Hillside Golf Club

There are eight top-notch seaside courses between St Annes and Liverpool and many people believe that this is the best stretch of linksland in the British Isles. It is certainly England’s links golfing Mecca and Hillside Golf Club is perhaps the best of the non-royal commoners.

Hillside is an underappreciated gem, separated only by a footpath, but hiding in the shadow of its regal next-door neighbour, Royal Birkdale. The railway line separates Hillside from Southport and Ainsdale, another quality but relatively unknown links.

Today’s layout is very different to the original Hillside that was founded in 1911. The club acquired some new land in the 1960s and Fred W. Hawtree extensively remodelled the course, making major changes to the back nine. The front nine has always been highly regarded and plays over relatively flat ground, but it’s the homeward nine that is really special and is frequently bracketed alongside Ballybunion because the holes ripple and undulate through the giant dunes.

There are many strong and individual holes but it’s the 11th that has everything going for it, a reachable par five of just over 500 yards that doglegs left; the elevated tee provides a panoramic view of the hole in play and many other holes too, not only at Hillside but also at Royal Birkdale and Southport & Ainsdale. A well-struck drive to the dune-flanked fairway will tempt the big hitters to go for the raised green in two, but watch out for that cavernous bunker lurking on the right.

Although Birkdale is a regular Open host, Hillside has staged numerous big events, both amateur and professional. In the 1982 PGA Championship, Tony Jacklin tied with Bernhard Langer. Jacklin went on to win at the first play-off hole; this was to be his last professional title and Hillside’s most significant event until 2019 when the club hosted the British Masters.

Mackenzie & Ebert were commissioned to carry out course improvements in early 2020. Modifications included significant dune reconstruction on the front nine and the introduction of sand scrapes and new dunes on the 18th hole.