It’s not just the legacy, symbolic and practical, of the 2022 Commonwealth Games – sport is at the beating heart of England’s West Midlands. From tennis to cricket, and football to golf, visitors to Birmingham and surrounds visitors will discover a rich sporting pedigree in the region.

Love Wimbledon?: While everyone associates Wimbledon as the home of lawn tennis, fans may be surprised to learn the game was invented in the West Midlands. The first game of lawn tennis is said to have been played in Edgbaston in 1859. And the oldest purpose-built “real tennis” club in the world, is in Leamington Spa. The Leamington Tennis Court Club was established in 1846 and still thrives today.

Edgbaston is simply cricket: Leafy Edgbaston, the upmarket suburb of Birmingham, is world-famous for its cricket. Visitors can get tickets for matches or take a stadium tour and learn some of its long history in “the gentleman’s game”. It has been the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club since 1885 and hosted its first Test, against Australia, in 1902. It’s widely regarded as having the best atmosphere of British venues – for the home team, that is.

It’s home to many football clubs: It’s not just cricket, football is also at the heart of the West Midlands and visitors can experience some of the passion of the beautiful game at one of the region’s many clubs. The Premier League’s Aston Villa is based in Villa Park, Birmingham, which offers stadium tours of its historic venue, as does Wolverhampton Wanderers in Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton. Or you can get into the spirit at Birmingham City’s home of St Andrew’s. Coventry City plays at Coventry Building Society Arena and West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns. And Rugby, the town, is home of rugby, the game, and worth a visit for fans of football’s sister sport.

Get golfing: The West Midlands is also home to one of the world’s leading golf courses and resorts – The Belfry. Situated just outside of Birmingham, near Sutton Coldfield, it has three golf courses and has hosted the Ryder Cup four times, more than any other venue. It is also home to a luxury hotel and spa.

Active interest: There are many ways to get moving in the West Midlands. From simply walking around Birmingham, to renting a bike and cycling the extensive canal paths, right up to abseiling in the Peak District, there’s really no excuse for sitting down.

The active-minded (and bodied) can play some tennis at one of the city’s many courts, or combine exercise with entertainment at Birmingham’s Treetop Adventure Golf or the cool Ghetto Golf in the Custard Factory. Then get some lengths in at Droitwich Lido – one of the last inland outdoor salt-water pools in the UK.