Thoughts on Formby?

[Dan Grossman]

I am playing Formby next month and I was
hoping that some of the well traveled folks
on the site could help educate me about the
course before playing it.  

I know that Finegan speaks highly of the golf
course and I believe it hosts Open qualifying
when at Birkdale.  Originally designed by Willie
Park, it has been changed by James Braid, Hawtree,
Taylor and most notably Donald Steel in the 1970s.  
They lost a couple of holes due to shore erosion
so I think #7, #8 and #9 are new.  

It has pine trees on the course, which (IMO)
seems unusual for a links course. The pictures look
cool and I have posted some below.  I would love
for someone to give some additional detail on the
changes and any insight into how the course plays.
Specifically, what are the holes of note and why?  
How do the new holes fit with the rest of the course?  
How does it compare to its neighbors, Hillside, West
Lancs, and Southport & Ainsdale?


Thanks!!

Arial Photo


Map


16th Green


6th Tee


7th Tee


7th Fairway


3rd Green


5th Tee and Green


8th Green


11th from the Tee

[David_Tepper]

Dan-
There was a lengthy post here 3-6 weeks ago from someone who recently played Formby and the Lancashire/Merseyside courses. If you page thru the back postings or do a search for Formby, you should be able to find it. As I recall, Formby was not one of his favorites. I think they have had to replace several of their coastal holes due to erosion over the past 5-10 years.
DT      

[Tommy Williamsen]

I enjoyed the course and the people.  Oddly enough the course is gated!?!  It is a peculiar mixture links and parkland.  Actually, some of the holes on the ladies cousrse are good.
If,However, it is a choice between playing Formby and two rounds at Royal Birkdale, choose Birkdale and then sit in the clubhouse with a drink overlooking 18.

[Dan Grossman]

OK, here is what was posted several weeks ago about
Formby.  Maybe somebody can expand...

Day Four Formby:  Formby is like four course in one, parkland, heathland, links and wooded pines.  The par 5 3rd really stood out with its diagonal tee shot over bunkers and gorse and the middle holes 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 run wild in the sand hills. Three old holes 8, 9 & 10 were lost in 1984.  But a very enjoy golf experience not to be missed if you are in the area.

[Steve_Fairfax]

I've never played there, but the pictures that
Dan posted look very interesting.  The holes in
the southwest corner of the aerial look like
wild stuff indeed!!  

Does anyone have any detailed first-hand
knowledge of the course?  I am very interested
after seeing the pictures.

[Mitch Hantman]

Formby is a very fine test of golf, and has the variety of types of holes mentioned above.  It is not visually as exciting as seaside links courses, but the turf is true links turf.  You never see the sea from the course, but if the wind is right, you will hear it on tee #10, so it is close by.  You'll enjoy the course, just don't expect the usual "look".  Hole #16 is my personal favorite.  Hopefully conditions will be firm and fast.

[Allen_Rebstock]

Dan, I played 36 holes at Formby on June 25th.  The course was extremely dry, simular to what you saw at Royal St. George's this past week.  Most of England has experienced extremely dry weather this year. Have good directions to the club, because it was no easy task to find the club riding through the town.

The course starts out with two fairly straightaway par 4's of medium length with the railway on the right but not terribly close to the fairway. A couple of fairway bunkers on the right to avoid.  The 3rd hole is where the course really starts.  A beautiful gently turning dogleg left par 5 with a series of diagonal bunkers to carry if one chooses on the left with some gorse and heather and pine trees running along the right side.  The green site setting is very natural.  This hole had a more heathland feel to it.  My favorite hole on the course.
The 4th is short par 4 curving right.  Avoid the right side.  5th is nice up hill par 3. 6th is semi blind tee shot on this dogleg par 4 with totally blind 2nd shot which should only be wedge or 9 iron.

Now come the new holes which look as though they've always been there. The tee shot at the par 7th looks like a dogleg left but it actually doglegs right.  Long iron tee shot should get you to top of hill and it you can get it past top of hill, ball will funnel down to the left another 20 to 30 yards for wedge approach.   New 8th is a Par 5 dogleg left.  Very deceiving tee shot.  The fairway come to abrupt end at about 230 from member tees to set up downhill second shot then uphill 3rd.

The 9th is a rugged natural looking hole that looks to have been there forever.  Again fairway ends with series of sandhills, mounds and rough to carried on 2nd shot. 10th is the par 3 and from here is the only spot you can see the Irish Sea.  Looking toward sea you can see where the original 7th, 8th & 9th holes were.  What a shame these holes were eliminated.  Great looking natural terrain for golf holes.

