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The Merseyside and Lancashire coast is one of the greatest linksland golf destinations in Great Britain.
The IR&A knows it because the Open regularly visits Royal Liverpool on the Wirral and Royal Birkdale near Southport.
But there is much more to the region – known as England’s Golf Coast – than those two major championship tests.
Here are five of the best…
Hillside
Located near Royal Birkdale, Hillside has hosted the British Masters twice in recent times and is widely regarded as a stunning gem and a great test. The front nine arranges the fairway very close to flat but cleverly shaped terrain before presenting a back nine that flows between large dunes (the 17th hole is shown above).
The par-3 10th hole is an excellent par-3 that climbs to a green that sits on wooded forts that frame the picture. Then, from the high tee, the 11th is a par-5 that sweeps into the ocean. Greg Norman famously concluded that “the back nine holes are the best in Britain”.
Wallasey
Recent work to improve the course has transformed the beautiful area into a beautiful setting between the dunes on the Wirral coast near Hoylake and Royal Liverpool. The club is famous for being the home of Dr Stableford who developed the scoring system named after him which is used around the world.
The famous golf journalist Bernard Darwin wrote: “Wallasey is another great hill course: indeed I don’t think I have ever seen a course where the edge of the hills and valleys was so incomparably beautiful.”
Southport and Ainsdale
Known in the golf community as the S&A, this course hosted two Ryder Cups in the 1930s and has hosted a number of Open Final Qualifiers. With a nice little clubhouse and holes lined with marram grass dunes it is among the best courses in the area.
Like Royal Lytham, S&A starts off with an unusual par-3 and could be a better hole than Lytham. The green is protected by well-shaped bunkers and is incredibly inviting but trouble is everywhere.
Formby
Another lovely track with more trees than others on this list. But this is definitely a linksy test. The holes sweep across the sandy fairway with large fairways and tricky greens.
Like Wallasey, Darwin was a follower who wrote: “It is one of those courses where the fate of the player is in his hands. If he plays well everything will conspire to help him on his way, but he must play well – good, good, honest golf: there is no mistake about that in Formby. “
West Lancashire
A regular venue for Open Final Qualifying, West Lancs (as it is popularly known) was founded in 1873 and that makes it one of the 10 oldest clubs in England. It’s more open than the Hillside back 9 but it’s good fun.
Tommy Fleetwood said: “I always make time to play West Lancs. Fair links that are consistently high quality, a must play for any golfer. “
READ MORE: Five must-play courses in Wales – the UK’s hidden golf gem
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