Formby Golf Club, Merseyside

HISTORY

Formby Golf Course, founded in 1884, is a magnificent traditional links of charm and elegance situated close by the shoreline of the Irish Sea, near Southport.

The course is located within the sandhills and pine woods of Formby, the natural terrain providing a memorable challenge to the golfer.

Members play the course at 6500 yards but the championship length has recently been increased to 6993 yards. Accuracy is always required since the indigenous heather protects much of the rough and great caution is required whether this be off the tee, in approach shots, or on the green.

Formby Golf Club is unique in Britain not because membership is only available to men - but because Formby Ladies Golf Club, founded in 1896, is located on the same links. The Ladies Club is completely independent with its own Clubhouse, course and greenkeeping staff. The superb Championship Ladies Course is enclosed within the men's course and is also available to visitors by separate arrangement every day (except competitions) including weekends.

THE CLUBHOUSE

The original clubhouse was a rough wooden shelter with a thatched roof which was built in the mid 1880's, but this was burnt to the ground in 1899 and was replaced with the current clubhouse which dates from 1901.

In 1998 the clubhouse was extended and refurbished. There are superb facilities including an upstairs lounge, snooker room, two fully licensed bars and a large dining room. With breathtaking views over the course the golfer is provided with unsurpassed Clubhouse hospitality and comfort complementing these magnificent and extraordinary links.

THE DORMY HOUSE

The Dormy house, contained within the clubhouse provides 4 single and 3 twin bedded rooms. There are shared toilets and shower facilities. Accommodation and breakfast is available to all male golfers.

THE COURSE

Formby golf course has been modelled by three of the greatest golf architects. In 1884 Willie Park laid out the original course which Harry Colt modified in the 1920's. More recently, in 1984, Frank Pennink made further modifications.

Formby is a links course with sloping fairways, firm fast seaside greens, natural sandy bunkers and some prodigious sandhills. The combination of heather and woodland increases the problems of the golfer who strays from the straight and narrow.

Formby Golf Club has hosted many major amateur events in Britain including three Amateur Championships. When the Amateur Championship was held at Formby in 1984, Jose-Maria Olazabal beat Colin Montgomerie in the final with David Gilford being a losing semi-finalist.