The 11th through 13th run pretty wild amoung the sandhills, with the 13th green site being one of the most natural and interesting on the course.  The 14th is a tough dogleg right par 4. Plans in clubhouse show that this hole will be re-routed to the right of existing fairway and actually become a dogleg left.  The existing fairway will eventually become the new practice range.  At 15th you must thread the needle on tee shot through two large mounds with 16th being short interesting par 3.  The final two holes are gentle dogleg lefts holes with 17th giving good opportunity for birdie.  18 finishes directly in front of clubhouse and is nice finish a one great golf course.

We also played Southport & Ainsdale, Hillside, Hoylake, Lytham & St. Anne and Birkdale.   If possible, play Hoylake as it was the highlight of the trip.  Birkdale was great as expected but S&A as locals call it, was a big surprise.  This course in my opinion is underrated. I enjoyed it more than Hillside.  It was quirky but holes were great fun, strategic and beautiful.   Enjoy!  

   

[James Edwards]

Allen,

Nice description of Formby.

Why did you enjoy hoylake?  It's one of my favourites to.

James

[Dan Grossman]

Allen,

Thanks very much for the review.  What a great description
of the course and what to look for.  I appreciate you
taking the time to do that.

[Allen_Rebstock]

James,

There were several reasons why we enjoyed Hoylake so much.  Our group all knew and studied the history before we played there and from the moment we arrived and checked in with the Secretary, we were treated first class, like we were personal guests of the club for a day.  The secretary escorted us to our lockers, showed us where we were going to eat lunch after first round and then proceeded to show us virtually the entire clubhouse which is filled with paintings and portraits of the clubs 3 famous golfing sons, Ball, Hilton & Graham, plus the original painting of Bobby Jones we've seen many times before. It's like a virtual golf museum with photos of all the great champions there and mementos from those events.   Then he takes you to the club room overlooking the putting green where you then see from second floor window the entire links laid out before you and hill of Wales and Dee Estuary in the distance.   Looking out from this spot knowing I was to spend the entire day there was quite statisfying.

It was a day that was simular to that if you spent a day at Muirfield with maybe a bit more (maybe good bit more) hospitality from the members and secretary.  Lunch was a fiest like Muirfield's and I found the course to be nothing least than great.  The newly designed and refurbished Donald Steel bunkers were both beautiful and penal. Due to the sod faces being new, they had this dark brown or almost black color to them, which made them easily visible on all shots. The tee shot were well defined and you could see exactly what had to be done and avoided on each hole.  There were some blind or semi blind tee and approach shots which I like and every hole was strategic, interesting, historic and fun to play.

Best part of course starts with #5 called Telegraph then comes Briars, Dowie, Far, PunchBowl, Dee, Alps & Rushes.  This is one great stretch of holes that run along the duneland close to Dee Estuary.  Walking up the par 5 14th fairway you had the same feel as though walking down 15 at Muirfield. There were golf holes in every direction and you could virtually see every hole on the golf course from this center location.

If you are one to like the virtures of Muirfield, I believe you would also love Hoylake.  It does have a field look and feel to it, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I loved it.  Looking over the Dee toward Wales & Hilbre Island was much more beautiful than I had been lead to believe based on all the previous descriptions I had read.

Hoylake I feel is a once in a lifetime must if you love links golf in the British Isles.      Allen

[James Edwards]

Allen,

If you are not a golf historian or writer, you might have to think of changing careers.

I've enjoyed reading your thoughts on Formby and Hoylake.

I've been fortunate enough to play Hoylake in both the English Am in 97 and the British Am in 2000.  The course has IMO some of the finest bunkers with regards to both their strategic importance and their aesthetic beauty.  The quality of workmanship with regards to the turf walls is outstanding.

I'm so glad the Open is coming back to this incredible course.  I know the infrastructure is not the best and will suffer a little but the course far outweighs any problems with tented villages and practice areas (although i will be interested to see where they decide to position these essentials).

Keep up the good work.

James

[Keith Durrant]

Would just second the comments on Hoylake - they really are very welcoming to visitors allowing for a memorable day.

I loved Formby. When I played it last year, they were adding additional bunkers on a lot of holes, mostly 20 yards past their originals on the same line. Should get visibility from next year's Curtis Cup.

Wallasey should not be overlooked, and is well worth a visit too.

[James Edwards]

rottcodd,

Good call.  Wallasey is used as the other 18 hole qualifying course when the British amateur is played there at Hoylake.  
I thought the first was an interesting hole, because in practice, all the england boys were out with Driver, ripping it all over the pin and then come qualifying, the 4 irons were out in force - young ego's eh?

The 3rd, 4th and 5th are fine links holes next to the sea and my other favourite was 18.

James