England Golf Coast Golf Holidays
One short stretch of the northwest coast holds more great links than anywhere in England: Royal Birkdale, Hillside, Formby and Southport and Ainsdale almost touch, with Royal Lytham and Royal Liverpool close by. It is the densest championship golf in the country, and Royal Birkdale hosts the Open in July 2026.
Photo: Royal Birkdale Golf Club via Google.
Who it suits
England's Golf Coast is the trip for golfers who want serious links in a tight radius. Centered on Southport in Merseyside, it strings together a run of Open and Amateur Championship venues so close that Southport and Ainsdale, Royal Birkdale and Hillside share the same belt of dunes, separated only by footpaths and the railway line. You can play a different championship course every day and barely move your base.
It suits buddies groups and societies above all, low handicappers chasing the famous tests and higher handicappers who simply want to walk where the Open is decided. With Royal Birkdale hosting the 154th Open from 12 to 19 July 2026, demand for 2026 and 2027 is high, so plan early. Spring through early autumn gives the firmest turf and the longest light.
Courses to build around
Royal Birkdale
Widely rated the best links in England and host of the 154th Open in July 2026. Fair, classic and brutal in wind, with fairways winding through tall dunes. The round every group on the coast wants on the card.
Hillside
Right next door to Birkdale, with a back nine set deep in towering dunes that Greg Norman called the finest in Britain. A genuine Open final qualifying venue and a worthy equal to its famous neighbour.
Formby
Heath and links in one, framed by pine, sandhills and superb bunkering. A long time Amateur Championship and Open qualifying host, and the most varied round on the coast.
Southport and Ainsdale
A James Braid redesign from 1924 through heather and big dunes, twice a Ryder Cup host in the 1930s. Tough, traditional and often the quiet highlight of a trip.
Royal Lytham and St Annes
About 50 minutes north, an Open venue ringed by red brick and more than 200 bunkers, where Jones, Ballesteros and Els all won. A different, town links character.
Royal Liverpool, Hoylake
Across the Mersey on the Wirral, a multiple Open host that crowned McIlroy in 2014. Flat looking but fierce in wind, an easy add to a coast trip.
Course facts verified June 2026 from the clubs and recognized rankings. Royal Birkdale hosts The Open from 12 to 19 July 2026; Southport and Ainsdale carries James Braid's 1924 redesign and hosted the Ryder Cup in 1933 and 1937. Access, visitor days and green fees change, so always confirm with each club before booking.
A sample trip, day by day
Arrive in Southport
Fly into Manchester or Liverpool, transfer to a Southport base, and warm up with a relaxed evening nine or the practice ground.
Hillside
Open with Birkdale's neighbour, a superb dune links to find your links legs before the marquee round.
Royal Birkdale
The headline day on the 2026 Open course, fairways threading through the dunes, the round the trip is built around.
Formby
Pine, heath and sandhills for a complete change of texture, then dinner back in Southport.
Southport and Ainsdale
Braid's heather and dune test, walkable from the other courses and often the sleeper favourite.
Lytham or Hoylake
Add Royal Lytham to the south or Royal Liverpool across the Mersey, then fly home.
Indicative costs and when to book
| Item | Indicative 2026 |
|---|---|
| Royal Birkdale green fee | championship rate, peak, confirm |
| Hillside green fee | links rate, peak, confirm |
| Formby green fee | links rate, confirm |
| Southport and Ainsdale green fee | links rate, confirm |
| Southport hotel, per night | indicative, confirm |
| Transfers and caddies | indicative, confirm |
Best time to book: plan 9 to 12 months ahead for 2026 and 2027 given the Open at Birkdale, and target May to September for firm turf and long days. Most clubs limit visitor tee times, so secure the marquee rounds first and build the week around them. Tee times via our trip enquiry; where to stay via our recommended hotels and resorts.
Plan an England's Golf Coast trip
Tell us the group, the dates and the must play courses, and a concierge will secure the Birkdale, Hillside and Formby tee times, book a Southport base and cost the week to the head, with no obligation.
England's Golf Coast questions
Which courses are on England's Golf Coast?
The core run is Royal Birkdale, Hillside, Southport and Ainsdale and Formby around Southport, with Royal Lytham and St Annes to the north and Royal Liverpool at Hoylake across the Mersey. Eight of the coast's courses sit in the top 100 of the UK and Ireland.
When is the Open at Royal Birkdale?
The 154th Open Championship is scheduled for Royal Birkdale in Southport from 12 to 19 July 2026. Demand for tee times on the coast is high around it, so book well ahead.
How much does an England's Golf Coast golf trip cost?
Championship green fees on the coast are premium and peak in summer, and a buddies week with three or four marquee rounds, a Southport hotel and transfers typically lands in the mid hundreds to low thousands per head. Figures are indicative for 2026; always confirm directly before booking.
How do you get there and around?
Fly into Manchester or Liverpool, around an hour from Southport, then use a minibus or hire cars. Southport and Ainsdale, Royal Birkdale and Hillside share the same dunes, so several courses are within minutes of each other.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts verified June 2026; green fees and package figures indicative for the 2026 season, always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.