Two golf courses of very contrasting styles, 4 star accommodation, part of which is situated in a 13th century mansion and full leisure facilities. All set amongst 300 acres of stunning and mature Derbyshire countryside, lots to enjoy at Marriott Breadsall Priory.

Amenities

36 holes – Priory and Moorland courses – floodlit range – short game area – Golf Academy – club shop

Hotel – 112 rooms (12 Priory rooms) – 9 meeting rooms

Food & Drink – Cast Iron Bar & Grill – Priory Restaurant

Spa & Fitness – Fully fitted gym – indoor pool – spa and treatment facilities

 

Location/Directions : Just five miles from Derby City Centre, follow the A61 to Breadsall, through the village, then turn left into Moor Road, the complex is 1.5 miles further on.

 The Priory  Course :

This beautiful looking layout designed in 1977 twists and turns its way around the tree lined parkland grounds of the old hall. A naturally undulating landscape put to full use in a series of memorable challenges where your course management skills will be tested.

A line up of thought provoking tests full of variety, the rolling tree lined fairways demand accuracy and a few hanging lies are inevitable. The contoured and consistently smooth running putting surfaces are well protected by traps and banking, some greens are also perched up on high with tricky run off areas.

Phil and Jean-Louis enjoyed an April round on The Priory and found ourselves a good early season test.

The opening stretch sets the theme with a curvy short par four first up to its raised green, an early short iron challenge. Soon after, a really enjoyable third hole and perfect for the shot shaper, the fairway leaning left to right down to the green, you’ll need more club on this one, punch one down the bank and watch it run.

A nice spell ensues later, more of an open nature with some traditional Derbyshire dry stone walls as hole borders, before you head towards the turn and around it with three short but very challenging par fours. The eighth dog legs around the club driving range, and the following hole is a real risk and reward poser. It looks short enough to cut the corner over the trees and find the green in one, but is the blind target worth the risk? The 10th presents a clearer picture and plays longer too, club up for your approach shot, sending you directly back up the bank towards the most spectacular spot on the Priory.

The 11th treats you to one of the most alluring tee shot views in our region. Perched on what feels like a cliff edge, the full length of this hole is in view down below with the Manor and its ornate grounds on the right hand side. Just a few mature trees to think about on the fairway edges, fire away at will and achieve some real distance, the tricky part comes in getting close to the pin for your second.

Eventually the Priory opens out to a closing stretch where the length increases for your final four. The lakeside 15th green is a highlight, an interesting approach in store here, running one down the bank with the hope it’ll hold the green to avoid a watery fate.

A lovely course finishes with a gentle climb back to the side of the hotel on the 18th, a short par five that plays a little longer, but keeping it straight can lead to a final birdie chance. We played our round in early April on full greens, already running very consistently and pretty fast too. The excellent early season conditioning of the course as a whole augurs well for a successful golfing summer on The Priory.

The Moorland Course : Designed by Donald Steel in 1991 the Moorland is set on higher and more open ground where the elements play a much bigger part in your fortunes, gorse and bumpy fast running fairways give it links like appeal and the views of the surrounding  Derbyshire Dales are quite stunning. Of similar length to The Priory, there are some mouth watering short par 4’s to have a go at, but if we had to pick a favourite, the par three short downhill 14th edges it.

The natural moorland turf gives this course an advantage over it’s near Derby neighbours and a good guarantee of quality winter play on full tees and greens.

Off course charms : The hotel has 112 spacious bedrooms, 12 reside in the majestic Priory which has retained its original architectural features. Contrast the timeless history of that residence with the modern comfort and style of 9 meeting rooms for business purposes, plus top quality leisure facilities including indoor pool, fitness suites and the health spa. For food and drink look no further than the award winning Priory Restaurant and the Cast Iron Bar & Grill.

Membership at Breadsall Priory entitles you to golf at other reciprocal Marriott Hotel & Country Clubs across the UK and Worldwide. If the quality of those matches what’s on offer here it’s not a difficult choice to make.