Staff WriterAs players and fans gear up for The Open 2026 at Royal Birkdale this July, one inland venue is quietly stealing some of the attention. Pleasington Golf Club, Lancashire’s No.1 heathland course, is suddenly on the bucket list for golfing pilgrims from across the globe – and they’re not coming just for the fresh air and a Lancashire hotpot.
Groups from America, Italy, Denmark and Finland are already locking in tee times on this UK and Ireland Top 200 layout, turning a pilgrimage to golf’s oldest major into a full-blown North West golf adventure. For the club – and the wider region – it’s the kind of tourism bounce you’d normally associate with a Ryder Cup, not a quiet heathland a short hop from the M6.
“Great for the club – and good news for the region”
If you sense a bit of pride in the voice of Pleasington’s general manager, you’re not wrong.
Mark Bleasdale, General Manager at Pleasington Golf Club, said: “To receive enquiries from the United States and golfers across Europe saying they have heard of Pleasington and wish to play our course this summer is great for the club – and good news for the region as a whole.
“The Open is one of the world’s biggest sporting events and attracts more than 250,000 spectators each year. We already welcome many UK golfers making the trip north from London and the Midlands to Scotland, but this year could well be a record year for golf tourism in the region.”
In other words, if Royal Birkdale is the main course, Pleasington Golf Club is shaping up to be the Michelin-starred starter just inland – firm turf, proper heathland shot-making and none of the souvenir-shop chaos.
An Open pedigree with a £1 million glow-up
This isn’t some Johnny-come-lately course trying to ride The Open’s coat-tails. Pleasington is a 12-time Open Qualifying venue, a testing ground that has sent more than a few hopefuls on to golf’s most brutal job interview.
Recently, the club completed a £1 million course renovation and upgrade as part of a five-year ‘Good2Great’ strategic plan. That investment hasn’t just been about sprinkling a bit of sand around the bunkers and calling it a day. The work has sharpened the challenge, improved conditioning and ensured that the golf course looks every inch a modern championship heathland when The Open roadshow arrives on the coast.
For visitors, it means you’re not just ticking off another course near the venue – you’re playing a layout that has genuinely been part of The Open story and is now presenting itself in the best form of its life.
Heathland drama with big-sky views
Set against a classic heathland backdrop, Pleasington Golf Club deals in firm, running fairways and the kind of natural contours that make you think twice before grabbing driver. The reward for staying on the straight and narrow? Panoramic views stretching out towards the Pennines, the Lake District and the Fylde Coast.
It’s inland golf with a links golfer’s soul: bouncy surfaces, strategic angles and enough breeze to remind you you’re not that far from the Irish Sea. For international visitors heading to The Open 2026, it’s a chance to experience a distinctly different flavour of North West golf without sacrificing quality or heritage.
Perfectly placed for an Open week golf road trip
Part of Pleasington’s appeal is purely logistical genius.
Located just an hour from the coast and with easy access to the M6 motorway, the club slots neatly into any Open week itinerary. You can fly into Liverpool, Manchester or even Leeds, grab the hire car and be rolling putts at Pleasington Golf Club before your jet-lag has had time to complain.
Situated within one hour of Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds, the club is well set up for visitors, corporate groups and societies who want to build a proper trip around Royal Birkdale without spending the week stuck in seaside traffic.
And if you’re the sort of golfer who likes their wedge game followed by a decent spa and a soft mattress, there are stay & play options ready and waiting.
To enquire about visiting Pleasington, including accommodation options and stay & play packages at Dunkenhalgh Hotel & Spa and surrounding hotels, please contact Debs Garnett at hello@pleasington-golf.co.uk
For further information on Pleasington Golf Club, please visit: https://www.pleasington-golf.co.uk/
The Open 2026 inland gem
With international visitors already circling dates, Open qualifying history on its CV and a freshly upgraded golf course, Pleasington Golf Club looks set to be one of the breakout stars of The Open 2026.
For travelling golfers, it offers something wonderfully old-school: a proper test, a spectacular heathland setting, and a warm Lancashire welcome – all within easy reach of one of the world’s great sporting occasions.
