Advice please as to Southport area courses

[heronsghyll]

Hi Forumers,

I am going to arrange small golf tour to the Southport area next year - approx. 3-4 days.

I have played a number of courses in the area and have always had a great time on previous trips including:

Birkdale
Royal Liverpool
Lytham St Annes
Hillside
Southport and Ainslie
West Lancs
Formby

I was wondering if anyone could advise me (maybe forum members who live in the area) if these courses are worth playing?

Fairhaven
Hesketh
St Anne's Old
Wallasey

I am keen to play all courses in that area that are worth playing and would really value advice as to whether these are worth visiting and playing, or if I have missed any out in the locality.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Fyldewhite]

St Annes Old Links and Fairhaven both very good tracks and have both bee Open Qualifying courses in the recent past. SAOL is a classic links and similar to the Southport courses on your list, a brute in the wind. Fairhaven is quite "linksy" in style (flat, hard fairways, well bunkered) but in more of a parkland setting and a bit more sheltered. May make for a change of scenery if your other courses are predominantly links?

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Wallasey is, Hesketh isn't.

Can't advise on the others I'm afraid.

 

[heronsghyll]

St Annes Old Links and Fairhaven both very good tracks and have both bee Open Qualifying courses in the recent past. SAOL is a classic links and similar to the Southport courses on your list, a brute in the wind. Fairhaven is quite "linksy" in style (flat, hard fairways, well bunkered) but in more of a parkland setting and a bit more sheltered. May make for a change of scenery if your other courses are predominantly links?

Thanks - can I ask you if you know Hesketh and Wallasey? Any good?

 

[Junior]

The ones you have played are the 'cream'. IMO, SAOL, Fairhavean and Wallasey are really great courses too and well worth a visit on a trip up. There is not a lot of love for Hesketh, but thats because its probably the lesser of the courses that you have listed. Still, the 7 holes around the clubhouse are really nice. You then cross a road and the holes are more 'moorland' in feel and not as good. It's not a bad course though, but wouldnt pay more than say £30 for a round there.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Thanks - can I ask you if you know Hesketh and Wallasey? Any good?

Sorry, not played them.

 

[merv79]

I have played Birkdale, S&A, Formby and West Lancs, all courses I would highly recommend.

Hesketh on the other hand I would say to avoid unless you are really struggling to get a game somewhere else. I recall it had 5 or 6 good linksy holes however at least half of the course was of a very unlinksy nature, and were not particularly enjoyable or memorable.

 

[heronsghyll]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and opinions - very helpful.

 

[davemc1]

If you're willing to go over to Wallasey (which is a cracker) then you also have Hoylake in the area.