Hillside Golf Club
Hillside Golf Club, Hastings Road, Southport, United Kingdom
Club overview
Hillside Golf Club is situated in Southport, the home of “England’s Golf Coast”. The course forms part of England’s finest stretch of coastal links nestled between Royal Birkdale and Southport & Ainsdale with Formby Golf Club a few miles down the road.
A true championship links, overhauled in the 1960’s by renowned architect Fred Hawtree, Hillside is regarded as probably the finest links golf course not to have hosted the Open Championship. The club has a track record of staging some of the highest profile professional and amateur tournaments including the 2019 British Masters, hosted by local hero and Hillside Life Member Tommy Fleetwood.
The layout of the course is balanced in two halves with the opening holes heading westward along flat ground beside the railway line. The flatter nine holes of the opening half whet the golfer’s appetite for the contrast that awaits on second nine. Here you will find valleyed corridors through some of the highest and wildest dunes found anywhere. Each hole occupying its own unique site never shared with another.
Double Open Champion Australian Greg Norman graciously wrote an unsolicited note to the Club after playing in the PGA tournament at Hillside in 1982 stating the: ‘The back nine holes are the Best in Britain.’ He was later to say that in his view the Hillside course was ‘…second only to Augusta’. Jack Nicklaus described the course as ‘…a wild looking links’ and added that ‘…within the second nine are some of my favourite holes.’
Hillside remains a private members golf club with a welcoming inclusive philosophy, attracting visitors from around the world.
Gallery
Golfer reviews
“We recently had the pleasure of playing at Hillside Golf Club and thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our visit. The course was in fantastic condition throughout, but the back nine was absolutely brilliant and really showcased why Hillside is held in such high regard. Every hole was a joy to play, with superb presentation and excellent playing surfaces. The staff were outstanding, particularly Adam and Mark at Front of House. Adam was exceptional from start to finish, providing a warm welcome and first-class service that really enhanced the overall experience. Standing on the 1st tee can be a little daunting, with diners watching from just metres away, but once you get that opening shot away, the course simply gets better and better. The club professional was spot on with his advice that “fairways are your friend.” Any ball that strays too far from the short grass can be difficult to find, so bringing a few extra balls is definitely recommended! What really stood out was the atmosphere around the club. Everyone we encountered was friendly, welcoming and genuinely pleased to see visitors enjoying the course. A wonderful golf club, a fantastic golfing experience, and somewhere I would happily return to play again. Many thanks to everyone at Hillside Golf Club for making our visit so memorable.”
“One of the most amazing golf courses I have ever been! Very difficult but fair, with a lot of landscapes. Played with 40 knots of wind, but unforgettable”
“Lovely course, shame about the weather!! Perfect greens and fairways immaculate, amazing for the time if the year (early march). Friendly proshop and halfway house. Thoroughly recommend especially if you can get a discount round”