Travel bucket list idea:
Royal Birkdale Golf Course
Southport, Merseyside, United Kingdom (UK)
Last updated: 21 March, 2024
The setting for Jordan Spieth’s remarkable 2017 Open Championship win is this stunning links course, a mile south of Southport. The eighteen holes wind their way through magnificent dunes – the four par 3s (4, 7, 12 and 14) – are as good as any you’ll find, and many of the tees are slightly elevated, making the holes easy to see. The 12th is particularly challenging, playing over a hollow and onto a narrow green protected by an amphitheatre of four pot bunkers.
The 18th, which thankfully plays as a par 5 for amateurs (the pros play it as a tough 4), finishes at the eye-catching art deco clubhouse (and site of a fine restaurant). All told, a superb golfing experience.
Logistics
Price from: £165
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Duration: -
Getting there & doing it
The course is only a 30-minute drive from Liverpool – perfect to pair with a city break. See our Liverpool guide for recommendations of where to stay.
When to do it
The course is open to visitors on Mondays, Tuesday afternoons from 2.10pm; Wednesdays, Thursdays, Friday mornings and some Sunday mornings between 11:30am and 12 noon. April to September is the best time to play; you avoid winter greens and fairway mats.
