Formby Golf Club will host the 2016 Palmer Cup, announced Palmer Cup Chairman Jim Awtrey at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Palmer Cup at Walton Heath Golf Club.
“I’m pleased a membership the caliber of Formby Golf Club has agreed to the host the 2014 Palmer Cup,” said Mr. Palmer. “Formby has a history of enthusiastically supporting both the amateur game and international play. The links should provide a rewarding challenge to the young men competing in our matches and produce a worthy champion.”
Formby Golf Club is a true championship links course. Running through mature sand dunes and pinewoods, the combination of well protected greens, undulating fairways and challenging tee shots signifies a course of magnificent contrasts. Formby’s links are set amongst coastal sand dunes and towering pines. The undulating fairways are planted with traditional rye grasses and flat lies are rare. Add strategically placed pot bunkers and frequent changes of wind strength and direction to the mix and the new visitor will quickly discover why Formby is so popular with discerning golfers.
“All at Formby Golf Club are delighted, honoured and excited to be hosting the Palmer Cup in 2016,” said Club Captain Bernard Billington. “We have a very unique links course, which is recognised as one of the world’s best, and we can guarantee that it will provide a fair, yet extremely challenging test for the players. Many of the world’s top golfers from America and Europe have graced our fairways over the years and are all in agreement that Formby is indeed somewhere special to play.”
The Links at Formby Golf Club were founded in 1884 and have been sensitively modernized over the years, to ensure it remains a challenging but enjoyable test of golf. The original 18-hole course was redesigned by Willie Park.
Over recent years a few changes have been made but most are of a “tweaking” nature; trees were planted in the early 70’s to the right of the first, second and third holes, thus screening the railway. New bunkers have been created at the fourth, sixth and 11th and others redesigned. In 1997, fairway watering was introduced onto five holes and now extends to 18 holes. In 1998, new back Tees were built to provide a “Blue” course which has extended the length to 7028 yards, but more importantly has brought back into play, for the scratch golfer, most of the original drive-length bunkers.
More recently in 2005 a new, larger, practice ground was constructed on the site of the whole area of the 14th hole. This has been a significant improvement in terms of Members’ and visitors’ amenity. The new 14th lies immediately to the south of the earlier one and makes for a different but considerable challenge.
The course has been the venue for a number of tournaments and competitions over the years, including the Curtis Cup in 2004 and The Amateur Championship in 1957, 1967, 1984 and 2009. It has also been used as a qualifying course for The Open Championship in 1924, 1971 and 1996.
Formby Golf Club www.formbygolfclub.co.uk