England's Golf Coast

Few places on the globe can match the concentration of outstanding golf courses found in northwest England – affectionately known as England’s Golf Coast. The Southport and Liverpool area is home to three Open rota courses, a former Ryder Cup venue, and an outstanding duo of unheralded links that often rank among the favorites of a trip. All of which can be enjoyed without ever having to change hotels.

The seaside dunes-land bordering the Irish Sea near Liverpool and Southport features arguably the best collection of links courses in the world. Within an hour’s drive of Southport there are three “Royal” members of The Open Rota: Royal Lytham & St. Anne’s, Royal Birkdale, and Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

At Royal Liverpool, we find one of The Open's most storied venues which has crowned some of its greatest champions: Tiger, Rory, Walter, and Bobby all won here. At Royal Birkdale, Arnold Palmer took home his first of back-to-back Open Championships, and the Claret Jug is set to return again in 2026. Finally, Royal Lytham & St. Annes has hosted its share of notable moments in The Open, including two wins by Seve Ballesteros.

In addition to the Royal headliners, northwest England is home to an exceptional list of accompanying courses. Southport & Ainsdale is a two-time host of the Ryder Cup, while Formby has played host of The Amateur Championship on four occasions. And then there is Hillside, which features one of the finest closing nines in golf and could easily join its neighbors as a member of The Open rota.

Although the area is heaven for England golf trips, the region is light on inspiration off the course. After a day of sightseeing in Liverpool, there is little to occupy the tourist traveling without clubs to England's Golf Coast. Southport does feature an array of solid restaurants and a vibrant pub scene, but traveling here with a partner who doesn’t golf is less than ideal.