Derby remains playable – with all the par fives under 500 yards (from the yellow tees) and plenty of short par fours – and that may ultimately be its greatest strength. Not every golfer visiting The Belfry wants three rounds of championship-level punishment. Resort golf needs to accommodate groups containing different handicaps, ages and levels of experience, and The Derby has clearly been redesigned with that audience in mind.
That balance between challenge and accessibility is increasingly valuable for modern golf resorts. The traditional fourball of experienced male golfers is only one part of the stay-and-play market, with venues increasingly looking to attract more women, couples, families, mixed-ability groups and newer golfers. The Derby now fits comfortably into that wider proposition.
Of course, The Derby is never going to replace the Brabazon as the reason golfers book a trip to The Belfry, nor does it need to. Its value lies in making the complete resort experience better. It underlines the fact that investment does not always have to be concentrated on the flagship asset. Improving other elements of the offering, as The Belfry has done with its impressive new accommodation wing, its luxury spa, its variety of dining outlets, and its conference facilities, is serving to raise the customer experience across the entire resort, strengthening its attraction for multi-round packages and potentially encouraging repeat visits.
Although The Derby is still very much The Belfry’s third course, and is priced accordingly, for a resort selling one of Britain’s most popular 54-hole golf experiences, its revival represents a significant step forward.
For more details, visit thebelfry.com or call 01675 238600.