Southport's oldest club, and a regular home of Open Championship Qualifying, hosts The Golf Guide for a day showcasing its course, hospitality and history.
The Golf Guide was welcomed to Hesketh Golf Club this week for a full day experiencing one of Southport's most storied golfing venues, taking in the championship links course, the club's celebrated history, and the hospitality that has made it a favourite among visiting golfers and societies alike.
Founded in 1885, Hesketh is Southport's longest established golf club and one of the oldest in the region. The course was originally laid out by J.O.F. Morris, son of Old Tom Morris and brother of Young Tom Morris, before being refined in the early twentieth century by George Lowe, with further input over the years from James Braid. Set among the Victorian villas of Churchtown, the layout runs on both sides of Fleetwood Road and borders a Site of Special Scientific Interest, giving the round a genuine sense of place alongside its golfing pedigree.
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Playing to a par 72 at over 6,800 yards from the tips, Hesketh blends true links character with parkland elements as it winds through the dunes before a dramatic closing stretch from the 14th to 18th, framed by the club's landmark 1902 clubhouse. The par-3 16th, once described by Henry Cotton as among the finest of its type, stands out as the course's signature hole.
The club's championship credentials run deep. Hesketh has hosted Final Qualifying for The Open Championship on five occasions — in 1971, 1976, 1983, 1991 and 1998 — and has served as an Open Regional Qualifying venue in each year from 2023 to 2026, with Royal Birkdale just ten minutes away hosting The 154th Open in July 2026. Beyond Open qualifying, Hesketh has staged the Amateur Championship, the British Senior Amateur, the British Girls' Amateur Championship, the Lancashire County Championship and the R&A Junior Open, the latter in 2008 featuring a young Jordan Spieth among the field. The club has also produced professional talent of its own, including Lee Slattery and Matthew Baldwin, and was a founding member of the English Golf Union in 1924.
"It was a fantastic experience getting to play a course with this much history and this much of a competitive pedigree," said [Your Name], on behalf of The Golf Guide. "Hesketh sits in the shadow of some huge neighbouring names along this stretch of coast, but it very much stands on its own. The condition of the course, the character of the closing holes along the estuary, and the welcome from the whole team made for a brilliant day out, and it's easy to see why the Open keeps coming back here."
Alongside the round itself, The Golf Guide was given a tour of the clubhouse and its extensive memorabilia, a look at the club's ongoing preparations as an Open Regional Qualifying venue, and time with members and staff to learn more about life at a club that has remained close to its roots for 140 years while continuing to welcome visitors, societies and some of the game's biggest championships.
The details
Hesketh Golf Club welcomes visiting golfers and societies throughout the year, with tee times bookable directly through the club.
About Hesketh Golf Club
Established in 1885, Hesketh Golf Club is the oldest golf club in Southport. A championship links course on the northern edge of Southport where the dunes meet the Ribble Estuary, Hesketh has been a regular venue for Open Championship qualifying and has hosted numerous national amateur championships.
The club is located at Cockle Dick's Lane, Southport, PR9 9QQ.
Article by Jason Armstrong (The Golf Guide)