33 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS PLAYED RIGHT HERE...
The Champion Golfer of the Year...Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Gary Player, Johnny Miller, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth
The northwest coast of England is famously called "England's Golf Coast" and for good reason. Play golf in Southport, Liverpool or Wirral and you'll play the finest stretch of links golf in the country, with three Open Championship courses that have hosted the event 33 times!
Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool and Royal Lytham & St. Annes are the most well-known, but it is also home to three of the top 20 and seven of the top 36 courses in the UK and Ireland. These are some of the UK's best and most challenging golf courses located on one of the most naturally beautiful coastlines in Britain. From the three Royals, to the challenging Hillside, Formby, Southport & Ainsdale and West Lancashire courses, your stay will be filled with classic championship links golf.
ENGLAND'S GOLF COAST GOLF PACKAGES
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ENGLANDS GOLF COAST COURSES
ROYAL LYTHAM & ST ANNES
ROYAL BIRKDALE GOLF CLUB
ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB (HOYLAKE)
HILLSIDE GOLF CLUB
FORMBY GOLF CLUB
SOUTHPORT & AINSDALE GOLF CLUB
WALLASEY GOLF CLUB
WEST LANCASHIRE GOLF CLUB
HESKETH GOLF CLUB
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ROYAL LYTHAM & ST ANNES
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club was founded in 1886 and the present Course constructed in 1897. The Clubhouse celebrated its Centenary in 1998. It is one of the premier links courses in the world, host to eleven Open Championships, two Ryder Cups and numerous other major tournaments including the Women's and Seniors Open Championships and the Walker Cup in 2015.
Royal Lytham & St. Annes has 174 bunkers peppering the fairways and surrounding the greens. Although the not the longest of Championship courses, it is one where careful thought and accurate shots are essential. It is not a conventionally beautiful golf course as it is surrounded by suburban housing and flanked by a railway line, but it has a charm all of its own. It is a Links Course that is a long way from the sea yet close enough for the sea breeze to have an effect on one's game. -
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ROYAL BIRKDALE GOLF CLUB
Designed by George Lowe, Royal Birkdale as we now know it was opened in 1897. In the 1930s, the course was remodelled and upgraded to championship standards by F.G. Hawtree and J.H. Taylor.
The club was simply known as Birkdale until 1951 when King George VI bestowed the royal charter on the club. Royal Birkdale Golf Club has hosted all the important events—the Ryder Cup, Walker Cup, Curtis Cup, Ladies British Open Championship. The British Open Championship has been hosted at Birkdale no fewer than nine times (most recently in 2008).
It truly is a famous links and widely recognized for its fairness. If you hit the fairways, rarely will the ball be thrown off course. The fairways are laid out in the flat-bottomed valleys between the towering dunes. These dunes, in turn, provide superb viewing platforms for spectators.
Royal Birkdale can be a torrid experience when the wind is up, with white horses kicking and rearing their heads in the Irish Sea, crashing like kamikazes onto the beach. In these conditions, many of the carries from tees to fairways into the prevailing wind can be too much for the average golfer. But whatever the weather, Royal Birkdale is a provocative place to play golf. -
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ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB (HOYLAKE)
Hoylake, as it is called by those in the know, has a long and illustrious history of playing host to the Open Championship and has now staged twelve, its first in 1897. Founded in 1869, Hoylake is the second oldest seaside links course in England – only Royal North Devon is older.
George Morris, brother of Old Tom, and Robert Chambers originally laid out a 9-hole course on the site of a racecourse and for the first seven years, golfers shared the land with members of the Liverpool Hunt Club. Three extra holes were soon added and in 1871, the course was extended to 18 holes. In 1872, the club received royal patronage from Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught.
The land is unusually flat, offering little in the way of definition – three sides of the course are bordered by houses and the Dee Estuary lies on the western side. When you get out onto the course, the undulations become more pronounced and, as you move away from the houses, the overall experience improves. The holes alongside the shore (9th, 10th, 11th and 12th) are the most visually appealing and very challenging.
Without doubt, Royal Liverpool is a tough links. Only six holes are in the dunes – otherwise there is little protection from the ever-changing wind. There is nothing artificial about the course. It represents a traditional, genuine test of golf and after 39 years away, The Open Championship returned to Hoylake in 2006, with Tiger Woods the winner. -
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HILLSIDE GOLF CLUB
A true championship links, Hillside is regarded as the finest links golf course not to have hosted the Open Championship. The club has a track record of staging some of the highest profile professional and amateur tournaments, including the 1982 PGA Championship and twice the Amateur and Ladies Amateur Championships. A regular Final Qualifying venue for the Open, Hillside has recently hosted the 2019 British Masters.
