Southport, England, United Kingdom
Royal Birkdale is the highest rated course in England and consistently ranked among the top 50 in the world. One would expect any venue which has hosted the Open Championship nine times to be a tough examination of every part of your game and this becomes apparent at the opening hole. Often playing straight into prevailing wind, the ideal tee shot will draw to the left of the fairway and the approach should fade into the green. Nick Faldo calls it one of the best opening holes in golf. Don’t overdo either; the rough is usually thick and finding your ball is an achievement, let alone advancing it down the fairway.
Tight fairways throughout require accuracy from the tee but the greens are fast and true, so good putters can expect to score well on this course. The isolation of each hole is a feature of the course; it is seldom that you get to see any of the other holes while advancing down the one you are playing. It creates the impression that you are the only one on the links and means that each hole is a surprise once you reach the next tee. A white, art deco styled clubhouse overlooks the course and is adorned with historical pictures and mementos of the golfing heroes that have strode these links. It’s a good setting to reflect on a round on a legendary golf course
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