Inside exclusive of The West Lancashire Golf Club: The 9th oldest course in the country

Founded in 1893, the club is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. With several changes being made over this period, the course is regarded as one of the hardest but best to play on and it isn’t hard to see why. 

Traditionally, the course was divided into two sections, a men’s course and a ladies. Now, a single 18 hole challenge is in place for members to take on. 

There have been worse days to play golf. Photo by Tom Murphy

It wasn’t until 2015 when the club decided that they should begin to transform themselves into a usual business ran estate like we see with many golf courses across Merseyside and the UK. 

There are now a number of roles assigned to different people including a golf manager and course manager as well as a sustainability executive. All individuals are experts at keeping the course in the best condition it can be, especially in the winter season. 

Chris Alty, who had previously been a member of the club, has been golf manager for eight years and says a lot of money had been put into the club to create a sustainable environment and make it more ‘business like’.

The course has always been in top shape but with the new investment being pumped into the club, Alty and his colleagues have managed to create a course that is playable all year round. 

Throughout the seasons, different procedures are made regarding the ecology of the course. From November onwards, the staff are met with the biggest challenge of the calendar until spring arrives.

Alty says:

“There’s a lot of maintenance going on right now. Every year we rebuild around 20-25 bunkers because they degrade over time. We also have a maintenance week which is always the first full week of November. 

“Every single inch of the course will be verti-drained, we top dress the greens, fairways and tees with tonnes of sand. New tees need to be built and we are putting in grass pathways which makes the course more sustainable.” 

The 9th at West Lancs. Photo by Tom Murphy

During this time, members are asked to avoid greenkeepers and anyone working on the course, a huge contrast to spring and summer where the opposite is requested.

Alty claims that the most challenging aspect of running the club is at its highest during this period which is keeping members happy. 

“They all want to play golf, and they all want to play 18 holes of golf which is understandable. They pay a lot of money to be a member but it’s getting them to understand to enjoy the course to the standard that they want to play on takes a lot of maintenance.”

A dressing room fit for royalty. Photo by Tom Murphy.

The club manager has priorities of getting the course to the standard it needs to be for the Open Qualifiers next summer.

The club has recently signed a contract that allows them to host the qualifiers for the next three years, bringing lots of money and consequently more progression to the already developing course. 

The last year has seen the likes of Masters Champion Sergio Garcia play 18 at West Lancs which can only have been a positive for the club. 

“I love events. To plan major winners playing on your golf course and to look after 5000 spectators was amazing. We’ve had members who have been members for 50 years say that was the best day they’ve had here which is just absolutely brilliant, ” said Alty. 

After being the home of the famous Harold Hilton in the 1890s to the state it’s in now, it is admiring to see how far the club has come. With set plans going forward, it is destined to go even further in the coming years.