IN A NUTSHELL
From Hoylake in the south to Lytham in the north, England’s Golf Coast has some tremendous golf to enjoy. There is also a vibrant nightlife for those looking for fun off the golf course - and if you are worried about driving with a hangover, don’t! You can travel between most courses on the train!
The 18th at West Lancs from the clubhouse terrace
COURSES TO PLAY
You may well be attracted to the area by the three Open Championship courses. And, while you may be tempted to play all three on one trip, it’s more likely that logistics (and budgets) will mean you are best substituting one or more of the other courses in the region. Either way, expect to spend the cash wherever you play - the high quality golf in these parts comes at a price.
Royal Birkdale
Conventional wisdom says that Royal Birkdale fights it out with Royal St George’s for England’s best links golf course. For me, Birkdale takes the title. Its setting, among towering dunes, is magnificent and I have no problem with the flat fairways that sit between them. Some complain that it is just a bit too straightforward with hardly a blind shot or bad bounce to be found. While I love a quirky course, the sheer brilliance of the setting and the quality of the layout makes Birkdale a must play.
Birkdale is also really well located for ‘adding on’ other courses in the area. It just outside Southport where you will find Formby, West Lancs and others all within a 15 minute drive.
Royal Liverpool (Hoylake)
I am a big fan of Hoylake. It’s one of the least well-known Open rota courses but I have only fond memories of my round here. The welcome in the clubhouse was really warm, which is always a good start. They seemed genuinely pleased to have us visit and went out of their way to make sure we had a good day.
The course may not have as many of the stand-out holes as others on the rota, but it is a strong test all the way around. The bunkering is very clever (not overly done but definitely best avoided) and if there’s any kind of breeze expect it to be a factor due to the open nature of the course. Nonetheless, I found Hoylake more playable than some of the other Open courses.
There have been a host of changes in recent years, including a new par 3 17th hole, which means a return trip is pretty much top of my list for when I’m next in the area. There are some special Open days this year - you can play the venue of the 151st Open, on the Open Chapionship routing, for £151 including range balls, breakfast, halfway refreshments and a momento. That’s a cracking deal!
Royal Lytham
If you are looking for the ultimate trip to England’s Golf Coast then a round at Royal Lytham will be high on your agenda. But, don’t expect an easy test. Whereas I found Hoylake playable and an unexpected joy, I found Lytham a little more of a slog.
It may be that I am just not a good enough golfer to get much pleasure from Lytham. When I played, the rough was incredibly punishing and the 200+ bunkers were enough to drive a mid-handicap golfer like me crazy.
If you decide to play the course for interest rather than to obsess about your score you are far more likely to enjoy the Lytham experience. For the history alone it’s worth the trip. It’s another welcoming place, and cheaper than most other Open rota courses. You get a green fee discount if you stay at the well-priced, and impressive, dormy accommodation on site.
Formby
While most of the golf in the area is pure links, Formby offers something a little different, a kind of links/heathland hybrid. Established pine trees frame several holes and the ground has a little more give than you will find on the more traditional links courses. It’s a really good test of golf and would be at the top of the ‘second tier’ of courses to add to a trip to the area.
They are also set up very well for visitors. There is usually good availablity of tee times, open to guests 7 days a week and it’s another place with a dormy house on site.
Formby Ladies
There is a separate ladies’ club at Formby - a 5,300 yard course that sits inside the main Formby course. Like it’s sibling, expect pine trees and dunes as well as that wonderful turf. It may have plenty of short holes but accuracy will be needed to score. Well worth adding to a trip if you are looking for something a bit different!
Hillside
Top golf courses come thick and fast in this part of the world. Hillside adjoins Royal Birkdale, with Southport & Aindsale just the other side of the railway line. I’m yet to play Hillside but its reputation means it's high up the list of courses in the area that I want to see.
It is a course that has been content to fly under the radar for many years but it got a lot of exposure when it hosted the 2019 British Masters. The course was fantastically presented for that event, though apparently that is the norm at Hillside. It is often said that the back 9 here is among the very best stretches of holes in the country.
It’s traditionally been a harder tee time to get, and there is no online booking, but play is possible 7 days a week now. A tee time is expensive but the day rate is worth looking at, giving you a second round for only an extra £30.
