Ainsdale, Southport, Lancashire, England
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club
A Ryder Cup venue with a proud championship history — Southport & Ainsdale is a classic Lancashire links of genuine quality, set among towering dunes between Royal Birkdale and Formby.
About the Course
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club was founded in 1906 and designed by the legendary James Braid. The course has a proud championship history — it hosted the Ryder Cup in 1933 and 1937, and has been a regular venue for the Ladies' British Open and other prestigious events.
The course occupies classic Lancashire links terrain between Royal Birkdale and Formby — a stretch of coastline that is home to some of the finest links golf in England. The layout uses the natural dune ridges to create a course of genuine variety and challenge, with the closing holes in particular offering a demanding finish.
Southport & Ainsdale is a course that rewards the thinking golfer. The fairways are generous enough to allow attacking play, but the bunkering and the wind demand careful management of risk. It is a course that can be enjoyed by golfers of all abilities while still providing a genuine test for the accomplished player.
By the Numbers
Course Statistics
Based on course length, terrain & layout
Handicap index suggested for full enjoyment
The Course
Why It Stands Out
Ryder Cup Heritage
Southport & Ainsdale hosted the Ryder Cup in 1933 and 1937 — two of the most celebrated matches in the history of the competition. The 1933 match, in which Great Britain & Ireland defeated the United States, remains one of the most famous results in Ryder Cup history. Playing here is to walk the same ground as the legends of the game.
James Braid Design
The course was designed by James Braid — one of the greatest golf architects of the early twentieth century and a five-time Open Champion. Braid's design uses the natural dune terrain to create a course of genuine variety and strategic interest, with the closing holes in particular offering a demanding finish.
The Lancashire Links Setting
Southport & Ainsdale sits between Royal Birkdale and Formby on one of the finest stretches of links land in England. The course occupies classic Lancashire terrain — towering dunes, marram grass, and the ever-present wind from the Irish Sea — that gives it an authentic links character.
A Welcoming Club
Southport & Ainsdale is known for the warmth of its welcome to visiting golfers. The clubhouse atmosphere is traditional and unhurried, and the staff take genuine pride in the course and its history. It is the kind of club that makes visiting golfers feel immediately at home.
The Course
Course Views
Extend Your Itinerary
The Southport Links — A Championship Cluster
Southport & Ainsdale sits at the heart of the Southport links cluster — Royal Birkdale and Hillside are just two miles away, Formby a short drive south, and Royal Lytham to the north. It is one of the most concentrated championship golf regions in England.
Golf Travel
How It Is Included
Southport & Ainsdale is a key component of our Open Championship Links programme — a collection that brings together the finest courses of Lancashire and Merseyside in a single, purposeful itinerary. We arrange tee times, accommodation in Southport, and every detail of the routing.
To explore how Southport & Ainsdale fits into a wider route, visit our The Open Championship Links Collection page or our England golf tours page.
Begin Your Journey
Play Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club
Speak with our team to arrange tee times at Southport & Ainsdale and build a private itinerary across the Open Championship Links of Lancashire and Merseyside.
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