4 Day England Golf Coast Itinerary
The Lancashire and Sefton coast either side of Southport holds the richest run of championship links in England, several of them Open Championship venues within a short drive of one another. This four day trip plays Royal Birkdale, host of the 2026 Open, Royal Lytham and St Annes, Hillside and Formby, all from a single base in Southport. Here is the plan, with indicative 2026 green fees and drive times.
Photograph: Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Andrew Alecock, via Google
Who this trip suits
This is the great English links break, ideal for a golf group or a serious player who wants several Open venues in a single week without leaving for Scotland or Ireland. The courses sit close together on the dune coast around Southport, so four rounds need only one base and short drives, and the golf is as good as links golf gets in England, big duneland, firm turf and the wind off the Irish Sea. It suits players who relish a real championship examination, played among the towering sandhills that have tested Open fields for a century.
The round that shapes the trip is Royal Birkdale, which admits visitors on limited days and tightens access in 2026 as it hosts the Open, so it must be booked first and built around. Lock that in, slot the other three around it, and you have one of the finest links weeks in the game, an easy trip from Liverpool, Manchester or London.
The 4 day plan
Royal Birkdale, Southport
Open with the jewel of the coast and host of the 2026 Open Championship, regularly ranked the finest links in England. Royal Birkdale runs its fairways through flat valleys between towering dunes, so the lies are fair and the test is pure, a course that has crowned Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Pádraig Harrington and Jordan Spieth. Visitors play on limited days and the club raised its peak fee by about 24 percent for 2026, into the region of 495 pounds; access tightens around the Open, so book first.
Royal Lytham and St Annes
A short drive north across the Ribble lies Royal Lytham and St Annes, an Open venue eleven times and the only one in the rota that opens with a par 3. Hemmed by a red brick suburb and the railway, it has no sea views and needs none: more than 200 bunkers and a brutal closing stretch make it one of the sternest finishing tests in golf, where Bobby Jones, Seve Ballesteros and Ernie Els lifted the Claret Jug. Indicative 2026 fees are around 460 pounds at weekend peak, lower midweek and in the shoulder.
Hillside Golf Club, Southport
Right next door to Royal Birkdale, sharing the same magnificent duneland, sits Hillside, whose back nine Greg Norman once called the finest in Britain. A regular host of professional and amateur championships, it offers far better visitor access than its famous neighbour and a green fee a fraction of the marquee names, making it the value pick of the trip. The closing dune holes are a thrilling stretch. Confirm current green fees directly; this is the round that keeps the week affordable.
Formby Golf Club
Close the trip a little to the south at Formby, a beautiful and distinctive links that runs through stands of pine as well as the dunes, a frequent host of the Amateur Championship and one of the most exclusive clubs on the coast. Access is by arrangement, so it must be requested ahead, but the reward is a serene, classic round of real quality away from the crowds. Confirm access and current green fees directly before booking; a planner can secure the tee time.
Green fees, drive times and logistics
| Round | Indicative 2026 fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Birkdale | Around 495 pounds peak, lower in shoulder | 2026 Open host; limited visitor days; in Southport |
| Royal Lytham and St Annes | Around 460 pounds weekend peak, lower midweek | About 30 to 40 minutes north across the Ribble |
| Hillside | Confirm current rates directly; the value round | Next to Royal Birkdale; better visitor access |
| Formby | Confirm access and rates directly | About 20 minutes south; access by arrangement |
| Base | One hotel in Southport | Birkdale and Hillside minutes away; all within about 40 minutes |
Green fees and drive times verified indicatively in June 2026 from course listings and trade reporting of the 2026 rises; they vary by season and day and change without notice, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking. Find a Southport golf hotel.
When to go and where to stay
Play England's Golf Coast from May to September for the firmest turf and the best weather, or take the spring and autumn shoulder for markedly lower fees and quieter fairways, accepting more wind off the Irish Sea. Base yourself in or around Southport, the handsome Victorian seaside town at the centre of the coast, where a good range of hotels puts Royal Birkdale and Hillside minutes away and the rest within about 40 minutes. The coast is an easy drive from Liverpool and Manchester and a straightforward train from London, so the trip works as a long weekend or a relaxed four day break. A hire car handles the short transfers with ease.
Plan your England's Golf Coast trip
We secure the Royal Birkdale visitor day, request access to Formby, slot Royal Lytham and Hillside around them, and match the base to the golf and the town. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
England's Golf Coast itinerary questions
What is England's Golf Coast?
England's Golf Coast is the stretch of links on the Lancashire and Sefton coast either side of Southport, home to the richest concentration of championship links in England. Within a short drive sit Royal Birkdale, host of the 2026 Open, Royal Lytham and St Annes, Hillside, Formby, Southport and Ainsdale and several more, so four rounds of world class golf need only one base. It is an easy trip from Liverpool, Manchester or London by road or rail. Always confirm current tee times and fees directly before booking.
Can visitors play Royal Birkdale?
Yes, Royal Birkdale welcomes visitors on limited days, though access tightens in 2026 as it hosts the Open Championship. The club raised its peak visitor green fee by about 24 percent for 2026, into the region of around 495 pounds at peak, with lower shoulder rates, and tee times go early, especially around the Open. Book well ahead or through a trip planner. Always confirm current access, dates and fees directly before booking.
How much does an England's Golf Coast trip cost in green fees?
Four rounds across the marquee Lancashire links run to roughly 1,000 to 1,400 pounds per golfer in green fees in the 2026 peak season, with Royal Birkdale and Royal Lytham the dearest after steep 2026 rises, and Hillside the value of the group at a fraction of its neighbour's fee. Spring and autumn rates are markedly lower than high summer. These are indicative figures, so always confirm current fees directly before booking.
Where should you stay for an England's Golf Coast trip?
Base yourself in or around Southport, the Victorian seaside town at the heart of the coast, which puts Royal Birkdale, Hillside and Southport and Ainsdale within minutes and Royal Lytham and Formby a short drive away. Southport offers a good range of hotels and the famous Lord Street, and a hire car makes the short hops between courses simple. Always confirm current availability directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Visitor days, green fee changes and the booking windows that matter. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative green fees and drive times verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.