Royal Liverpool Golf course (golfcourses.org/)

Member Name: Willow45

Product:	golfcourses.org/
Date:	28/05/04 (75 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great golf, great food, friendly atmosphere

Disadvantages: Expensive

I am a member of Royal Liverpool golf course and have been since I was about 8. I think for me Hoylake is a brilliant golf course, it can not be faulted. I play regularly, about 2 times a week and every time it is a different test of a golfers ability and skills. However I am not just reviewing the Golf course but also the facilities, staff, food etc.

The golf course

The front nine is not out by the sea but they are still fantastic golf holes even though you don't have the aesthetic looks of some holes. The first is a par 4 dog leg right and off the greens with no wind it requires a long iron or a wood to reach the corner of the out of bounds that borders the right hand side with the club house an putting green bordering the left hand side. From there it is still a fairly long way and a wood for most. The out of bounds is still down the left but, a lot more threatening as the prevailing wind is pushing your approach into it and with the green only yards from it, it is a very threatening second. Even without bunkers a very difficult first.
The second is an easier par 4 but still tough with a drive through a bunker bordered fairway and a short iron in to a green bordered with cavenous bunkers and slip off slopes all around the edges. I think Tiger would be happy walking to the third with a four.
Now, the first of the newly renovated holes the par 5 third dog leg left. You drive down a fairly wide fairway but stray to far right and a short hitter is struggling to hit the green in three. You then hit your second up to bunkers about 70 yards short of the green, hopefully hit a chip onto a large undulating green surrounded by yet more massively deep bunkers and hope to hole the put(ha ha-easy)
The fourth is the first of the par 3's, you hit a teeshot into the prevailing wind onto a green that slopes from back to front with a massive bunker that you should avoid at all costs front right. Depending on the pin the putting should be
relatively easy if your on the same level as the pin but, if your not......
The par 4 fifth is on paper the hardest hole on the course, you drive down the right of the fairway which has bunkers+gorse on the right and only a small fairly negligible bunker on the right. You are then left with a second that is always one club longer than you think over a ridge of rough and hillochs onto a green guarded by a nasty bunker or two on the left.
The sixth a par 4 that tests even the best golfers resolve for a difficult drive over a twenty foot hedge that juts out into the fairway. Then you are left with s shortish second to the bunker guarded by bunkers, again.
The seventh is the second par 3 on the front nine. You drive and hopefully avoiding the marshy pod on the right land on a fairly big green guarded by slip off's and bunkers.
The eighth is another par 5, you drive down a fairly wide fairway hopefully staying just right, you then hit a second staying right as there is the biggest bunker on the course on the right hand side of the green but, also lots of rough. This should leave you with a short pitch on and a couple of puts.
The ninth, my favorite hole and the first along the sea is a par 4. You drive over a big ridge in the middle that obscures where you should drive to, just aim left and you'll have an easy shot into a green gaurded by a hilloch in front and bunkers at the back, it is called punchbowl as the green is a bit like a bowl, enclosed by hillochs.
I hope I've given you a flavor for the course I shan't narrate the back nine as it might get tedious.

The 19th Hole(clubhouse)

There is a magnificent club house with adequate changing facilities for visitors and also a choice of three bars. The spike bar is the mens bar that is most frequently used. It is at ground level and commands a great view of the first, practice ground and putting green. The food is excellent with sandwiches, soups, buttye
9;s, batches, toasties and much more. The staff are brilliant, helpful, obliging and friendly.
Next door is the mixed bar which backs onto the same bar are but are completely seperate rooms, although very similar. Upstairs is the best bar in my view because of the great view out over the whole golf course and the Dee estuary with lots of comfy chairs and sofas and all the old captains grinning down at you. There is also the restaurant which serves everything and is fabulous, with a great front of house.
There is also a great number of paintings with famous golfers and old golf scenes. Also great memorabilia is contained in the case surrounding the entrance hall. If you do take a look around these you will soon realise how steeped in History royal Liverpool is and what a treasure trove of history it has.

Green fees+Location

The green fees are expensive, Weekdays it is £65.00 for a round and £90.00 for the day. On weekends it is £100.00 for a round. You also must have a handicap and caddies can be provided. It is 10 miles Southwest of the Liverpool on the Wirral peninsula, you can approach from M6, M56 and M53 getting off at junction 2.

Summary: