Our latest Story of a Golf Club episode, we stay put in England’s Golf Coast, this time at the historic and hallowed links land of West Lancs. This side of the Mersey, it is the oldest course you will find. Founded in 1873 by seven members of Royal Liverpool Golf Club, looking to expand the 'Scottish national game', as it grew in popularity and when you walk the fairways at West Lancs taking in the coastal views that are integral to its design, you quickly realise that mother nature is responsible for the layout we fundamentally enjoy. Whilst many architects over the years have changed the routing and its been adapted over time, including the likes of Tom Dunn, Harold Hilton & James Braid, the current layout is the work of CK Cotton in the 1960’s, when the club also installed its current clubhouse.  Interestingly, Harold Hilton also [...]

Story of a Golf Club: Formby Ladies Golf Club In our latest episode of our ‘Story of a Golf Club’ series, we are back on England’s Golf Coast to visit the lesser known of the two Formby courses, Formby Ladies. We wanted to spend time at Formby Ladies given its unique standing in the game. The only Ladies only golf club in the UK with its own 18 hole course (the nearest example would perhaps be the Himalaya’s putting course at St Andrews), the fact that it has only one set of tee’s and plays over a short distance at approx.. 5,300 yards.  Formby Ladies was formed back in 1896 when a flourishing and forward thinking ladies section decided they wanted their own course, to run their competitions and formed their own club. Considering the era, this was a bold and brave decision and testament to the foresight [...]

In Episode 5 of our ‘Story of a Golf Club’ series, we return to the famous Surrey sand-belt to visit the youngest member of the great quartet of clubs in the area: The Berkshire. This heathland was once a dense forest which hosted the Royal hunting trips organised by Queen Anne in the 18th century, along with nearby Swinley Forest. After much of the timber was cleared in 1916 to support the British effort in the First World War, Herbert Fowler surveyed the 400-acre estate on horseback, and his two designs were finally brought to life in 1928. He paid homage to the land’s military heritage by simply naming them The Red and The Blue, symbolic of two opposing sides in battle. Although Fowler had little experience in course design prior to 1904, his work on Walton Heath brought him huge plaudits across Europe, prompting Bernard Darwin to [...]

#savegolfonthehill The next episode from our ‘Story of a Golf Club’ series is  sad one, but it’s a story we have to tell. Golf has been played on Cleeve Hill common from as early as 1891, and the course was originally laid down by Old Tom Morris, consisting of dramatic views and blind shots with huge elevation change, but sadly its days are numbered. The layout was symptomatic of the location of the hill; sitting on top of a Limestone escarpment in the Cotswolds, 5 miles north of Cheltenham, and the club owes much to the stone its sits on, giving it the character it enjoys today. The limestone also means the soil drains like a colander, and therefore the ground is springy, and firm removing the need for man-made irrigation. Furthermore, the local area has benefitted hugely from the hill. Quarrying in the early 1900’s produced the [...]

In our 3rd episode from our ‘Story of a Golf Club’ series we head to Royal Liverpool Golf Club (Hoylake), taking in the incredibly rich history and understanding about how the course has evolved over the years. Established in 1869, the course was founded on the same ground also used as a horse racing track, and the internal out of bounds that sits on the right side of the 1st and 16th stands as a monument to its equine ancestry, in addition to a number of other more subtle features through the club and its clubhouse. A number of things strike you when you spend time at Hoylake. Firstly, its proud history with The Open, having held 12 championships throughout its history, has invariably produced the strongest champion golfer of its generation. Past winners like Harold Hilton, Bobby Jones, Peter Thompson, Tiger Woods and Rory Mcilroy have all lifted the [...]

Episode 2 from our ‘Story of a Golf Club’ series takes us inland, to the rich sandy and acidic soil of Woking Golf club. Established in 1893 by a number of barristers from New Temple, in the centre of London, Woking was the first heathland golf club in Surrey. Years before, golf was a pastime enjoyed on the British seaside where clubs had originally formed around the South Coast (namely Royal St George’s, Rye) following the games growth in popularity in Scotland, however inland golf was something of a non-event. In London, things were even worse, where eager golfers resorted to using common land in the city, which was often akin to playing on a mud bath for at least half of the year.  Tom Dunn was credited with the initial layout, and in 1893 the club opened for play, and walking the property at Hook [...]

This is the first episode of our new ‘History of a Golf Club’ YouTube series, where we travel the length and breadth of the UK, sharing the rich tapestry that is the history of golf and the stories and folklore that have become fact, whilst taking an aerial look at course architecture and showcasing the clubs and their unique ethos. Silloth on Solway Golf Club (est 1892) is best known for offering the best value golf experience in UK&I, but this simply does not do the club justice. We spent a day up at Silloth with their members, the secretary Alan, and the club professional and we drove away desperate to arrange our next visit. It stands out for its welcoming and friendly environment, the hugely undulating fairways and above all else the moments where the course reveals itself. Many links courses offer great visibility across the property, [...]

The four cookie jar boys, take on the Macmillan Cancer Support challenge, playing 72 holes in the Longest Day in Golf challenge. Inclement weather and average golf doesn’t stop us from raising money for a fantastic charity! Click here to view our Youtube Channel

The game of Wolf is the best 4-ball gambling format around! Partners are selected on the tee of each hole, the stakes go up, and with that the pressure and intensity! Click here to view our Youtube Channel