What sets Formby apart is the incredible contrast between its open links holes and the holes routed through the dense, magnificent pine trees. You’ll find yourself hitting drives over massive, windswept sand dunes one minute, and then navigating tight, tree-lined fairways the next. This hybrid environment demands a complete repertoire of shots, forcing you to adjust both trajectory and club selection constantly.

The course truly rewards strategic placement, rather than just raw power. The greens are complex, protected by deep pot bunkers and the surrounding vegetation. The Par-3s here are exceptional, particularly the 15th, which is often considered one of the finest in the world, playing from a high tee through the dunes to a green framed by pines. It’s an aesthetically beautiful course that is tough but fair, offering a genuine sense of adventure and a memorable shift from the pure, flat links found elsewhere along the coast.