Best golf courses: England - Lancs / Cheshire

The Lancashire coast: Here on the dune-filled seashore of the “Red Rose” county, sometimes referred to as “England’s Golf Coast", you’ll find a links golf paradise. One of the world’s greatest stretches of “sand hills golf” awaits as you journey south from Royal Lytham & St Annes. You’ll need to skirt round the Ribble Estuary and then head down to Liverpool, stopping in at Royal Birkdale along the way.

If you overshoot the “Home of The Beatles” and end up crossing the Mersey to the Wirral peninsula, then no problem. You can add Royal Liverpool to your itinerary. If three Open Championship venues don’t satisfy your golfing appetite, then try any of the other excellent links golf courses that sit either side of the “Royal” triumvirate. Courses like Caldy, Fairhaven, Formby, Hesketh, Heswall, Hillside, Southport & Ainsdale, Wallasey and West Lancs will not disappoint. To make the most of your golfing trip, and to help in your planning, you can look up the location of the best courses in Lancashire on our customised maps.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Manchester
Crook & Colt

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester

Designer

Original course at Lostock Park was designed by architect R. Hermon Crook (1912), modified by Harry Colt (1920s).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Manchester
MacKenzie, Dr Alister

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester

Designer

Dr Alister MacKenzie designed the current layout in 1924.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Wkends restrictd
Liverpool
Braid, James

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Liverpool

Designer

Original layout by James Braid with later revisions by John Morris, John Salvesen and Donald Steel

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Chester
Higgins, Alan

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chester

Designer

Alan Higgins

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Chester
Nicklaus, Jack & Steve

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chester

Designer

Jack Nicklaus & son Steve Nicklaus

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Manchester
Braid, James

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester

Designer

James Braid

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Weekends restricted
Chester
Fowler, Herbert

Visitors?

Weekends restricted

Nearest city

Chester

Designer

Herbert Fowler

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Wkends restrictd
Blackpool
Braid & Steer

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Blackpool

Designer

James Braid and James A. 'Jim' Steer laid out the original course at this location in 1922/23. Later improvements were made by Steer in 1931 and Dave Thomas in 1977.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Wkends restrictd
Liverpool
Park Jr, Willie

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Liverpool

Designer

Original design by Willie Park Jr. Changes made to holes 15 thru' 18 by James Braid (1922). Further modifications made by Harry Colt (1920s), and by Donald Steel (1984).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Liverpool
Higgins, Alex

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Liverpool

Designer

Alex Higgins

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Blackpool
Alliss & Clark

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Blackpool

Designer

Peter Alliss & Clive Clark

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Liverpool
Morris, J.F.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Liverpool

Designer

J.F. Morris

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Liverpool
Unknown

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Liverpool

Designer

Unknown

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Liverpool
Hawtree, Fred

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Liverpool

Designer

Fred Hawtree designed the current layout which dates from the 1960's.

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Wkends restrictd
Blackpool
Steer, Jim

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Blackpool

Designer

Original design by Dr Alister MacKenzie and laid out by Sandy Herd. Significant changes made by James A. (Jim) Steer (1940s).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Not Saturdays
Manchester
Colt, Harry

Visitors?

Not Saturdays

Nearest city

Manchester

Designer

Harry Colt

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Manchester
Thomas, Dave

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester

Designer

Dave Thomas

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Manchester
Lowe & Herd

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester

Designer

George Lowe designed the original 9-holes; extended by Sandy Herd in 1909.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Wkends restrictd
Chester
Steel, Donald

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Chester

Designer

Donald Steel

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Wkends restrictd
Chester
Rouse, Tim

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Chester

Designer

Tim Rouse

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Weekdays only
Manchester
Colt, Harry

Visitors?

Weekdays only

Nearest city

Manchester

Designer

Harry Colt

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Manchester
MacKenzie, Dr Alister

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester

Designer

Dr Alister MacKenzie

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Wkends restrictd
Liverpool
Hawtree & Taylor

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Liverpool

Designer

Original design by George Lowe (1889); major revisions by Fred Hawtree & J.H. Taylor (1931).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Wkends restrictd
Liverpool
Chambers & Morris

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Liverpool

Designer

Original design by Robert Chambers & George Morris; recent modifications by Donald Steel.

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Wkends restrictd
Blackpool
Lowe, George

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Blackpool

Designer

Original layout by George Lowe (1897). Modifications made by Harry Colt (1919).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Chester
Ray, Ted

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Chester

Designer

Originally designed by Ted Ray (1920). Later improvements made by Harry Colt (1925). The existing 2nd, 3rd and 4th holes were designed by Fred Hawtree (1955) when the original 2nd and 3rd were lost to a road widening project.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Liverpool
Braid, James

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Liverpool

Designer

James Braid and James A. (Jim) Steer.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Not Saturdays
Blackpool
Lowe & Herd

Visitors?

Not Saturdays

Nearest city

Blackpool

Designer

George Lowe designed the front-nine; course was completed by Sandy Herd.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Manchester
Herd, Sandy

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester

Designer

Sandy Herd

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Manchester
Dawson & Thomas

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester

Designer

Patrick Dawson & Dave Thomas

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Liverpool
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Liverpool

Designer

Original layout designed by Old Tom Morris. Further improvements made by James Braid, J.H. Taylor and Frederick G. (Fred) Hawtree.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Liverpool
Unknown

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Liverpool

Designer

Original 18-hole layout designed by Kirkwood, Medrington & Hassell (1931); several layout changes made since then.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Liverpool
Cotton, Ken

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Liverpool

Designer

Original design by Willie Park Jr. Present day course designed by C.K. (Ken) Cotton (1960).

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Manchester
Herd, Braid et al

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester

Designer

Many have contributed to the current design of the course, including Sandy Herd, James Braid, Tom Simpson & George Duncan.

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Manchester
McMurray & King

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Manchester

Designer

European Golf Design (Ross McMurray & Michael King)

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Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

Who's Who

Céline Boutier: with many successes as both an amateur and professional golfer, Boutier added a major championship title to her impressive résumé at this year’s Evian Championship.

Alex Cejka: buffeted by rain and high winds, especially on the high-scoring final day, Čejka prevailed over Pádraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcawl, to scoop the Senior Open Championship title.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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