Formby: 2026 Access and Booking Update
On the Sefton coast between Liverpool and Southport, Formby is a links with a woodland heart, a par 72 shaped by Colt, Braid and Park that has long served The Open as a qualifying venue. Here is where it stands in 2026, and the access reality you need to plan for.
The news: a links with a woodland heart
Formby has been part of English golf since 1884, and its pedigree reads like a roll call of the great architects, Willie Park Jr, James Braid and Harry Colt all leaving their mark, with Colt making significant alterations in 1933. The result is one of the most distinctive courses on England's Golf Coast, a par 72 stretching close to 7,000 yards that threads mature sand dunes and stands of pine, so that it plays as a true links with a sheltered, woodland character that sets it apart from its neighbours.
The headline for 2026 is continuity. Formby remains a fixture in the upper reaches of the England rankings and a regular part of The Open's qualifying machinery, having served as a qualifying venue in 1924, 1971 and 1996 and as a final qualifying course in 2006. More than a century on, it holds its place among the courses every visiting links golfer hopes to play on a trip to the north west coast.
The course, and the access reality
What sets Formby apart is variety. The round moves from open, rumpled links ground into avenues framed by pine and heather and back again, a rhythm that keeps the challenge fresh and gives the course its reputation as the most charming of the coast's championship links. The defence lies in the dunes, the angled fairways and greens that reward the player who shapes the ball, rather than in brute length. For the full design and access detail see the Formby course profile.
The access reality calls for planning. Formby is among the more selective clubs on the coast, handling visitor requests case by case, often requiring a letter of introduction from your home club, and favouring midweek play, so you will not simply book a tee time online. For the wider region see the England destination guide and our ranking of the best courses on England's Golf Coast.
How to play it in 2026
The Sefton coast plays best from late spring to early autumn, roughly May to September, when the links turf is firm and fast and the weather most settled, though the well drained ground gives a long playable season either side. Because access is arranged rather than booked online, the practical 2026 plan is to make contact well in advance, target a midweek tee time and have a letter of introduction to hand, then build the trip around the cluster of great links within a short drive.
That cluster is the point. Formby sits among Royal Birkdale, Hillside and Southport and Ainsdale, with Royal Liverpool just across the estuary, so a Southport base lets you string together several of the finest links in England in a few days. Green fees are seasonal and sit in the region of 160 to 210 pounds for 2026, so treat any figure as indicative and always confirm directly before booking.
Our take
Our take is that Formby is one of the most rewarding and most underrated rounds on England's Golf Coast, a course whose blend of open links and pine framed avenues gives it a character all its own. It is the connoisseur's choice on a coast full of famous names, and a round that lingers long after the trip is over.
For 2026 the advice is entirely about access. Plan early, arrange the round in advance with a letter of introduction, aim for a midweek date in the firm summer months, and base in Southport to fold Formby into a tour of the great north west links. Do that and you play one of the genuine gems of English golf at its best.
Plan your England's Golf Coast trip
From Formby to Royal Birkdale, Hillside and the rest of the great north west links, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge arranges access and builds the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
What kind of course is Formby?
Formby is a links of unusual character on the Sefton coast between Liverpool and Southport, established in 1884 and shaped over the years by Willie Park Jr, James Braid and Harry Colt, with Colt making notable alterations in 1933. It is a par 72 stretching close to 7,000 yards, threading mature sand dunes and stands of pine so that it plays as a links with a woodland heart, a blend few courses can match.
Has Formby hosted The Open or qualifying?
Formby has served as a qualifying venue for The Open Championship on several occasions, including 1924, 1971 and 1996, and acted as a final qualifying course in 2006. It has also hosted leading amateur championships over its history, a reflection of its standing among the great courses of England's Golf Coast.
Can visitors play Formby in 2026?
Visitor play is possible but Formby is one of the more selective clubs on the coast and you will not simply book a tee time online. The club handles visitor requests case by case, often asks for a letter of introduction from your home club, and favours midweek play. Indicative 2026 green fees are in the region of 160 to 210 pounds; treat any figure as indicative and always confirm access and fees directly before booking.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts, design history, Open qualifying record and access verified June 2026 from club, ranking panel and golf travel sources; conditions, access and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.