Photo: Roger W Haworth · CC BY-SA 2.0
Lancashire & Merseyside Coast, England
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club
A links unusually set among red-brick houses on the Fylde coast, with eleven Open Championships to its name.
Course overview
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club was founded in 1886, with the present course laid out in 1897 by George Lowe and substantially redesigned by Harry Colt in 1919. Distinctively, the course begins with a par 3 and is bordered throughout by the streets and houses of St Annes rather than open duneland, yet it remains one of England's most respected Open venues. The club has hosted eleven Open Championships and two Ryder Cups, and welcomes visitors most of the year outside its winter closure.
The essentials
- Architect
- George Lowe; Harry Colt (redesign 1919)
- Established
- 1897
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 70
- Length
- 6,509 m
- Location
- Lancashire, England
Character & atmosphere
A links hemmed in by residential streets rather than open dunes, defended instead by around 200 pot bunkers and a famously demanding finish. Walking-only, and rewards accuracy off the tee over length — a course that punishes loose iron play at every turn regardless of conditions.
Highlights
Why play here
- Designed by George Lowe; Harry Colt (redesign 1919), opened in 1897.
Facilities
Practical guidance
Plan your visit
How to get there
Blackpool Airport (BLK) is by far the closest airport, approximately 2.4 miles from the course — around 10 minutes by car — though it has limited scheduled services. Liverpool John Lennon (LPL) and Manchester (MAN) are the practical alternatives for international connections, each roughly an hour's drive via the motorway network. Visitor tee times run most of the year, with the club closed to outside play from November to February.
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.