Photo: Sue Adair · CC BY-SA 2.0
Lancashire & Merseyside Coast, England
Royal Liverpool Golf Club
A historic links on the Wirral, known as Hoylake, and one of England's most frequent Open Championship venues.
Course overview
Royal Liverpool Golf Club was founded in 1869 on the site of the former Liverpool Hunt Club racecourse, with the original layout by Robert Chambers and George Morris extended to eighteen holes in 1871. The course was substantially reworked by Harry Colt in 1923, and further modified by Donald Steel in 2001, stretching it beyond 7,000 yards. Commonly known as Hoylake, it has hosted The Open Championship multiple times, most recently in 2023, and offers visitor tee times on weekdays.
The essentials
- Architect
- Robert Chambers and George Morris; Harry Colt (redesign 1923)
- Established
- 1869
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,713 m
- Location
- Wirral, Merseyside, England
Character & atmosphere
A traditional out-and-back links on the Dee Estuary, with subtle rather than dramatic terrain and small, well-defended greens. Rewards controlled ball flight and course management over power; the closing holes have a long history of deciding Open Championships.
Highlights
Why play here
- Designed by Robert Chambers and George Morris; Harry Colt (redesign 1923), opened in 1869.
- Sea views feature throughout the round.
Practical guidance
Plan your visit
How to get there
Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL) is the nearest airport to Royal Liverpool, with the course reachable in under an hour by road via the Wirral. Manchester Airport (MAN) is a further alternative, around 50 miles away, with a broader international network. Weekday visitor tee times can be booked directly with the club; weekend play is generally reserved for members, so weekday travel is recommended.
Where to stay
Southport is the obvious base for a Royal Birkdale trip — the course sits at the southern edge of the town, and the wider Sefton coast is one of England's most concentrated links golf regions. The town itself retains a traditional English seaside character, with Lord Street's Victorian architecture and a genuine pier adding some non-golf interest for a short stay.
Location
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England
Explore Lancashire & Merseyside Coast
England's premier Open Championship coastline, spanning Royal Birkdale on the Sefton dunes, Royal Liverpool across the Dee Estuary on the Wirral, and Royal Lytham & St Annes on the Fylde coast.