At World’s Best, we pride ourselves on uncovering exceptional golfing experiences, and this time, we had the privilege of playing at Formby Ladies Golf Club. Nestled within the historic grounds of Formby Golf Club near Liverpool, England, this course is a unique entity in the world of golf—one of only a handful of independent ladies’ golf clubs in the UK.
Formby Golf Club is renowned for its championship pedigree, but the adjacent Ladies’ course offers its own thrilling test of skill and strategy. Measuring 5,356 yards, this par-71 layout for ladies (par-68 for gents) may be shorter, but it is no less demanding. Drivable par 4s, deceptively tricky par 3s, and compact yet well-guarded par 5s make for a round filled with excitement and challenge.
A Club Steeped in Tradition
Formby Ladies Golf Club was established on New Year’s Day in 1896 as a nine-hole course before expanding to a full 18-hole layout in 1908. Over the years, it has hosted prestigious tournaments, including the British Girls’ Home Internationals, the British Men’s and Women’s Senior Championships, and the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship in 2021 and 2022 alongside Formby Golf Club. This rich, competitive history underscores the course’s reputation as a formidable test for golfers of all abilities.
The Course: Strategy Over Power
How do you protect a course that’s under 5400 yards? You make the fairways tight and have heather on both sides of the fairways. Those measures, alongside strategically placed bunkers and small sloping greens, mean that you need to be at the top of your game to score well. Now, when you play a short course, you have two choices on how to approach your round. You can either hit the driver as far as you can and leave some very short second shots, or you can play it strategically. The problem with hitting the driver is that the bunkering, heather and bushes around this course will cause you problems unless you are very accurate with your tee shots. That’s not our forte, so strategy it is then!
The Course
The opening hole is only 266 yards. Two bunkers guard the front of the small green. A long iron or hybrid from the tee leaves a short pitch and your first birdie opportunity.
Avoid the heather on the 2nd hole
The 2nd is one of the longer holes at 413 yards. You need to find the narrow fairway to have a chance of reaching the green with your second shot. If you hit it in the heather, unless you get a good lie, it’s a chip out onto the fairway and you try and make your par from there. The 3rd is the first of the short holes and is only 129 yards. You don’t see much of the green from the tee, so you need to trust the yardage. If you avoid the four bunkers around the green, you should get an easy par.
The tight 4th hole
The 4th is one of those risk and reward holes. At 286 yards, the tee shot suits a fade if you are going for the green however the bunkers and trees await if you over cut your tee shot. Again, a hybrid or long iron off the tee down the middle leaves a short uphill pitch to a sloping green with a chance of a birdie and an easy par.
The beautiful 5th hole
The 5th is one of the best short holes anywhere. It’s 122 yards and plays slightly uphill. You simply have to hit the small sloping green to make par. The 6th is a 405-yard hole and the first one we hit the driver at. It has a relatively wide fairway and a decent drive, leaving us a 7 iron to the green and a straightforward par 4.
Birdie Time
The short 7th hole
The 7th hole is only 251 yards and a great birdie opportunity. The route to the green is down the left. We hit 3 wood just left of the bunker on the line of the pin and two-putted for a birdie. Hit it further right, and the bunkers await. The 8th is the longest hole on the course at 433 yards. A decent drive leaves a medium to long iron into a green protected by two bunkers right and short and two bunkers on the left greenside. A strong hole and a tricky par 4 for the Gents and a tough par 5 for the Ladies.
Where is the green on the 9th hole?
The 9th is an awkward hole. The fairway runs out around 220 yards, so you need to lay up short of the mounds and the rough. This will leave a second shot of under 100 yards to a green you can’t see. It’s worth walking up to the top of the mounds to see where the pin is on this large green.
Homeward Bound
The back nine begins with the tough 10th hole. From the tee, the 422-yard hole moves from right to left. With bunkers, heather and rough on the right and reeds and rough on the left, you must find the fairway. The small green is protected by bunkers left and right.
