Englands großartigster Links-Golf-Korridor

There are links golf corridors in Scotland — St Andrews, Carnoustie, Muirfield — that get the attention. The Sefton Coast gets overlooked. That gap is the opportunity for every visiting golfer.

Within a 10-mile stretch of coastline, you have six genuine links courses ranging from Royal Birkdale (consistently top five in the world) to Southport Old Links (genuinely good golf for £40). You can play a different course every day for a week and not cover the same ground twice — and the variety is striking. Birkdale through dramatic willow scrub dunes. Hillside through ridge-and-valley terrain. Formby through coastal pinewoods. West Lancashire with raw Irish Sea exposure.

The practical case for the Sefton Coast over Scotland is simple: it's easier to get to from mainland Europe and North America via Liverpool and Manchester airports, the accommodation is better value, and the courses are more accessible to visitors than their Scottish counterparts at the same quality tier. Royal Birkdale is cheaper than Muirfield and easier to book.

And in July 2026, the world will be watching. The Open Championship returns to Royal Birkdale — the venue that gave us Spieth's miraculous escape from the drop zone in 2017, Watson's clinical 1983 win, and the 1969 Ryder Cup concession that defined sportsmanship in golf. If you've ever thought about a links golf trip to England, now is the time.