Formby Golf Club Key Information
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Address | Golf Road, Freshfield, Liverpool, L37 1LQ |
Phone | 01704 872 164 |
Website | |
Visitor Times | Mon-Fri - see GF panel below for details |
Par | Men 72, Women 72 |
Slope | White/M 141, Red/W 149 |
Opened | 1884 |
Architect | Willie Park Junior, James Braid, Hawtree & Taylor, Donald Steel |
Golf Monthly Verdict
More than perhaps any other course in the Top 100, Formby is a hybrid of two highly desirable and enjoyable styles. This heathland and linksy combination makes it one of the most interesting and memorable courses in the Top 100, as well as one of the most talked about. This is a great place to stay and play with everything you could want either on site or very close by.
Reasons To Play Formby
– Experience two great course types in one - links and heathland - kept in fine order
– A historic links that continues to evolve and improve
– Enjoy the cosy dormy house… and play Formby Ladies!
Rankings
UK & Ireland Top 100 Golf Courses 2025/26 - 40
Perhaps at Formby Golf Club more than at any other links course in the Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland, the presence of mature pines and vast swathes of heather allows this to become the best of two worlds. The club has been looking very carefully to the future for many years, as coastal erosion has been and remains a concern.
The result has been several substantial and very positive changes with more carefully in place for as and when required. These will safeguard the future of this very beautiful and varied links. The club dates back to 1884 and is one of the very best golf courses in Lancashire. The original layout was redesigned by Willie Park Junior at the start of the 20th century.
A plan showing the layout in 1912 hangs in the very attractive and historic clubhouse which itself has moved with the times. There are other exhibits that show various alterations by the likes of James Braid, Hawtree & Taylor, and by Donald Steel.
The course certainly doesn't lack length, and there are plenty of very strong par 4s as well as fast-running fairways, deep bunkers and firm and true greens. Just a few sandhills away from the beach, there is usually a breeze and often substantially more.
As well as length, accuracy from the tee is a key requirement. Heading off line will often call for a brave recovery from one of the deep bunkers, a strategic safety-first sideways chip from the trees, or more painfully, an ungainly hack from the heather. A strong short-game from just off the green can really make your score here.
I think this is one of the best golf courses in England. It is kept in fine condition all year round and has hosted the Legends Tour a number of times. It runs in an anti-clockwise direction around the outside of the lovely and very enjoyable Formby Ladies course where a game is also very much recommended.
Visitors, especially those staying in the excellent Dormy House accommodation as I tend to quite regularly, will very much enjoy both.
The sixteenth is the final par 3 on the course
What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said...
One of my favourites courses in the UK, great surroundings, decent practice area, and good clubhouse - a contender for the mythical “if I could only play one course/club for the rest of my days award.”
A playable yet testing course, wonderfully framed holes navigate through an intriguing mix of heath, dunes and pines.
If you are looking for a golfing occasion that offers unparalleled variety and a stern test, look no further than Formby. Holes that can captivate and torture you in equal measure, but you are sure to walk off the course with a smile on your face.
Formby Golf Club Location
Formby Golf Club Scorecard
Best Courses Near Formby Golf Club
Best Places To Stay Near Formby
Formby Golf Club - Book now directly with the club
There is nowhere better to stay than the club's own dormy house - enjoy golf here and at Formby Ladies!
Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa - Book now via Booking.com
This hotel, spa and championship golf resort is just a few minutes drive and has 76 bedrooms and suites, a full-service restaurant, luxurious spa, and heated swimming pool. There is also a fitness and leisure club.
Dukes Folly Hotel - Book now via Booking.com
Situated in the heart of Southport, the stylish Dukes Folly Hotel has 20 bedrooms, each with TV and tea and coffee making facilities, along with an en-suite shower room. There is a modern lounge bar, and an excellent breakfast is served until 10:00.
Formby Golf Club Gallery
Historical Top 100 Rankings UK&I
- 2025/26 - 40
- 2023/24 - 42
- 2021/22 - 41
- 2019/20 - 41
- 2017/18 - 39
- 2015/16 - 37
- 2013/14 - 38
- 2011/12 - 41
- 2009/10 - 41
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of course is Formby?
A difficult question to answer as there are parts that are unquestionably heathland and parts that are unquestionably links. The best answer is to say that it’s an indefinable mix of the best of both worlds.
Are Formby and Formby Ladies really the same club?
They are not, although as you would expect, there are many members of one whose partner is a member of the other. Each club actually has its own clubhouse, catering and greenstaff.
Has Formby hosted any professional events?
The club has been the venue for many important amateur and professional championships over the years, most recently the 2022 Staysure PGA Seniors Championship.
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