Forest of Arden-Aylesford at Forest of Arden-Aylesford Golf Club

The Forest of Arden at Aylesford, designed by Donald Steel and opened in the late 1970s, occupies parkland in Meriden, Warwickshire, near the geographic center of England. Steel routed the course through mature woodland and around several lakes, creating a layout that balances open parkland holes with tree-lined corridors. The property's natural water features and established trees give the course a settled, traditional English parkland character despite its relatively modern construction.

The Aylesford course served as a European Tour venue in the 1990s and early 2000s, hosting what was known as the English Open and later the British Masters. These tournaments brought professional golf to the Midlands and established the course's reputation for tournament-ready conditioning and strategic interest. The layout demands accuracy from the tee, as the tree-lined fairways penalize wayward drives, while the water hazards require careful club selection on approach shots.

The Forest of Arden facility includes a second course and a hotel, making it a destination for corporate golf and leisure visitors in the Birmingham area. The Aylesford course remains the championship layout, maintaining the design principles Steel employed: strategic bunkering, thoughtful use of water, and routing that takes advantage of the natural woodland setting. The course provides a test of golf that reflects the parkland tradition of the English Midlands.