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Country: gb Page generated at: Thursday, 2 April 2026 at 1:30:45 British Summer Time
tour
Tour
Top 100 links golf courses in GB&I: 6 – Royal Birkdale

published: Dec 15, 2014

|

updated: Oct 3, 2023

Top 100 links golf courses in GB&I: 6 – Royal Birkdale

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We take a closer look at Royal Birkdale in our top 100 list of links golf courses in GB&I

Top 100 links golf courses in GB&I: 6 - Royal Birkdale

For information about our top 100 list panellists CLICK HERE
To find how how we conducted the test CLICK HERE

6. Royal Birkdale
Merseyside, England

Fact File:

Yards: 7,018
Par: 72
Designer: George Low
Address: Royal Birkdale Golf Club 
Waterloo Road, Birkdale, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 2LX
Full NCG Review: CLICK HERE

What our panellists said:

AC: Possibly the best design of all. Love the way it feeds through the dunes. I wish it were closer to the sea though.

CC: A magnificent test of golf.

AL: Clearly a great course but over-rated. Fairways are too flat, the greens too. The 1st hole is great but how many others?

CH: There are no weak holes on the best 18 holes in England.

DJ: Probably the strongest 1-18 of the three Royals on that coast.

MM: Great routing, interesting, challenging holes.

DW: Fantastic layout – the best course in GB&I.

KE: A great test of golf. Need all clubs and shots.

Commentary: Birkdale inspired huge affection as well as respect from our panel – and these are qualities that do not always come together. It was difficult to choose between it and Sandwich as England’s No 1…

For information about our top 100 list panellists CLICK HERE
To find how how we conducted the test CLICK HERE

For more golf news, discussion and videos follow @NCGmagazine on Twitter, like us on Facebook, subscribe to our YouTube video channel, and sign up to our newsletter

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