Have You Played These English Links Golf Courses

By: Kieran Clark | Fri 21 Jul 2023

Depending on whose expert opinion you consult, there are approximately 250 'true' links courses on the planet. Many of the finest of them can be found across England, most notably the six venues that have hosted The Open Championship.

However, we wanted to shine a spotlight on those other layouts near the seaside that have most impressed the everyday golfers who make up the Golfshake Community.

Excluding those iconic Open hosts, we have studied the Golfshake Top 100 Ranking and picked out 15 of The Best English Links Courses that should on the list of anyone to experience in their lifetime.

Perhaps you have already played a few of them yourself!

Formby Golf Club

Location: Formby, Merseyside

Green Fees: £230 (Summer)

Golfshake Rating: 5.00

Review Comment: "Formby is the gem on the Lancashire golf coast; a true escape from reality and the most unique yet challenging test of golf that the area has to offer."

Silloth-on-Solway Golf Club

Location: Silloth, Cumbria

Green Fees: £80 (Summer), £45 (Winter)

Golfshake Rating: 4.96

Review Comment: "You will not find a better value for money course in the country. You CANNOT get away with anything that is just slightly off-line and you need to think your way around the course or it will make a fool of you. I loved this course so much as it tested my golfing brain and challenges you not take too many risks. So much so I have just been accepted as a member."

Royal West Norfolk Golf Club

Location: Brancaster, Norfolk

Green Fees: £125 (High Season)

Golfshake Rating: 4.94

Review Comment: "Cracking layout. The old fashioned in and out style of links is great fun, especially if the tide is in. The course is quite forgiving from the tee if you are on the right lines, but around the greens and bunkers is where it will catch you out. Condition is fantastic. As expected."

Hillside Golf Club

Location: Southport, Merseyside

Green Fees: £220 (Summer), £140 (March/October), £110 (Winter)

Golfshake Rating: 4.93

Review Comment: "Of all the top quality courses in and around Southport, Hillside is top of the tree for me. From the welcoming members, the staff and the golf course it’s a joy to play and return time and time again."

Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club

Location: Southport, Merseyside

Green Fees: £230 (Summer)

Golfshake Rating: 4.93

Review Comment: "A stunning course that asks lots of questions from tee to green. Then once you find the putting surface you are confronted by humps and hollows galore. An absolute pleasure to play, in such fine condition."

St Enodoc Golf Club, Church Course

Location: Rock, Cornwall

Green Fees: £135 (Summer), £70 (Winter)

Golfshake Rating: 4.93

Review Comment: "Played here yesterday for the first time. The course certainly lived up to its reputation...magnificent! The weather was a bit hit and miss and sadly so was the golf, but it didn't matter. Courteous friendly staff, great organisation, lovely food. Thank you St Enodoc, I will be back."

The West Lancashire Golf Club

Location: Liverpool, Merseyside

Green Fees: £175 (Summer), £140 (October)

Golfshake Rating: 4.93

Review Comment: "West Lancashire GC is a great course and I very much look forward to playing there again. Links golf at its finest."

Hunstanton Golf Club

Location: Hunstanton, Norfolk

Green Fees: £135 (Summer), £90 (Winter)

Golfshake Rating: 4.93

Review Comment: "I played in the summer of 2022. I was really impressed with the condition of the course considering the time of year and weather we had. The layout of the links was great and the views were stunning. This was my first time playing here, and it exceeded my expectations."

Burnham & Berrow Golf Club, Championship Course

Location: Burnham on Sea, Somerset

Green Fees: £130

Golfshake Rating: 4.92

Review Comment: "No wonder this course appears in top 100 lists. Fantastic experience all round. We were lucky to have a deal, could appear expensive otherwise. But one to tick off the bucket list."

Saunton Golf Club, East & West Courses

Location: Saunton, Devon

Green Fees: £130 (Summer), £115 (April/October), £85 (Winter)

Golfshake Rating: 4.91

Review Comment: "This links course is gorgeous. The greens are amazing, and it's such a quality venue. It's in fabulous condition - there are very few blind shots."

Trevose Golf & Country Club, Championship Course

Location: Padstow, Cornwall

Green Fees: £100 (Summer), £80-£55 (Autumn/Winter)

Golfshake Rating: 4.91

Review Comment: "The staff were incredibly friendly and the atmosphere was unpretentious. The views were fantastic and the course itself was both historical and challenging. It was a superb links course and was set up and kept in amazing condition. Highly recommended!"

Royal North Devon Golf Club

Location: Westward Ho, Devon

Green Fees: £100

Golfshake Rating: 4.88

Review Comment: "The course is quite level and exposed, but there are sufficient undulations to add interest and create a lot of blind shots. The greens were in great condition and you had to be accurate with your approach shots to keep the ball on the green. The view from the 6th tee is fantastic with coastal views for around 270 degrees around you. If you fancy a taste of links golf this is a great option."

Rye Golf Club, Old Course

Location: Rye, East Sussex

Green Fees: £175

Golfshake Rating: 4.79

Review Comment: "I've been lucky enough to play some of the top links courses in the country and Rye is up there with the very best. It's a classic test, full of interesting holes, in wonderful condition. The clubhouse has that old musty smell of a slightly decrepit boarding school, and it is generally a bit of a fusty old place inside, but outside the course is wonderful. Alongside the likes of North Berwick, St Enodoc and Dornoch in my personal ranking - ahead of places like Saunton, Royal Cinque Ports and Prestwick."

Wallasey Golf Club

Location: Wallasey, Merseyside

Green Fees: £175 (Summer), £135 (Autumn), £100 (Winter)

Golfshake Rating: 4.75

Review Comment: "It's been two years since I last played this layout, some amazing changes, new bunkers and walkways between holes are brilliant, nice touch with the extra signs and new tee markers and metal bottoms to the holes to make holing a putt even more aesthetic. I can see why it's entered the Top 100 this year."