The layout of the course is balanced in two halves with the opening holes heading south westward along flat ground beside the railway line. The flatter nine holes of the opening half whet the golfer’s appetite for the contrast that awaits on second nine. Here you will find valleyed corridors through some of the highest and wildest dunes found anywhere. Each hole occupying its own unique site never shared with another.
Hillside Golf Club is actually ranked in the top 25 courses in all the British Isles, but is relatively unknown internationally because it has never hosted the Open. The club is one of the very best of the Open Championship final qualifying venues, and has also hosted the Amateur Championship and numerous European Tour events. And you won’t believe how spectacular the back nine is, as good as Royal Birkdale is, it is not uncommon to hear someone say they think Hillside Golf Club is the better course. -
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FORMBY GOLF CLUB
Formby Golf Club was founded in 1884, originally with a nine-hole course in play for the members. In 1912, Willie Park Junior established the original 18-hole layout and it was altered by James Braid in 1922 and Harry Colt in 1933. Today's layout now measures more than 7,000 yards from the tips.
Formby is a unique course as the holes are routed in a huge anti-clockwise circle around the Formby Ladies’ Club which sits slap bang in the middle of the men’s course. The first three holes follow the railway line, the 4th turns and heads out towards the Irish Sea and at the turn, we meander back home, zigzagging up and down along the way.
Play Formby when you have been sufficiently beaten up by the other windy links courses around Liverpool and Southport, but don’t be fooled into thinking that this course is easy. It certainly is not. Bunkering is strategic, the undulating fairways are very much links-like, the rough is strewn with heather and the pines provide an element of park-like protection from the wind. Formby will suit both links lovers and the player who prefers the softness of inland golf; both these camps will arrive contentedly at the 19th hole.
Formby has hosted a number of important amateur events over the years and played host to the 2004 Curtis Cup and has hosted. The Amateur Championship on three occasions.
This is a relatively unknown course, primarily because many golfers head in droves towards the three big Royals in this area; Liverpool, Birkdale and Lytham St Annes. If you're heading to the northwest and haven’t played Formby, we thoroughly recommend that you do. -
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SOUTHPORT & AINSDALE GOLF CLUB
Twice a Ryder Cup venue, S&A is a James Braid design that has stood the test of time. It’s a fine and challenging links from the word go with a daunting par-3 of nearly 200 yards as the opener.
Dating from 1925, Southport & Ainsdale is the work of five-time Open champion and prolific course architect James Braid. The fact the layout has remained largely unchanged since that time is testament to the quality of Braid’s design and the terrain on which it sits. This is a very natural-feeling links set over undulating dunesland that was previously used for grazing cows and sheep.
Only the Belfry has hosted more home soil Ryder Cups than Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club. But everybody flocks to play S&A’s royal neighbor, Birkdale. If only they knew what they were missing a couple of miles down the road.
The course is set amongst exhilarating dunes and tangly heather. S&A has a very natural feel to the layout, although it is somewhat old-fashioned with some blind drives and obscured approach shots. This is not your traditional out-and-back layout. In broad terms, the course is laid out in two loops, with holes 2 through to 6 forming the inner loop. The fairways wind their way through gaps and valleys between the dunes and many of the greens are raised on tricky-to-hold plateaux. S&A is a serious golfing test, the layout measures over 6,800 from the back tees with par set at 72 and from the yellow tees, the length drops to 6,396 yards, but the par also drops down to 71.
Southport & Ainsdale should be played not only from a historic perspective but because this is a very natural and challenging links course, one of Braid's finest seaside examples. It stands up remarkably well against its' regal neighbors. -
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WALLASEY GOLF CLUB
Wallasey was founded in 1891 by members from nearby Hoylake, perhaps because their links was becoming crowded or maybe because Wallasey was more convenient for the many Liverpool businessmen wanting to slip away to play golf. Tom Morris senior of St Andrews, four times Open champion, laid out the links.
All but a handful of the holes at Wallasey are played through or over gigantic sand dunes, making for some scintillating golf. One of the best views on the course is that from the fourth tee which sits atop of the highest dune on the links. As you make your way from the third green it suddenly appears before you, a magnificent sight with the sea and beach on the right and an arching fairway well below.