West Lancs
I played West Lancs for the first time last year and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I’d been looking forward to it since Chris Solomon from No Laying Up had told me it was one of his favourite courses, and it didn’t disappoint.
There is something pretty special about the club and course. It’s an old-fashioned, high quality links test. The green complexes are really a joy to explore and the conditioning was fantastic. It’s no pushover, especially if you are too adventurous from the tee, but you can score here. The welcome I got from both the staff and members was as good as I have had anywhere and for me this is a must play for anyone exploring England’s Golf Coast.
Wallasey
Wallasey is famed as the place where Stableford scoring was invented - that great game that allows you to scratch a hole if you are having a bit of a nightmare without doing too much damage to your scorecard. That should give you a bit of a clue as to what to expect from a round at Wallasey. The he rough can be punishing and, if you’re not on your game, you may get through a few balls!
The course provides a good mix of holes in impressive dunes as well as more open holes in the middle of the property. There are some real stand-out holes, the 4th and 11th come to mind and it has a strong finish. Just make sure you save some balls for the end!
Southport & Ainsdale
Getting the right mix of big brutes and more playable courses is key to making a golf trip a success. Southport & Ainsdale is in the latter category but shouldn’t be overlooked when planning your itinerary. It’s located close to Birkdale and Hillside, so perfect if you are looking for a 36 hole day.
You’ll find a links with some heathland characteristics here. Oh, and a lot of sand. James Braid liked a bunker and, while not quite at Lytham levels, you will find plenty to deal with here.
WHERE TO STAY
A lot of this will depend on what kind of trip you are looking for and which courses you have got lined up. However, it’s worth saying that you don’t actually need a car to get between most of these courses as they are pretty much all just a short walk from a railway station. This brings a new dimension to a trip.
There are two main options when choosing where to base yourself. If you are looking for a really buzzing nightlife or good dining then you may be drawn to Liverpool. If you haven’t been to the city for a while you may be pleasantly suprised by the development in recent years. You’ll probably gravitate to Castle Street where you’ll find plenty of options for pubs and restaurants.
Accomodation wise, at the budget end you will find plenty of Premier Inn and Travel Lodge options. If you are looking at something a bit more upmarket then have a look at the football themed Dixie Dean or somewhat bling like Signature Living. In fact, even if you aren’t looking to stay there, have a look at the rooms in the Signature Living just to see what is available - including a party room where all 20 of you are in one basement room with swimming pool. The horror!!
Liverpool is handy for Hoylake but it will take you about an hour to get up to Birkdale and Hillside, with West Lancs and Formby on the way. So if you are majoring on these courses and happy to have a slightly more sedate nightlife then Southport may be a better bet. It’s quite an ‘old school, seaside resort’ type of place. Pleasant enough, just don’t expect anything as riotous as Blackpool.
Beyond the ubiquitous Premier Inn there aren’t really any chain hotels in Southport, rather lots of guest houses and B&Bs. Tripadvisor should point you in the right direction. The Vincent and Bliss hotels are both slightly higher-end local hotels if that’s what you’re after.
Lytham sits away from the main Golf Coast stretch, it’s an hour’s drive as you need head inland to Preston before going back to the coast. If you are looking stay up that way then the Dormy House at Royal Lytham is well worth considering. I’ve not stayed there myself but have heard great things from those who have. You are just a short drive to Blackpool if you are in Lytham where there are all kinds of accommodation options and diversions on offer.
CLIMATE
The north west of England may not be known for its Mediterranean climate but you shouldn’t let that put you off too much. It’s actually not significantly wetter than the east of the country - go in April on May and there’s only a 1 in 3 chance you’ll get wet!
Weather statistics for Crosby. Source - Met Office
HOW TO GET THERE
There are good train links from pretty much everywhere to Liverpool - Birminghan is 2 hours, London 2.5 hours, Newcastle 3 hours, Edinburgh 3.5 hours. Lytham is a bit harder to get to but the coastal train will take you between all the other courses which makes the rail option really doable. It’s unusual to be able to travel between courses on the train so worth taking advantage of.
Liverpool John Lennon airport has historically had good connections too, we will have to see what routes go back on in the post-covid world.
NEXT TIME - The Ayrshire Coast
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