Royal Birkdale is one of England's truly great courses. It doesn't take long to recognise why it has staged the Open Championship on 11 occasions since the Second World War, with the Southport venue also hosting the Women's Open six times to tremendous acclaim.
It's a place ideally suited to major golf, but it's just one key part of what is a remarkable area for spectacular layouts.
This particular stretch of coastline is home to an immense concentration of high calibre golf courses, but you can also expand your scope a little further to uncover dozens of superb golfing jewels.
Using the Golfshake Course Section and its engaging interactive search tool, we have brought together a range of the very best courses that you can experience within relative close proximity to Birkdale, encompassing Merseyside, Lancashire and even parts of Greater Manchester, all of which are only a modest journey away from where the Claret Jug was contested for in 2026.
If you're in the vicinity looking for a round or are planning a future visit to this exceptional corner of England's North West, which is easily one of the most special regions for golf in the UK, then you may find this to be a useful place to start your next adventure!
Aintree Golf Course
Location: Aintree, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.3
Review Comment: "Good course and good value - go there quite a lot for practice rounds. Staff are great."
Ashton & Lea Golf Club
Location: Preston, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.0
Review Comment: "Lovely local course and very friendly members with a great 19th hole. I would definitely play again."
Berrington Hall Golf Club
Location: Rainford, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 3.5
Review Comment: "Lovely course with some great holes to start. Course was in superb condition, tee boxes, fairways and greens all looked great, even with the hot weather. Nice practice area to loosen up on too. Good price too, this place will only get better."
Bidston Golf Club
Location: Wallasey, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 3.8
Review Comment: "The short length doesn't take away from this course. Lots of trouble particularly internal OOB, some water and trees. One to plot around rather than blast through. Greens superb. Will be back."
Blackpool North Shore Golf Club
Location: Blackpool, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.3
Review Comment: "I know there are more illustrious and lauded courses, but, for the price of a round here, just get yourself to Blackpool North Shore, you will love it."
Blundells Hill Golf Club
Location: Rainhill, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.5
Review Comment: "Lovely reasonably priced parkland course. In great condition and great value for money. I'd definitely play again."
Bootle Golf Club
Location: Bootle, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 3.6
Review Comment: "Superb golf course, best value for money, friendliest staff."
Bowring Golf Club
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 3.6
Review Comment: "The course is very well looked after and the greens are in great condition."
Caldy Golf Club
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.6
Review Comment: "I was extremely impressed with the overall layout and condition of the course. The greens were true and the members were really friendly and welcoming. The course was interesting and challenging, especially when the wind picked up."
Dean Wood Golf Club
Location: Upholland, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.0
Review Comment: "Great course. First time playing here. Difficult in places for a high handicapper but there are birdie chances out there."
Fairhaven Golf Club
Location: Lytham St Annes, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.3
Review Comment: "Pristine condition, the weather scorching. The course was set up for a competition coming soon. Extremely tough, but fair. You have to be straight!"
Fleetwood Golf Club
Location: Fleetwood, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.1
Review Comment: "All year round playable course. Was a member here years ago, and would like to rejoin. Always reasonable and staff are fantastic."
Formby Golf Club
Location: Formby, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 5.0
Review Comment: "Absolute gem of a course with rolling fairways and true greens. Friendly service in the clubhouse with huge breakfast rolls."
Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa
Location: Formby, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.0
Review Comment: "The course was possibly near its best condition and played quite hard. Would love to go back again and play another round at Formby Hall."
Formby Ladies Golf Club
Location: Formby, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.5
Review Comment: "Wonderful course! Don't let the length (or lack thereof) fool you: This is a course that requires accuracy. If you're not accurate, the course will require a lot of extra balls in your bag. The fairways are lined with heather: If your ball goes in there, good luck finding it, and if you do, good luck getting it out. It's also a pretty course. The par 3 5th is stunning."
Garstang Golf Club
Location: Garstang, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 3.3
Review Comment: "After days of rain I wasn't looking forward to our round of golf but once out on the course it was in great condition. Fairways and greens were pristine and I thoroughly enjoyed it."
Gathurst Golf Club
Location: Shevington, Greater Manchester
Golfshake Rating: 4.0
Review Comment: "The course was in fantastic condition and you can see the care the greenkeepers put in to keep the place in top condition. The views from this course were picturesque and my photos don’t do it justice but it’s somewhere I will definitely be revisiting."
Grange Park Golf Club
Location: St Helens, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.6
Review Comment: "Friendly welcome in the clubhouse, nice restaurant upstairs. Small pro shop. Decent practice facilities. Course in reasonable condition, tee boxes a bit scruffy. Greens mint, rolled well, some a little tricky to read. Course layout spot on, good mixture of holes, some doglegs and hazards to negotiate. Longish par 3s. Fairly flat, some longish walks between holes. Course well worth playing for sure."
Herons Reach Golf Club
Location: Blackpool, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 3.7
Review Comment: "The course was in excellent condition, fairways were quite lush and approaches to greens were soft so you had to judge your shots well. Greens were very good, rolled well and well protected. The layout was good and challenging for all."
Hesketh Golf Club
Location: Southport, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.1
Review Comment: "This course was lovely. I've played it twice before and it never dissappoints. Something for everyone."
Hillside Golf Club
Location: Southport, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 5.0
Review Comment: "One of, if not the best course I have played. Fantastic condition, excellent practice range and short game area."
Houghwood Golf Club
Location: St Helens, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.2
Review Comment: "Fantastic course to play, well kept greens and fairways, a challenging course with lots of hills to keep you fit."
