The Royal Birkdale Artisans Club is a unique and fascinating golf club with a rich history and a truly special deal. It's a club within a club, offering its members a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play one of the world's top 20 golf courses every day, and it's all completely free. But what makes this club truly remarkable is the story behind its creation and the tight-knit community it has fostered over the years.
In 1931, 32 working-class tradesmen came together with Royal Birkdale Golf Club to form the Royal Birkdale Artisans Golf Club. In exchange for access to the course, these artisans volunteered their labor to help maintain it. This arrangement has continued ever since, with the current captain being a window fitter, and other members working as gas engineers, electricians, barbers, floor fitters, bricklayers, builders, and bus drivers. The definition of an artisan is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates material objects partly or entirely by hand, and the club's members certainly fit that description.
Membership in the Royal Birkdale Artisans Club is by application only, and there is an interview process to ensure that applicants are suitable for the 'Artisan golf way of life'. To apply, one must live within 10 miles of Royal Birkdale and volunteer two hours every week to help maintain the course. Each member is given a purple vest, their uniform for working on the course, with the words 'Royal Birkdale Golf Club Artisan' on the back. Every hour and job is strictly tracked, and there are clear consequences for non-adherence, namely the withdrawal of access to play the course.
The Artisans fill divots, rake bunkers, trim sprinkler heads, pick balls on the range, and do whatever tasks are needed to look after one of the world's top links courses. Reporting to Royal Birkdale's course manager, Sean McClean, the Artisans are an integral part of the course's maintenance and upkeep. Membership is capped at 32, matching the number of original members.
The Royal Birkdale Artisans Club has a quaint brick clubhouse located next to the fourth green of the course. The building, built in 1897, was originally the pro shop for Royal Birkdale. However, when the iconic art-deco clubhouse opened in 1935, the club donated the old pro shop to the Artisans, giving them their own space to meet, change into golf shoes, and make a well-earned cup of tea after their weekly chores are complete.
The Artisans often gather in their clubhouse and watch visiting golfers from around the world stroll past. The clubhouse is decorated with images from Open Championships, photos of players stopping in, and champions boards celebrating the various winners of Artisans competitions dating back 96 years. The main room, no more than 300 square feet, is a testament to the club's rich history and the hard work of its members.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Royal Birkdale Artisans Club is the annual prize-giving night. Hosted by Royal Birkdale in its famed white clubhouse, the night is a highlight for the 32 members and an opportunity to feel an even stronger connection to the main club. The Artisans' hospitality always extends when The Open comes to town, with pros often stopping during practice days and having a look at the clubhouse. Phil Mickelson took a picture with us in 2008, Colin Montgomerie always stopped in, and Christy O'Connor, Jr., even came in during a rain delay once to drink whisky and play cards.
The Royal Birkdale Artisans Club is a unique and fascinating golf club with a rich history and a truly special deal. It's a club within a club, offering its members a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play one of the world's top 20 golf courses every day, and it's all completely free. But what makes this club truly remarkable is the story behind its creation and the tight-knit community it has fostered over the years. Personally, I think it's a testament to the power of community and the joy of shared experiences. What makes this particularly fascinating is the way in which the club has evolved over the years, adapting to the changing times while still maintaining its core values. In my opinion, the Royal Birkdale Artisans Club is a shining example of what can be achieved when people come together with a shared passion and a commitment to hard work and friendship.
