Southport & Ainsdale: The Ryder Cup Course Nobody Talks About

In 1933 and 1937, Great Britain played the United States in the Ryder Cup at Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club. The 1933 match: won by Great Britain 6.5 to 5.5: was watched by the Prince of Wales and is one of the celebrated moments in British golf history. The course hasn't been forgotten by golf historians. It has been somewhat forgotten by everyone else. This is, in blunt terms, an under-played championship links course, and the people who know about it like it that way.

What the course is actually like

S&A runs through genuine duneland: not flat parkland with sand hazards, but proper coastal dune terrain with the elevation changes and blind shots that make links golf interesting. The course is slightly shorter than Royal Birkdale (approximately 6,600 yards from the back tees) but plays longer than the card suggests because of wind exposure and the firmness of the turf.

The par 3s are the highlight. There are four of them and each one presents a different challenge: different wind exposure, different green shapes, different natural surroundings. The 16th is the best hole on the course: a par 3 across a natural valley between dunes that plays differently every single time depending on wind direction. I've hit a 6-iron and a 4-iron to the same flag. Same distance marker, different day.

Visitor access: why this is the right starting course

S&A has better visitor access than any of the headline courses on the Sefton Coast. Weekday tee times are available most of the year without significant advance notice. The club is welcoming, the pro shop staff are helpful, and the clubhouse has the feel of a traditional golf club rather than a hotel reception.

Green fees run from £65 on a quiet winter weekday to around £100 at peak summer weekend. The green fee includes a meal: soup and sandwiches or similar clubhouse lunch: which is both genuine value and a custom that more clubs should maintain.

The practical notes

• →Green fees: £65–£100. Meal included: worth factoring into the value comparison.
• →Handicap: no certificate required for most visitor rounds.
• →Dress code: smart/casual. No denim, no collarless shirts on the course.
• →Booking: advance booking recommended for weekends, same-week usually possible for weekdays.
• →Location: Shore Road, Ainsdale, Southport. PR8 2LQ. Adjacent to Hillside GC and five minutes from the Birkdale area.

The verdict

If you're making a first trip to the Sefton Coast and you want to understand what this stretch of coastline is about as a golf destination, S&A is the right starting point. Championship links golf at a price that doesn't require justification, on a course with genuine history, with a meal included and staff who are pleased to see you. And if you end up wanting more, Hillside and Birkdale are a mile up the road.