Since its beginning in 1906, the Club has been held in high regard for the challenge it posed for both elite amateur and professional golfers. As early as 1914, it hosted the Lancashire Amateur championship, going on to host it 9 times, most recently 2009.
It began hosting professional events in 1917, when J. H Taylor, Ted Ray and James Braid played an exhibition match to raise funds for the war effort to help wounded soldiers. This was the beginning of a long association with the professional game. The Club hosted many professional tournaments in the formative years of what later became the European Tour. In the 1950’s it hosted the Dunlop 2000 Guineas Tournament, one of the richest prizes in British golf.
Over the years the links have been played by some of the world’s greatest players. Jack Nicklaus, played his first overseas professional tournament, the Piccadilly Tournament in 1962 at the club. Peter Thompson, the winner of five Open Championships, won the Piccadilly Tournament in 1962. Arnold Palmer played the Nine Nations Tournament in 1965 representing the USA.
The links hosted the British Ladies Amateur Championship in 1936, this was won by Pamela Barton. The “Pam Barton Memorial Salver” is now awarded to the winner of the British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship.
The Club will always be associated with the Ryder Cup, however, its rich history and involvement in many championships run very deep. The links continue to host events for amateur and professional, most recently hosting professional ladies in qualification for the Ladies British Open Championship, an event the Club hosted itself in 1979 when Alison Sheard was the winner. The world’s elite juniors graced the links in 2015 when the Club co-hosted the British Boys Amateur Championship.
