Formby Golf Club

Geweldige baan. Erg mooie holes, de baan ligt er geweldig bij. Zelfs op het moment dat de fairway redelijk droog is, is de kwaliteit top.

Formby is a fascinating hybrid, a true links in spirit but dressed in heathland clothing. The course winds through pinewoods and sandhills in a way that feels both wild and civilised, offering a rare mix of firm, running turf and tree-lined tranquillity. It’s the only Southport course I know where you might lose a ball in heather rather than marram grass,. The opening stretch eases you in before the dunes tighten their grip, while the middle holes glide through woodland corridors with a slightly Surrey feel. Strategic bunkering, subtle green contours and natural flow make for endlessly interesting golf, whether you’re shaping shots through the pines or flighting them low against the coastal breeze. Formby is quite literally the best of two worlds. Links golf with manners, heathland golf with sea air. A course of rare character, and one that lingers in the memory long after you’ve brushed the sand from your shoes.

Played Formby Golf Club as part of a golf trip with The Golf Traveler to Liverpool which also included Wallasey, Royal Liverpool-Hoy Lake and Royal Lytham & St Annes.

In my opinion, Formby was the most beautiful course we played during this trip. For Dutch readers: imagine a combination of the Noordwijkse and Lage Vuursche. A links course with (pine) trees, alternating between open holes and forest holes. Not a spectacular clubhouse, but typically English. It's a pity that the driving range is located quite far from the clubhouse, pro shop and hole 1. For many, this is a discouragement to go there.

Formby has an 18-hole course for men, but also one for women with its own (more modest…) clubhouse. The women's course is surrounded by the men's course, which, as it were, meanders around the women's course.

My play today was very mediocre and yet I still had a very good feeling about this course. And that says it all I think. Great fun and enjoyment, even if your own game lets you down.

When considering the highlights of the course, no specific holes come to mind. The whole here is much more than the sum of its parts.

Would love to play here again.

A great club with a lot of tradition but in my opinion the course is not particularly exciting. A quiet place surronded by big pines but quite overrated. Overall a pleasant experience.

Wow, what an absolutely stunning golf course! Formby truly lived up to, and even exceeded, every bit of praise and expectation that had been carefully instilled in me prior to my visit. From the moment I set foot on its historic soil, it was clear that my day spent in Formby would be one for the record books.

The day started off on a delightful note with a succulent breakfast spread that was exactly what one requires before a testing round.

Now let's talk about the course itself. The putting greens were nothing short of perfect, finely manicured and exquisitely maintained. Each stroke of my putter was met with a satisfyingly smooth roll of the ball. The bunkers, while a challenge to any golfer, were pristine and well-groomed. Their sand was fine, almost silky, adding another layer of texture to this golfing odyssey.

Formby's rough, composed of dense, tough fescue, added another layer of complexity to the course. This fescue, while beautiful to look at, required precision and strategy in each stroke. It was a test of mettle and a reminder that even nature's beauty can pose a formidable challenge.

Formby isn't just about the golf though. The course is a living history lesson, every hole, every fairway drenched in the rich history of the sport. This golf course has seen countless tournaments and legendary players. Playing here was like walking in the footsteps of golfing greats, an absolute honour and a thrilling experience.

What sets Formby apart is its unique blend of landscapes. The seamless mix of traditional links, typically found on coastal courses, and the unexpected yet incredibly beautiful pine trees, make Formby a visual spectacle. This intermingling of sea and forest has resulted in one of the most breathtaking courses I've ever had the pleasure to play. The small walk from the 8th green to the 9th tee, glimpsing the sea for the first time, is truly magical.

But honestly, no words, no matter how eloquent, can adequately capture the essence of Formby. It's an experience that needs to be lived, to be felt, and I urge you, as a fellow golf enthusiast, to make it a point to visit and play Formby at least once in your lifetime. It is, without a doubt, a pilgrimage every golf lover must undertake on their personal journey in the sport.