So many fantastic golf courses, it’s almost impossible to choose!
In early July, I headed to Southport (Lancashire region), just above Liverpool, for a fantastic short golf week. I love playing real links courses, as we don’t have those in the Netherlands or the surrounding area. So every year, I take a trip with my golf bag and cameras. The fun starts almost as soon as the last trip ends. Booking a little in advance really helps to save on flights and B&Bs. So, a year ago, I was already looking for a new region to play a few links courses. I considered England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. There are so many choices that it’s really hard to pick. Ultimately, joining a two-day tournament made the decision for me: Southport it is. I planned for 5 days, so 5 days of golfing and (if the weather cooperated) taking photos. I searched for courses to play around Southport, where I had booked my hotel. And then you realize there are so many golf courses that it’s almost impossible to choose. Here’s a list of the courses I could pick from for the other three days (without considering the budget) in the Lancashire and Cheshire (Liverpool) region:
- Royal Birkdale Golf Club
- Royal Lytham & St Annes
- Hillside
- Formby
- West Lancashire
- Southport & Ainsdale
- Fairhaven
- St Annes Old Links
- Formby Ladies
- Hesketh
- Fleetwood
- Wallasey
- Royal Liverpool
- Caldy
- Heswall Golf Club
- Leasowe Golf Club
Unbelievable – how do you choose? All of these are beautiful courses to play. With the tournament (Links Cup), I would play West Lancashire and Southport & Ainsdale. So I thought, I’d like to play one of these courses twice. West Lancashire was the lucky one. That left two more days to fill. Phew. Okay, I flew out on Saturday, July 6th, and would be in Southport around noon, so a relaxing start would be nice—a course that wasn’t too difficult or too long. Formby Ladies ended up being the best choice. Now, I just needed a round on the way back to the airport. I chose Leasowe Golf Club (a budget option). You can make this as extravagant as you want, but more on that later. Let’s start with the first course: Formby Ladies Golf Club.
The story continues below the photos.
Formby Ladies Golf Club
It’s always a relief when you fly and see your golf bag getting on the plane. Then you know the trip can start without any hassle. In addition to my golf bag, I brought my entire set of camera gear (Fujifilm), making the lugging around no easier 😉. At 12:00 pm UK time, after a relaxed flight, I picked up my rental car and headed to the B&B in Southport (an hour’s drive from Manchester Airport) to drop off my stuff. It’s always a bit of an adjustment to drive on the left—so strange. I was teeing off at Formby Ladies at 3 pm, so plenty of time. Finally, at 2 pm, I arrived at Formby Ladies. It’s a bit odd because Formby Ladies is nestled in the middle of its big brother, Formby. And everything about the bigger course is, well, bigger—the course, the clubhouse, and they even have a driving range. The pro shop is shared, though. After checking in, I was kindly shown to a few hitting nets, a chipping/putting green, and where the first tee was (just in front of the 1st tee of its big brother). By now, the weather was beautiful—shorts weather, with sunshine and a light breeze. I was thrilled. First, three hours of golf, then some food, and maybe a few photos. The day couldn’t get any better. At 3 pm, I finally teed off.
Formby Ladies, as the name suggests, is a ladies' course. There are no yellow or white tees, only red ones. The course isn’t long (5356 yards, 4898 meters). So you can leave your driver in the bag. Short game is key. Despite the course being relatively short, it’s not easy. You need to be precise, especially with your second shot. The first 12 holes went smoothly, but from hole 13, things slowed down. It turns out there was an invitational tournament (four-balls for me), and I was playing alone with my handicap of around 0. So, as you might guess, I was waiting. But no problem, as the views, vistas, colors, and holes were beautiful to look at. On holes 14 and 15, two flights let me pass, but then it stalled again. A kind woman in the flight said, “I’d love to let you through, but I’m not allowed.” Oh, okay?! It turns out the chairwoman was in the flight ahead, and it’s “not done” to let me through. Fair enough! I really didn’t mind. A shoutout to the kind lady who apologized so much. That’s just how friendly people are in England. Finally, after a lovely round (scoring level), it was time for a pint! As I approached the clubhouse, the kind lady asked if I wanted a drink to make up for the delay. I assured her it wasn’t necessary, but she insisted. After a delicious beer, a nice chat, and a handshake from the chairwoman, it was time to do my own thing—grab some food and take some photos. The weather was fantastic, after all.
