Situated in Lathom Park, a former seat of the Derby family, Ormskirk Golf Club came into being on 14 April 1899 when six local gentlemen promoted a meeting at the Ormskirk Workingmen’s Institute. They were all members of Southport (later changed to Hesketh) Golf Club which at that time had moved inland to Moss Lane and it is possible that the unsettled state of this club had influenced their decision to form Ormskirk. The outcome was that the founder members who attended the meeting quickly got down to business and declared the club duly constituted and proceeded to elect a Council, Trustees, Secretary, Treasurer and to name Mr H Brighouse as Captain. As he served for only part of the year he enjoyed a second term in 1900. The final decision taken at the inaugural meeting was the act of faith by 17 founder members in guaranteeing a total of £150 towards the erection of a clubhouse which was built later that year at a cost, including the furnishings, of £700.

The chosen site for the first 9 holes was New Park which at one time had been part of Lord Derby’s deer park. The course was leased from the Stanley Estates and was constructed under the direction of the former Open Champion, Harold Hilton, who played in the exhibition match when the course was opened on 2 December 1899. Hilton also supervised the construction of the second 9 holes in the adjacent Top Park which enabled the 18 hole course to be formally opened on 30 May 1903. Nine years later in 1912 the members grasped the opportunity to buy the freehold of the entire 125 acres for £5,700. The foresight of such members has to be applauded because whilst the deal appears to be incredibly cheap by today’s standards the £7,655 they had to borrow must have caused some sleepless nights.

The original clubhouse served the members until 1914 when a more substantial structure was built on the present site at a cost of £2,827. Electricity was installed in 1934, followed shortly afterwards by the addition of living accommodation for the Steward and there have been various other extensions over the years. In 1991 a new professional’s shop was built and if the cost of £75,000 seems expensive it is only a reflection on the impact of inflation. Parking problems were resolved in 1998 when the club spent £180,000 to buy and landscape an extra piece of land on which to lay a new car park on the opposite side of Cranes Lane, helpfully subsidised by a substantial refund of VAT.

Two major reconstructions have taken place since the course became 18 holes although the basic layout has not fundamentally changed. The parkland setting is now a stern but fair test of golf which has been used as a regional qualifying course for the Open Championship and to host County matches for the men and the ladies. The original 23 Lady Subscribers have now increased signi ficantly and the ladies section is well known for its support of County golf and the Liverpool Society of Lady Golf Captains.

Ormskirk was a founder member of the Society and Danny Garforth was elected as Society Captain in 1983/84, and also served as President of the Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs in 2004. Ian Gregson was the Captain of the Society for 2012, thus being the second from the club to hold this office.