Hillside Golf Club

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Par: 72	Weekday Round: ££££
Yards:7029	Day Ticket: ££££
Type: Links	Weekend Round: ££££
Holes: 18	Day Ticket: ££££

Hole	White Yards	Par	Yellow Yards	Stroke Index	Ladies Yards	Par	Stroke Index
1	396	4	386		382	5
2	526	5	493		456	5
3	397	4	340		332	4
4	195	3	175		165	3
5	562	5	482		423	5
6	444	4	344		326	4
7	170	3	143		141	3
8	393	4	365		347	4
9	419	4	376		381	5
	3502	36			2953	39
10	172	3			142	3
11	509	5			481	5
12	400	4			313	4
13	402	4			326	4
14	419	4			340	4
15	421	4			319	4
16	218	3			142	3
17	547	5			488	5
18	439	4			384	5
	3527	36			2935	38
	7029	72			5888	77

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Hillside is an underrated gem, separated only by a footpath, but hiding in the shadow of its noble next-door neighbour, Royal Birkdale. The railway line separates Hillside from Southport and Ainsdale, another superb but relatively unknown links.

Today’s layout is very different to the original Hillside that was founded in 1911. The club acquired some new land in the 1960s and Fred Hawtree extensively remodelled the course, making major changes to the back nine.  The front nine has always been highly regarded and plays over relatively flat ground, but it’s the homeward nine that is really special and is frequently bracketed alongside Ballybunion because the holes ripple and undulate through the giant dunes.

There are many strong and individual holes but it’s the 11th is a hole that has everything going for it, a reachable par five of just over 500 yards that doglegs left; the elevated tee provides a panoramic view of the hole in play and many other holes too, not only at Hillside but also at Royal Birkdale and Southport & Ainsdale.  A well-struck drive to the dune-flanked fairway will tempt the big hitters to go for the raised green in two, but watch out for that cavernous bunker lurking on the right.

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