Formby is a distinguished championship links on England’s northwest coast, set among towering dunes and bordered by pine trees that give it a unique character among traditional seaside courses. It combines true links turf with a sense of woodland framing, creating both beauty and strategic nuance.

The opening holes ease you into the round before the course reveals its full test. Fairways twist between dunes, bunkers are placed to catch the greedy line, and greens sit naturally within the landscape, often subtly raised and well protected.

Formby rewards intelligent positioning. Driving accuracy matters, but so does leaving the right angle into greens that are firm, quick and shaped to repel careless approaches. The back nine, in particular, carries a championship feel, with several holes capable of deciding matches.

There is a quiet authority to Formby. It does not shout for attention, but those who play it recognise its pedigree immediately.