What Is England’s Golf Coast? Links Golf At Its Best

Royal Birkdale part of 'England's Golf Coast' — Royal Birkdale is one of three Open venues on 'England's Golf Coast'

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The simple answer is paradise. A golfer’s paradise. If you’ve been following The Open this week, you’ll no doubt be aware that Royal Birkdale, located on the outskirts of Southport, is surrounded by a couple of other historic links courses - and there are many more world-class layouts in this part of England… many more.

Running between the Fylde Coast and the Wirral Peninsula, 'England's Golf Coast' boasts an unparalleled depth of links golf, many of which you will find on our list of the best links golf courses in England.

Those drone shots during Open week have a special effect on golfers - they never fail to entice players from all over the globe to what many regard as one of the finest pieces of golf country in the world, with both Hillside and Southport & Ainsdale (S&A) right next door.

Just six miles away - and you can hop on Merseyrail to cover that distance in just six minutes (Hillside to Freshfield) - you’ll find Formby (below) and Formby Ladies; carry on a little further (disembark at Hall Road), another of the GB&I's Top 100, West Lancs.

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In all, England’s Golf Coast is made up of 12 championship golf courses, including the three Royals of Birkdale, Lytham & St Annes and Liverpool, all of which feature on The Open’s rota of courses.

It’s why this particular part of the northwest of England is so highly regarded - although it’s not just the Royals that attract discerning golfers and links connoisseurs from all corners of the world.

"While the three Open Championship venues of Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool & Royal Lytham & St Annes quite rightly garner most of the headlines, it is the strength in depth of the golf offer on England’s Golf Coast that really sets it apart," says Geoff Harris, manager of England's Golf Coast.

"With five more courses ranked in the Top 100 golf courses in GB&I (Formby, Hillside, S&A, Wallasey, and West Lancashire) and a strong supporting cast beyond that, there are few better places in the world to spend a week on the links."

Wallasey Golf Club - Hole 17 — Wallasey boasts wonderful views of the Snowdonia mountain range, Liverpool Bay, and the Irish Sea

With Wallasey, St Annes Old Links, Hesketh, and Fairhaven completing this special collection of courses, England’s Golf Coast is a dream golf destination - one that should be on your list, especially if you’ve yet to venture to the northwest coast.

How many of the courses on England's Golf Coast have you played? And where does this collection of world-class links layouts rank on your list?

Let us know by leaving your comments in the box below.

Michael has been with Golf Monthly since 2008. A multimedia journalist, he has also worked for The Football Association, where he created content to support the England football team, The FA Cup, London 2012, Wembley Stadium, and the FA Women's Super League. As content editor at Foremost Golf, Michael worked closely with golf's biggest brands and has developed an in-depth knowledge of the equipment side of the industry. He's a regular contributor, covering equipment, travel, instruction, and feature content. Michael has interviewed many of the game's biggest stars and has attended and reported on numerous Major Championships and Ryder Cups around the world. A single figure golfer (just), he's a member of Formby Golf Club in Merseyside, one of the 35 Top 100 courses he’s ticked off to date.