Being the second largest city in the UK, Birmingham is a great destination for golfers and non-golfers alike. Birmingham has a certain vibrancy about it, it is a city on the up with lots of investment going into it. As you walk the streets there is a wonderful mix of old and new architecture that make it a very interesting city. With one of the best and most iconic shopping centers in Europe, the Bullring, there is a place to drop off those who don't play the great sport as you go and discover some great courses in the area. The most famous course in the Birmingham area is The Belfry. The famous site of Ryder Cup glory for Team Europe and the creation of Dave Thomas and Peter Alliss, this is a fantastic course and a tricky one to navigate. The Brabazon course was built to prepare local players for the type of course they would face in American championships. As such this course does have an American feel about it making it fairly unique in the area. Forest of Arden is a wonderful parkland set-up that was a frequent destination on the European Tour and hosted events such as the English Open. This is a course of the highest pedigree and a real treat for golfers. The tight, yet bouncy, fairways of Little Aston make for a great semi-parkland course designed by Harry Vardon. Close to Birmingham Airport, this is a hidden gem of a championship golf course. Other courses to be played around Birmingham include: Beaudesert, Blackwell, Enville, The Astbury, Trentham, Sandwell Park and Hawkstone Park.