Forest of Arden, Marriott Hotel & Country Club

Maxstoke Lane,

Meriden, Warwicks CV7 7HR

  • Office

    +44 (0)1676 522 335
  • Pro shop

    +44 (0)1676 526 113
  • Fax

    +44 (0)1676 523 711
  • Golf pro

    Alistair Davies (Head Golf Professional).
  • Academy

    HIT Golf Academy, Forest of Arden.

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb.

  • Surroundings:

    Rural countryside.

  • Designer:

    Donald Steel

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
7213
6451
5654
Par
72
72
71
SSS or slope
73
71
72

At the same location:

Above distances are for the championship Arden course. Also at Forest of Arden is the 18-hole par-69 Aylesford course (5,801 yds from back tees). Also designed by Donald Steel, the Aylesford is an enjoyable resort course, suitable for players of all levels.

Location

Latitude:

52.463559

Longitude:

-1.662541

How to get there:

12 miles E of Birmingham

Leave the M42 motorway at exit 6. Follow the A45 towards Coventry. After 1.5 mi turn left into Shepherds Lane, direction Maxstoke. After 2 mi, Forest of Arden golf and hotel is on your left.

Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club (Arden course)

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.

Est. 1970

Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club (Arden course): The championship Arden course, as distinct from its shorter companion layout, the Aylesford, is a relative newcomer to the legions of excellent parkland golf courses in England. Opened for play in 1970, this partly open, partly wooded course was designed and built to test both amateurs and top tour professionals. The likes of Ian Woosnam, Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke and Thomas Bjorn have all been winners here on the Arden.

At over 7,200 from the tips, and liberally laced with water hazards, thick penal rough and plenty of tree-lined fairways, the Arden course is a long and challenging test, but a most pleasing and enjoyable one as well. The gently undulating good-width holes bring water into play on several occasions, especially on the front-nine and most dangerously on the rightside of the tough par-4 9th.

The back-nine loop, quite different from the more water laden front-nine, is played through the remnants of an ancient oak forest, where deer and pheasant are ever-present. In this wonderfully natural and open parkland environment, thoughts of medieval hunting parties leap to mind. Across the attractive sweep of the back-nine and the grazing-land beyond, stout gnarled oaks contrast with a youthful undergrowth of green ferns.

Pick of the holes: the Arden's testing signature hole is saved until last. This fabulous long par-3, which has played a deciding role in many a match, requires a carry across a good-size pond to a well-bunkered green. Your final putts are played in front of the red-brick Forest of Arden resort hotel.

Stay&Play at Forest of Arden: onsite accommodation available, see Where2Stay section below.

List of courses: Around Birmingham, Eng

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.

Must book in advance. Handicap required.

Green fees

Contact club for green fee details.

Other information

Players generally walk this course. Golf carts available for hire (subject to availability).

Practice facilities

Good

Did you know?

Located in the geographical centre of England, the original Forest of Arden encompassed an area corresponding to half of the county of Warwickshire. The forest stretched from Stratford-on-Avon in the south to Tamworth in the north. Within the forest's ancient boundaries the cities of Birmingham and Coventry can now be found. The most important and largest settlement in the original forest was Henley-in-Arden, which was formerly the site of an Iron Age hillfort.

The Arden course has hosted several European Tour events, not least the British Masters and English Open (see our Tournaments section >by Venue >Forest of Arden).

Where2Stay

  • Forest of Arden, Marriott Hotel & Country Club4-star

    Maxstoke Lane, Meriden, Warwicks CV7 7HR

    +44 (0)1676 522 335

    Visit website

    Located in the heart of the West Midlands near Solihull, the Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel & Country Club is a top UK golf venue. This 4-star hotel includes a Cedarwood Spa, tennis courts, fitness centre and a croquet lawn, as well as spacious guest rooms, fine dining and 18 meeting rooms.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      Forest of Arden (Arden and Aylesford courses)

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      No

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      The Belfry; Whittington Heath; Little Aston; Walsall; Handsworth; Sandwell Park; Harborne; Edgbaston; Moseley; Copt Heath; Fulford Heath; The Warwickshire; The Welcombe; Coventry.

Find a course

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Tournament of Champions: the LPGA Tour’s 2025 season is launched at Lake Nona with the their Tournament of Champions (Jan 30-Feb 2). The 2024 edition gave Lydia Ko her 20th LPGA Tour title.

Who's Who

Attahya Thitikul: also known as “Jeeno”, the Thai golfer won the LPGA Tour’s 2024 CME Group Tour Championship … and an eye-watering $4 million, the richest first-prize in women’s golf.

Rory McIlroy: scooped the 2024 European (DP World) Tour season-long Order of Merit title, joining Seve Ballesteros as a six-time winner of this prestigious award.

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Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

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Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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