Public

Formby Course

Formby Golf Club

Formby, Merseyside, England
Keaner
michaelreilly77
EllWilko157
Alex
Griffinrush7
+12
18 holesPar 727,031 yds77.3/149

About this course

Formby Golf Club occupies a classic stretch of linksland on England's northwest coast, situated among the pine-fringed dunes between Liverpool and Southport. The course traces its origins to 1884, with significant design contributions from Willie Park and James Braid in its early development. More recent work by Donald Steel and Martin Hawtree has refined the layout while preserving its traditional links character. The club has long maintained a reputation as one of the finest members' clubs in the north of England. The routing moves through natural duneland corridors lined with Scots pine and punctuated by gorse, creating a distinctive blend of open links terrain and sheltered woodland passages. The sandy soil provides firm, fast-running conditions characteristic of authentic links golf, while the undulating fairways and elevated greens demand precise approach play. Several holes play along ridgelines with views across the Irish Sea, and the prevailing wind from the west adds strategic complexity to club selection and shot shaping. Formby has hosted numerous regional and national amateur championships, including multiple English Amateur Championships and British Ladies Amateur events. The club's competitive history reflects its standing as a rigorous test of links golf, particularly when coastal winds are up. Red squirrels, a protected species increasingly rare in England, inhabit the pine woods bordering the course, adding a notable ecological dimension to the property.

Rankings

Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.

305

Best in World

28

Best in UK

9

Best in England

Quick facts

Location
Formby, Merseyside, England
Access
Public
Year built
1884
Holes
18
Par
72
Length
7,031 yards
Difficulty
77.3/149
Course Vaults score
8.7

Getting there

Liverpool John Lennon Airport lies just twenty miles south, making Formby Golf Club an effortless hour's reach from touchdown, while Manchester Airport offers a slightly longer but equally civilized alternative for international arrivals. The drive north from Liverpool traces the edge of the Mersey estuary before turning inland through the flat, unassuming farmland of the Sefton coast, where the landscape reveals little of what awaits. Only in the final approach, as the road narrows and the first glimpses of windswept pines appear against the dunes, does the journey hint at the wild, links-laden stretch of English coastline that Formby has quietly commanded since 1884.

FAQ

Common questions about Formby

Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.

Formby has a Course Vaults score of 8.7 out of 10 based on 17 logged golfers.

Formby was designed by Donald Steel, Martin Hawtree, James Braid, and Willie Park.

Yes. Formby is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.

Par at Formby is 72.

Formby plays 7,031 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.

The slope rating at Formby is 149.

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Course Reviews
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