It's not big and bold like a Royal Birkdale or Saunton (East) but is more intimate and picturesque. It's not an overly long course either but despite all the undulations it's a fair one and you usually get what you deserve. Many of the tees are located high in the dunes, therefore, lots of drives have an inviting feel to them. It's a genuine highlight on England's Golf Coast. -
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WEST LANCASHIRE GOLF CLUB
The West Lancashire Golf Club, founded in 1873, is among the ten oldest clubs in England and boasts one of the most natural and testing links found anywhere in the British Isles. The course was designed by C K Cotton, and is laid out on some 200 acres of land and succeeds in carrying out the ideal layout of a golf course, two loops of nine holes with the 9th and 18th greens in front of the clubhouse.
The course starts with a demanding dogleg par-4 and keeps you challenged throughout with a great run from the 7th to 9th. After the demanding par-3 12th, you climb up to a wonderful view from the elevated 13th tee. From here on in it is one quality links hole after another – the challenge is non-stop and will keep you on your toes from start to finish.
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HESKETH GOLF CLUB
Hesketh is the oldest golf club in Southport, established in 1885. Part links, part parkland and sculpted through mature sand dunes, the club is set amongst the Victorian villas of the residential area of Churchtown, Southport. Course designers have included George Lowe, the designer of the original Royal Birkdale and Royal Lytham courses as well as the illustrious James Braid.
Professional Championship golf has been played at Hesketh from the early days. In addition to being regularly chosen as a Qualifying venue when The Open is played at nearby Royal Birkdale, Hesketh has hosted County Championships, National Championships and top events in women's golf. These include the Lancashire Amateur Open, the Lancashire Ladies' Amateur Open and the British Senior Amateur Championship.
Henry Cotton was a regular visitor to Hesketh and he competed here in the famous Dunlop Southport tournament and won. Hesketh Golf Club regularly hosts Open Championship Qualifying when the Open comes to Royal Birkdale and we have no doubt that even on a calm day it’s a tough test of golf. -
ENGLANDS GOLF COAST LODGING
BLISS HOTEL
HARD DAYS NIGHT HOTEL
THE VINCENT
ROYAL CLIFTON HOTEL & SPA
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BLISS HOTEL
The Bliss Hotel of Southport is a four star, 131-room hotel sitting directly on the waterfront. Conveniently located in the charming seaside town of Southport, the hotel is close to Liverpool and within driving distance to Manchester. This modern hotel is in the waterfront development, putting you steps from the Southport Theatre & Convention Centre, Floral Hall Ballroom and Genting Casino Southport. You’ll also be minutes from shopping malls, amusement parks, and the scenic Southport Beach.
The guest rooms are well appointed with free WiFi, flat-screen TV with cable, coffee maker, safe, ironing amenities, and a king- or super king bed with Egyptian cotton linens. Some rooms also include balconies and coastline views, and there are two penthouses. Start your day with a complementary continental breakfast and workout if you're so inclined in their fitness center.
You can also enjoy a meal at Bliss Kitchen, their on-site restaurant. Enjoy an after-round drink in the rooftop garden or in the bar and lounge area. If you’re arriving by car, complimentary underground parking is available for all guests. -
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HARD DAYS NIGHT HOTEL
A Four Star Liverpool hotel, Hard Days Night Hotel is the world’s only Beatles inspired hotel, combining the highest quality facilities in a truly unique environment. Located at the heart of Liverpool's 'Beatles Quarter' offering luxurious accommodation and exclusive event space with a twist. Housed in the magnificent Grade II listed Central Buildings, dating back to 1884, the beautifully restored hotel is steeped in history.
All 110 rooms are individually designed around the contours of the original building and elegantly furnished with specially commissioned Beatles-inspired artwork adorning the walls.
Sitting adjacent to the world famous Cavern Club where the Beatles rose to fame, and an array of the city's famous Beatles landmarks, the hotel not only offers the perfect getaway for visitors, but is much loved by art lovers, music lovers, and food lovers alike. There are places to remember, then there is the Hard Days Night Hotel.
Each guest room has all the modern touches you would expect, including the latest in media and communication amenities with the added delight of unique Beatles inspired artwork and tailored luxurious toiletries, all set against a stunning backdrop to guarantee a lasting memory. Hard Days Night Hotel also offers accessible rooms available in our Luxury room types. -
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THE VINCENT
A unique stylish boutique hotel situated in Southport, The Vincent Hotel offers a cool, relaxed atmosphere in chic, urban surroundings for both business and leisure guests. With 59 guest Residences/Studios, which include all the modern conveniences e.g., air conditioning, satellite TV sports channels and complimentary internet access, everything needed for a night away is at your fingertips.
All bedrooms and suites are comfortably furnished with super king-size beds, luxury bedding, electronic safes, flat screen TVs, personalized bars, Nespresso Coffee machines, air-conditioning, free Wifi and are non-smoking. Room service is available twenty-four hours a day.