It’s truly a fun and friendly golf course. Lots of pot bunkers and challenging par 3s and par 4s. Strategic play is a must. If you’re in the area, definitely play it, but also make sure to play its big brother, Formby. The cost for Formby Ladies is £100–120. The green fee for Formby Golf Club is £250–280.
West Lancashire Golf Club
There’s English weather and then there’s un-English weather, and we had the latter. Shorts weather, clear blue skies, 22 degrees, and a light breeze from the west—perfect. After a wonderful night at the B&B, I headed out to the golf course feeling relaxed. I was set to play at 2:30 pm, so there was time for a nice lunch, a bit of warm-up, and then straight onto the course. I arrived around noon and checked in at the pro shop. It’s always such a treat when you feel genuinely welcomed at a club. Everything was well explained. There was even a little gift waiting for me: a hip flask with the club’s logo and a caddie book—great! I picked up some souvenirs, had a drink and a snack, and enjoyed the fantastic view from the clubhouse overlooking the course and holes 9 and 18. What a joy, especially with such great weather. But, of course, it was time to play.
Two weeks earlier, this course had been one of the venues for the Open Qualifying (https://www.theopen.com/qualification/final-qualifying/west-lancashire). Luckily, they had trimmed the rough. Sergio Garcia ended up finishing 6th here, missing out on The Open, while Sam Horsfield made it through. So, yes, it’s a serious course. The first hole is manageable—actually, most of the holes are, as long as you hit the fairway (isn’t that true on every course though!). But all jokes aside, the course was truly links: nice and dry, with lots of bunkers and well-protected greens with undulations and more bunkers. Precision was key. The wind from the west wasn’t strong, but it was just enough to keep in mind (though for the English, this was hardly considered wind 😉 just a gentle breeze).
After 18 holes, I shot a neat 73, enjoying the freedom of playing at my own pace. During the round, I’d spotted many great photo spots, so after a quick drink and a few sandwiches, it was time to grab my cameras. Armed with a tripod and two cameras, I explored the course. There’s something truly special about being out late in the evening, capturing the beauty of the course. The light was gorgeous, highlighting the architectural lines and undulations of the landscape. The course at its finest. After sunset, it was time to head back to the B&B. See the results of the course below.
Cost for West Lancashire: £195–225
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club
It was too good to be true that it would stay dry for all five days. The morning rain came down in buckets. The temptation to roll over and go back to sleep was strong. But we weren’t playing golf until the afternoon, and the weather forecast looked promising. On the way to Southport & Ainsdale, it continued to rain. Upon arrival, the course was quite wet, but the forecast still looked good. I checked in at the clubhouse, in the Ryder Cup room. Yes, this course has hosted the Ryder Cup twice, in 1933 and 1937. You can feel the history in and around the clubhouse. After a relaxed lunch, it was time to hit some balls and head out onto the course.
What a challenge this course turned out to be. You start with a really beautiful but tough par 3, after the starter shows you the way. Then you disappear behind the dunes into the rest of the course. What a test! Many blind shots, strategic bunkers, and well-guarded greens. You can almost leave the driver at home when playing from the yellow tees. Thankfully, I started off in dry weather, and aside from a brief pause for lightning and rain, I stayed dry until the final hole. Just a small shower before we finished, but then the skies opened up. They say you get what you deserve 😉. So many of the holes are stunning that it’s hard to pick a true signature hole.
Photo of the rain from the clubhouse.
What a course. I’ll definitely play here again alongside West Lancashire, though I’m not sure when, as there are so many courses in this region that I’d love to play.
Tired but satisfied (after 2 pints and some food), I headed back to the B&B, looking forward to the final day of golf before heading home.
Cost for Southport & Ainsdale: £200
Leasowe Golf Club
And sure enough, the sun was shining on this last day. Time for one more day of golf. I had taken plenty of photos already. Leasowe Golf Club is a bit lesser-known. It’s a more affordable club, and you can tell upon arrival—it’s just a little less polished and maintained. But that didn’t spoil the fun. A nice, relaxing 18 holes. The course turned out to be a real gem, in perfect condition with great greens. Not too difficult, but still fun to play. Varied holes with plenty of challenges, elevation changes, and risk-reward holes. If you want to play a more relaxed round, this is the place for you.
Cost for Leasowe Golf Club: £30–40
Now it’s time to head home and edit the photos. Looking forward to next year’s trip, though I’m not sure where to go yet.
