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The Royal Liverpool course at Hoylake started life as the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club, set on the shores of the Dee and with the Welsh hills in the distance. As a reminder of its previous life, the original saddling bell is displayed among the memorabilia in the clubhouse.

The golf course was built in 1869 and, with the exception of Westward ho! in Devon, is the oldest seaside course in England. It is also one of the great links courses.

The club is a place of firsts: the first Amateur in 1885; the first international match between England and Scotland in 1902; the first international between Great Britain and the United States in 1921, now known as the Walker Cup.

Although the Club has hosted many great events and many a famous golfing hero has walked the fairways over the years, it is probably best known for its contribution to the amateur game and a place where amateurs feel at home. Aside from hosting the first Amateur Championship there have been other great golfing accomplishments. Hilton, from neighbouring West Kirby, won The Amateur Championship four times and The Open in 1892 and 1897. Hoylake’s own John Ball won The Amateur Championship an amazing eight times, as well as The Open in 1890. By winning The Open at Hoylake in 1930, Bobby Jones secured a place in golf history by winning The Open and The Amateur Championship on both sides of the Atlantic in the same year to achieve his famous ‘Grand Slam’.

Whilst at first appearance the course may look flat, it is a very challenging championship course, 6,240 yards long from the visitors’ yellow tees. However, as with all links courses, the wind makes it’s presence felt. The summer breeze can be your ally and the icy gale a ruthless adversary. All the holes require your utmost attention.

The enormous clubhouse offers a respite from the elements and a place to soak up the history and traditions of the game.

As part of a concentrated effort that the Club remains at the forefront of the world’s greatest courses, the architect Donald Steel was commissioned to revamp and upgrade the course to modern standards. He has achieved this with great success, for in 2006 The Open makes a very welcome and overdue return to Royal Liverpool ensuring it remains one of the world’s great links courses.