Delta Hotels by Marriott Breadsall Priory Country Club

The Moorland Course at Breadsall Priory was designed by Donald Steel and opened for play in 1991. Despite being located next to its sister course, the Moorland is a complete contrast and offers a very different round of golf. Where the Priory is tree-lined and sheltered, the Moorland is more open and exposed to the elements, providing a tough challenge that combines fearsome rough with carefully contoured greens.

The Moorland gives you a bit more room off the tee, which sounds like a relief after the Priory's tight corridors, but don't be fooled. The fairways are wider, yes, but the rough is thick and penal, and if you're playing in any sort of breeze, the exposed nature of the course means club selection becomes a real puzzle. The wind can swirl and gust, and what looks like a comfortable 7-iron one minute can suddenly need a 5-iron the next.

The greens on the Moorland are the real defence. They're contoured, often multi-tiered, and if you miss them in the wrong spot you're facing a tricky up-and-down. Steel designed the course to test your short game as much as your ball-striking, and it shows. You'll need to be sharp with the wedges and confident with the putter, because two-putting from 40 feet on some of these surfaces is a result in itself.

What I like about the Moorland is that it asks different questions to the Priory. If you've just played a round where you were threading drives through narrow gaps, the Moorland gives you a chance to open the shoulders a bit and let the driver go. But you pay for any lack of precision on the approach, and the course punishes loose iron play just as severely as the Priory punishes wayward drives.

The variety between the two layouts is a big part of Breadsall's appeal. You can play 36 holes in a day and feel like you've tackled two completely different tests, which keeps things fresh and means you're not just repeating the same shots over and over. For groups, it's ideal, because you've got something to suit different playing styles without having to pack up and drive to another venue.

Breadsall Priory is one of the few resorts in the East Midlands to have two 18-hole courses, making it a great choice for a golf break. Set amidst the lush Derbyshire countryside, the Moorland offers views to equal its neighbour, and the variety between the two layouts ensures you'll want to play both during your stay. If you're planning a weekend trip or a society outing, having 36 holes on-site is a massive plus, and the Moorland more than holds its own as the second course.

The Championship Priory course is the premier layout at the resort, and since its inception in 1977 it's emerged as one of the standouts locally. The Priory skirts the stunning hotel and requires accurate play to negotiate the tree-lined fairways. Though not particularly long by modern standards, the Priory is demanding, and attracts visitors back again and again with its charm and spectacular views across the Derbyshire countryside.

The course rewards position over power, with tight driving corridors and well-protected greens that punish wayward approach shots. Miss the fairway and you're often blocked out by mature trees, forced to chip sideways or take on a low punch that requires real feel and a bit of nerve. The greens themselves are typically firm and true, with enough subtle borrows to make three-putting a genuine risk if you're above the hole.

What makes the Priory interesting is that it doesn't rely on sheer length to test you. Instead, it's about plotting your way around, knowing when to take on a tight line and when to bail out to the fat side of the fairway. The front nine eases you in gently, but the back nine ramps up the pressure, with a couple of par fours that demand precision off the tee and nerves of steel on the approach.

Drainage is strong, so it's a solid bet for year-round play by UK standards. You're not going to find winter greens here, and even after heavy rain the course tends to hold up well, which is a big plus if you're booking a trip in the shoulder months and don't want to gamble on conditions.

The signature 12th hole, a par 4 of 346 yards, provides spectacular views from an elevated tee. The fairway has a slight dogleg right, and with the pin often placed at the right side of the small green, it's important to hit to the left side so that the tree doesn't block your view on the approach. It's the sort of hole that looks straightforward from the tee but punishes lazy course management, and it's a great example of how the Priory uses angles and obstacles rather than brute yardage to make you think.

If you're a mid-handicapper who likes to shape the ball and plot your way around a course, the Priory will suit you down to the ground. Low-handicappers will appreciate the strategic demands and the need for accuracy, whilst higher handicappers might find the tree-lined corridors a bit unforgiving if the driver's not behaving. Either way, it's a course that rewards local knowledge, so if you're playing it for the first time, take note of the lines and you'll score better on the second round.