The hotel has a 6th-floor gym and a relaxed restaurant with chic surroundings. The Vincent Hotel is on Southport's main shopping street, 350 feet from Southport Rail Station.
The Pacific restaurant is open between April and October and combines European cooking techniques with Chinese, Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine. The V Cafe and Restaurant has its own blend of fresh coffee. Guests also have access to Vincents cocktail bar, which offers a creative cocktail list. -
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ROYAL CLIFTON HOTEL & SPA
A seaside retreat in Southport, The Royal Clifton Hotel and Spa is a fabulous hotel that enjoys a central location on the main promenade. Not only will you enjoy the sea views, you'll also have the King's Gardens on your doorstep.
A traditional Victorian hotel, this seaside retreat has something for everyone. With its private patio garden, on-site leisure facilities, function rooms and beauty salon, it's a wonderful place to stay in Southport. The hotel is a short distance from Liverpool and everything that city has to offer, including two Premier League football clubs, heritage museums and tours for the Beatles, the Albert Dock and more.
Their Superior Twin Rooms, recently refurbished, boast panoramic views across the Southport's famous Kings Gardens and the beautiful Northwest coastline. Each room offers an executive package consisting of toweling robes, slippers, luxurious toiletries and bottled water. -
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THE AREA
LIVERPOOL & SOUTHPORT
Liverpool in an important cultural centre within the UK and has the largest collection of museums and galleries anywhere outside of the Capital - boasting this status you can see why culture and heritage is at the very heart of this city. Famous for the local rivalry of the two football clubs, separated only by a park, match day in Liverpool means there is always a buzz around the city. Music and literature are around each corner in Liverpool. From the annual music festivals to a visit to the famous Matthew Street, theatres, arenas and music venues, music is in the blood. There are an abundance of restaurants down each street lining the city, so if you go for a day trip you can enjoy local dishes or travel the world through the eclectic mix of food on offer.
In Southport, you can live the beach life with 22 miles of coastline and plenty of beaches, it’s a perfect place to relax, unwind and play a round or two. This classic seaside resort has scenic parks and gardens, fabulous shopping, exciting nightlife and a mouth-watering array of restaurants. Traditional seaside amusements await; stroll down the UK’s oldest iron pier and try the old penny slot machines in the Pavilion at the far end or ride traditional carousels at Funland. Southport is jammed with visitors in the warm months and very quiet and lazy most other months.
THE WEATHER
From the U.S., most major airlines have direct flights into Heathrow Airport in London. From there, it's a one hour flight up to Manchester. Once in Manchester, you're less than an hour's car drive away from both Liverpool and Southport.
The High Season usually runs from April 15th to October 15th. The Low Season from October 16th to the middle of the following April. The busiest months are July, August and September.
Anything and everything! It's England along the coast so, much like Scotland and Ireland, expect sun, clouds, wind and rain...most likely all in the same round! Dress in layers, have a rain suit and umbrella with you and enjoy playing in the weather conditions that are prevalent where the game of golf was invented.
That's entirely up to you, but if it fits within your budget, it's the very best way to experience links golf in the UK. You'll typically have a single caddie, he will most assuredly know the course better than his own children and may even be a member of the club. And at some point during the round, he might even give you a nip of scotch from the flask he's carrying!
Your other options are a trolley (pull cart in the U.S.), electric trolley or carry your clubs yourself. And remember, riding carts are few and far between at most clubs, so definitely do not count on using one while in England.
They will typically start at £50 plus gratuity. Figure about $100.00 USD per round with tip for a senior caddie. About 20% less for a junior caddie. You'll pay in local currency cash at the end of the round. No U.S. currency!
Yes you can. We can help arrange to have your clubs shipped to your hotel or the first golf course on your schedule. Remember, it will usually take from 2-5 days for your clubs to arrive in the UK and the same amount of time to get back home after your trip. The shorter the travel time, the more expensive the cost. We use ShipSticks and our clients receive a 10% discount when you go through us.
Plenty...
Liverpool is one of the most fascinating cities in the world and has one of the largest collections of museums and galleries anywhere in England. The city has two football clubs (soccer) and it's always buzzing when there's a home match. There are wonderful restaurants and pubs to explore, a waterfront and of course, The Cavern, the pub where the Beatles played their first live gig.
Southport is a beach vacation destination and during the summer is very lively. Shops, pubs, gardens and an amusement park all add to the festive atmosphere of this beach town. During the non-summer months, it's much different, taking on a quiet, relaxed atmosphere where the streets are less crowded and there's plenty of room in the pubs and restaurants.