Royal Birkdale Golf Club

Warterloo Road - Birkdale - Southport

Royal Birkdale, situated on the same stretch of coastline as fellow Open Championship venues Royal Lytham St Annes and Royal Liverpool, is distinguished by its roll call of honours. Two Ryder Cups, the Walker and Curtis Cups ï¾– and eight Open Championships ï¾– Birkdale will once again host the greatest tournament in golf in 2008.

This Southport links is considered Englands finest course and its a refreshing and liberating experience to battle seawinds and thread your ball between Birkdales towering sandhills.

A timid golfer will not fare well at Birkdale, as deep revetted bunkers and slick greens are only some of the challenges that hinder a successful navigation of this 7,018yard layout. Its not impossible to score well, and, with three parfives in the last four holes ï¾– going by the yellow tee of the day card ï¾– redemption awaits anyone whos made a hash of the early part of their round.

One of Birkdales greatest challenges is that no two holes play in the same direction. Judging the winds off the Irish Sea can be a confounding and frustrating task. Youll find yourself toying between a fourwood and a twoiron more often than you would care, except on rare benign days.

The 183yard parthree 12th captures Birkdales charm. A tiny plateau green narrowed by gaping bunkers either side and brooding sandhills left, right and rear. Anything short melts away down the slope and is swallowed by two bunkers that appear ornamental from the tee.

The 14th, at 198yards, is no pushover either. Five bunkers lurk by the green and one more placed conspicuously short, that sees action on the windiest of days when mishit shots are buffeted back by the cross winds.

Then the 18th, at 472 yards, is a plumb birdie opportunity if your drive reaches safety. Renowned as one of the worlds finest finishing holes, the temptation is to pull the teeshot left to prevent the ball getting caught in deep rough to the right among the sand dunes that border nearby Hillside Golf Club. The wellbunkered green is set against its unusual modernist white clubhouse with trademark art deco bay windows.