The tricky 11th hole
The 11th is a short par 4 of 307 yards. Finding the fairway is tricky as the hole doglegs to the right and is only 20 yards wide beyond the corner. Missing the fairway is penal due to the rough on either side, which has nettles and bramble stems to snag your clubhead. The green sits above you and has plenty of slope, making putts difficult.
The small green on the par 3 12th
The 12th is another lovely par 3. At 157 yards, there is no bailout. The rough goes most of the way to the green and only stops when it reaches the bunkers short of the green. The green sits in a bowl, so if you hit the green, you won’t be too far away, and it’s a great chance of a birdie. The 13th is a difficult par 4. It gently moves right to left and has trees and bushes on the right and marshland and reeds to the left. There is also a bunker to negotiate on the left side, which makes the fairway landing area narrower.
More Birdie Chances
Holes 14 and 15 are short par 4’s which offer great birdie chances from the fairway. You shouldn’t hit the driver on either, as bunkers protect both fairways. Play these holes strategically for the best chance of making three.
The short 16th hole
The last par 3 is the 16th. It’s only 128 yards and the green is protected by a single bunker. The green is wide but not particularly deep and has runoff areas at the front and both sides. The 17th is another birdie opportunity if you fade the ball. We don’t hit the ball that far but we got very close to the green which is 322 yards away due to the firm fairway and our stock fade.
The 18th hole and the Formby GC and Ladies Clubhouse
The last hole is straight back towards the clubhouses and pro shop. It’s 348 yards with a row of bunkers across the fairway and heather right and left. Play up short of the bunkers, and you will have a wedge into the green. It’s a great chance of a finishing birdie.
Beyond the Course: Local Attractions and Heritage
Formby itself is a golfer’s paradise, located along England’s celebrated ‘Golf Coast,’ home to world-class venues such as Royal Birkdale, Hillside, and West Lancashire. Beyond golf, Formby is famed for its stunning beaches, sand dunes, and the renowned Formby Pinewoods—home to one of Britain’s last remaining red squirrel colonies.
Liverpool, just 40 minutes away, offers a vibrant mix of history, culture, and entertainment. Fans of The Beatles can explore the legendary Cavern Club, while history buffs can visit the UNESCO-listed Albert Dock. For those keen on sports, Anfield and Goodison Park offer a chance to experience Premier League football at its finest.
Final Thoughts
Formby Ladies Golf Club is a rare gem—a shorter course that demands thoughtfulness, precision, and finesse rather than brute force. The combination of natural beauty, historic significance, and strategic layout makes it a must-play for golfers seeking a unique challenge.
For those who are used to playing by the mantra of ‘hit it long, find it, and hit it again,’ this course serves as a refreshing alternative. By prioritizing placement over power, golfers will find themselves scoring better and enjoying the game in a new light.
A Challenge to You
If you’re planning a trip to the northwest of England, make time for Formby Ladies Golf Club. Embrace the challenge of strategy over strength, and see if it improves your game. We’d love to hear your thoughts—did the precision approach work for you?
A special thank you to Formby Ladies’ Secretary Manager Anne Bromley, Course Manager Rob Sandilands, and Head Professional Andrew Witherup for their warm welcome and valuable insights.
At a Glance:
- Located 40 minutes north of Liverpool city centre
- Short but testing 18-hole links
- Small yet welcoming clubhouse
- Shared practice facilities with Formby Golf Club
- Well-stocked pro shop
- View the Fomby Ladies Golf Club website here
For an unforgettable test of accuracy, course management, and links mastery, Formby Ladies Golf Club is a destination that deserves a place on every golfer’s itinerary.
Jim Callaghan CCM is a former Club Manager with experience overseeing several top Scottish clubs.
Now, as European Editor of Golf Operator Magazine and World’s Best Golf Destinations, he shares insights into club operations and his golfing adventures across Europe.
Jim is also an Ambassador for premium clothing brand Fenix Xcell Clothing and also for the Spanish local DMC, Costa Verde Golf.
If your club/resort or brand want to reach over 400,000 golfers, contact Jim at [email protected] or call 0044 (0) 78522
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