British Open Circuit Golf Courses
Royal St. Georges Golf Club
This course is the truest links you will find in all England and the Royal & Ancient, in its wisdom, chose this as one of The Open venues, knowing it will find the pedigree player at the end of a week. Close to the sea, overlooking Pegwell Bay, any kind of wind can make this man-size test even tougher. The sweeping rough at the 1st can be daunting, so can the bunkers and the huge sandhills. But there are classic shots here.
Royal Birkdale
Birkdale's fairways are flat but they form valleys between mighty sand dune, providing a sturdy frame to a landscape embellished by a profusion of tenacious buckthorn and willow scrub. In the last 30 years, no club has hosted more major events, a clear mark of recoginition, particularly amoung the professionals, that its lack of eccentricities of some other seaside links is more to their liking.
Royal Lytham & St. Anne's
This is one of the great seaside championship links of the British Isles, and one of the seven where the British Open is held regularly. A true links course, with fast running fairways, ground gathering towards strategically placed bunkers, and no end of trouble for the wayward shot. The club is rich in history, dating back to its foundation in 1886 and there is a charming air of timeless respectability.
St. Andrews New Course
The New Course will never be able to achieve the notoriety of the Old Course. It is, however, a fine links golf course. The Old Course relies on position off the tee to set up a proper second. The New Course, with it much tighter fairway, demands a more precise tee game. Not a pushover by any standards, The New Course, but for its more famous neighbor, would be on every golfer's "must play" list.
St. Andrews Old Course
As you stand on the first tee, take a moment to reflect what a magnificent game was born on these very shores. The Old is virtually and out and back course. It is very different from any other course in the world and is sometimes an acquired taste. It has a seaside quality, being basically flat with enourmous greens and fearsome bunkers. There are only two holes less than 300 yeard, and the long holes, especially the 17th, have ruined many a golfer's scorecard.
Carnoustie Golf Club
Of all the championship links, Carnoustie is possibly the most severe. It has been recently reinstated on the Open circuit and hosted the British Open Championship in 1999. On the five previous occasion Cournoustie was used, it produced champions of the highest caliber. With the wind so intolerant, the rough so devastating and the greens so fast, this it the complete test, both mentally and physically.
Gullane No. 1 Course
Founded in 1882, the golf courses here, of which there are three, and the venerable hamlet are linked as one. Golf here is at the core of Scottish love for the game. Views from the top of the course are simply magnificent, and the finish at 18, much like that of St. Andrews, attracts town folk and visitors alkike to applaud golfers for a round well played.
Muirfield Golf Club
Muirfield is the home of the Hounourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers and is the most exclusive golf club in the U.K. Founded in 1744, the existing course is designed in two loops of nine holes. Players have a constantly changing battle with the wind, and the beautifully constructed bunkers (over 150 in total) which never allow a bad shot to escape, are a great feature of the course.
Prestwick Golf Club
Founded in 1851, the setting for the very first Open, this is one of the best known and most distinguished clubs in Scotland, which is rich in golfing history. Stretching majestically along the Ayrshire coast, it is in every sense a true seaside course, with traditional links turf.
Royal Troon
Founded in 1878, a stern, uncompromising test faces all golfers fortuante enough to play here. The famous 123-yard 8th, with the appropriately named Postage Stamp green, drops off quickly on three sides and provides not only a super challenge, but quite a spectacle as well. Frequently the venue for the Open.
Turnberry Ailsa Course
The Ailsa, venue of the 1994 British Open, is the more famous of the two courses here and undoubtedly one of the fairest and most demanding test of the golfer's skill. A rigourous 6384 yards, it is seldom visited by Lady Luck and a good score must be justly earned.