Hurlston Hall Golf Club
Location: Scarisbrick, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 3.6
Review Comment: "Exceptional course for the money. Tough and exacting, great course and facilities. Will defo be back."
Huyton & Prescot Golf Club
Location: Huyton, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.2
Review Comment: "Very challenging course. Fairways are like carpets. The greens are very difficult to read. Great day."
Kirkby Valley Golf Club
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.0
Review Comment: "Good course, good value for money. Can get busy at times, but for the price you pay it's hard to complain."
Knott End Golf Club
Location: Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.1
Review Comment: "Excellent course, definitely go back, hidden gem, views, superb welcome by staff and pro, every hole got something about it, will definitely be going back again."
Leasowe Golf Club
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.0
Review Comment: "This was a very nice links course with good facilities and very nice kept greens, the group had a great day out."
Lee Park Golf Club
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.5
Review Comment: "The greens brilliant, fairways not so good, clubhouse small, food very good, buggies very good price, had a good day."
Lytham Green Drive Golf Club
Location: Lytham St Annes, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.1
Review Comment: "Very friendly staff. The course was well presented. The speed of the practice green matched the ones on the course. Greens all ran true and bunkers had just the right amount of sand in (I was in rather a lot!). Fairways clearly delineated. A nice course with no contrived/artificial holes."
Mossock Hall Golf Club
Location: Bickerstaffe, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.0
Review Comment: "Greens running pretty well for the time of year and just an all round nice setup of a course. Nice clubhouse, nice food and nice staff. We will be back."
Ormskirk Golf Club
Location: Ormskirk, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.4
Review Comment: "Usual friendly welcome in the pro shop and clubhouse. Nice bacon butty and coffee to start the day. Excellent practice area near pro shop and large putting green in front of the clubhouse. The course as usual was in great condition and greens mint and fairly quick. One thing about Ormskirk is how subtle some of the breaks are on the greens, you think you've got a straight putt but no, but still a joy to putt on. Some cute par 3s on the back nine especially the 14th and 17th. Hopefully I will be back sometime soon if only to master the greens."
Penwortham Golf Club
Location: Penwortham, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.3
Review Comment: "The course was in great condition and the greens were easily the best I've played since summer. Everyone was super friendly on the course and in the clubhouse. We didn't eat, but I have in the past and it was very good also."
Porters Wood Golf Course
Location: Orrell, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.0
Review Comment: "Easy to find. Tests chipping skills. No long holes. Should be able to go round without losing a ball. Interesting distances on holes will help decide club selection. Well worth a visit to hone and or improve skillset. Quite possible to play two rounds for a very reasonable price."
Poulton-le-Fylde Golf Club
Location: Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.1
Review Comment: "Good golf course. Makes you improve your game with trees surrounding, making sure you hit straight."
Prenton Golf Club
Location: Birkenhead, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.3
Review Comment: "Continues to be a challenging course with exceptional greens. The clubhouse is worth a visit, too."
Royal Liverpool Golf Club
Location: Hoylake, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 5.0
Review Comment: "Had the experience first time today to play Royal Liverpool and it didn’t disappoint. If it was not for a couple of stay drives and shots to a couple of greens where I entered the beast of bunkers, I would have walked away a happy chappy, but never mind, the craic was great and look forward to next time!"
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club
Location: Lytham St Annes, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 5.0
Review Comment: "The layout was excellent and the condition of the course was perfect. The quality of the design and the history of the course was evident and the overall Open vibe was great."
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club
Location: Southport, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 5.0
Review Comment: "Every hole was a new challenge and it was in immaculate condition."
Southport Golf Links
Location: Southport, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 3.1
Review Comment: "Condition good for time of year with some baked greens. Would play again."
Southport Old Links Golf Club
Location: Southport, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 3.8
Review Comment: "Friendly people, tight fairways, quite a hard course."
St Annes Old Links Golf Club
Location: Lytham St Annes, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 4.4
Review Comment: "Exceptional course. Greens were in great condition as was the rest of the course. Rough was tough but fair. Pro shop was very welcoming and helpful. Clubhouse was very comfortable and food and drinks not overly expensive. Highly reccomended."
Staining Lodge Golf Course
Location: Staining, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 3.8
Review Comment: "Excellent parkland course. Definitely play it again, some challenging holes, amenities excellent, very friendly staff."
Stanley Park Golf Course
Location: Blackpool, Lancashire
Golfshake Rating: 3.4
Review Comment: "The course is improving every year since the new owners purchased it. I hope this continues as it's a great layout and has so much potential."
Wallasey Golf Club
Location: Wallasey, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.6
Review Comment: "Played in 2025. Demanding links course with some great holes."
The Warren Golf Club
Location: Wallasey, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 3.5
Review Comment: "Great course, amazed what good condition it is in considering recent weather and footfall. Greens well cared for and played well."
West Derby Golf Club
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 3.7
Review Comment: "Great course in great condition. Really friendly staff. Will definitely play again."
The West Lancashire Golf Club
Location: Blundellsands, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.9
Review Comment: "Played in 2025. Always in top condition and greens true and fast."
Wirral Golf Club
Location: Birkenhead, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.1
Review Comment: "Great course, well maintained and challenging. Would be even better with a couple of par-5s. Clubhouse was very welcoming with a good range of food and beers. Would strongly recommend."
From classic links to parkland gems and public facilities to admire, there is a lot for golfers to consume in this part of the world far beyond the undoubted majesty of Royal Birkdale.
Where are you going to play first?
