Royal Liverpool, known to golfers simply as Hoylake, lies at the very heart of the history of golf in Britain. Built in 1869 on the old Liverpool Hunt Club racecourse, it is the oldest English seaside course apart from Royal North Devon at Westward Ho!, and it gained its Royal title in 1871.
The links were created to be a demanding test and remain so: by turns beautiful, uplifting and, on occasion, soul-destroying. The Open returned to Hoylake for the 13th time in 2023, when Brian Harman lifted the Claret Jug, nine years after Rory McIlroy’s victory here in 2014.
Hoylake sits on the Wirral Peninsula, close to Liverpool and within easy reach of Royal Birkdale and the rest of England’s Golf Coast.
Course: 18-hole championship links. Address: Meols Drive, Hoylake, Wirral CH47 4AL
Planning a round at Royal Liverpool? See our guide to golf in the North West for nearby courses, hotels and tours, or visit the Royal Liverpool website.