Wirral Ladies'
Ladies, even the wives of members, were not allowed to play at Royal Liverpool, so a group of male members set up a separate club for their wives, Wirral Ladies', in 1894. Their first 9-hole course was laid out by Harold Hilton, the prominent Hoylake amateur. Interestingly the ladies allowed the men to play their course (which I once described in print as 'turning the other cheek' - dangerous territory!). They bought the land in 1927 and I presume that is when the course became a full 18 holes.
The course is a few miles from Hoylake in one of the better parts of Birkenhead. There is enough heather and gorse to suggest that it is a heathland course. It is beautifully maintained. I doubt if any of Hiulton's work survived as this part of the world took a terrible pounding from German bombers in WWII. So the course today is what was put together (I know not by whom) soon after the cessation of hostilities. The ladies' card is below. The men's card is 200 yards longer, with a par of 68. This is a very friendly club and guests (male and female) are made truly welcome. It may be short, but it's a great test of the approach game with small greens tightly guarded and a number of them raised cunningly. It's tight, too, with many narrow tree-lined fairways, but there are plenty of open holes as well.
5th, the approach shot.
5th green
5th green
6th green from behind, approached from the avenue of trees on the left.
6th green
6th green from the side
More to follow....