Merseyside - Royal Birkdale Golf Club
Experience links heaven at this iconic golf course
For many, Royal Birkdale Golf Club occupies the top spot in the North West. Its unparalleled status within English golf has become less a matter of opinion than a statement of fact.
Everyone has their favourites, of course, but few would claim this world-famous Open venue isn’t worthy of a place in the UK's top ten.
Located in the beautiful town of Southport on the North West coast of England, many view this region as a major golfing hotspot.
When it comes to outstanding links golf in the UK, Royal Birkdale immediately springs to mind. Host of 10 Open Championships, 6 Women's Opens and 2 Ryder Cups, it's consistently top rated by amateurs and pros alike.
Since first hosting The Open in 1954, Royal Birkdale has been the most regular venue for the Championship other than St Andrews. You may remember Jordan Spieth’s heroics here in 2017, or a young Justin Rose holing out on the 18th back in 1998? Mark O’Meara may have won his second Major that year, but the abiding memory of that championship will always be 17-year-old Rose pitching in at the last to take fourth place.
Challenging venues have a habit of creating special memories, and Birkdale is most certainly that. This peerless links is blessed with towering dunes, and when the wind is up, it can be a challenging (albeit rewarding) experience.
Should you ever be fortunate enough to tread the prestigious fairways of Royal Birkdale, you and your playing companions will be the envy of every other golfer in the country for a few precious hours.
And we haven't even mentioned the iconic and highly distinctive Art Deco clubhouse. The white exterior was (successfully) designed to resemble an ocean liner ploughing between the massive dunes that are a trademark of the club.
There is arguably no finer destination for a golfing break this side of St Andrews.