Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake

The Royal Liverpool Golf Club is a leading golf club in Merseyside in North West England. It was founded in 1869 and received the "Royal" designation in 1871 due to the patronage of the Duke of Connaught of the day, who was one of Queen Victoria's younger sons. Despite the club's name, its clubhouse is located in the small town of Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula, with the course itself extending between Hoylake and the neighbouring town of West Kirby, which is separated from the city of Liverpool by the estuary of the River Mersey. Consequently, the course is often referred to as Hoylake, after the town. It has a single 18 hole course, which is a seaside links.The 2006 Open was held at Royal Liverpool from the 20th to the 23rd of July. The course has had its layout changed slightly, so that the old 16th hole (a huge par 5) is now the 18th thus making the old 17 and 18 the first and second holes.

Important tournaments staged at Hoylake include:

*The Open Championship: 1897, 1902, 1907, 1913, 1924, 1930, 1936, 1947, 1956, 1967, 2006
*Walker Cup: 1983
*Curtis Cup: 1992
*The Amateur Championship: 1885 (the inaugural event), 1887, 1890, 1894, 1898, 1902, 1906, 1910, 1921, 1927, 1933, 1939, 1953, 1962, 1969, 1975, 1995, 2000
*Ladies' British Amateur Championship: 1896, 1989, 1996

The course has also hosted a number of professional tournaments, both on the European Tour and before the foundation of that Tour in 1972; many tournaments for ladies, seniors and boys; and various regional and representative events. It hosted The Open Championship for the first time in thirty nine years in 2006.

The Open Championship

Winners of The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club :

External links

* [http://www.royal-liverpool-golf.com/index.htm Official site]
* [http://www.golfclubatlas.com/hoylake1.html Golf Club Atlas guide]