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UK, England Golf Courses
North
Royal Lytham & St Annes (6673 yds. Par 71)
(Lytham) 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.
Royal Birkdale (6305 yds. Par 71)
(Southport) Birkdale's fairways are flat but they form valleys between mighty sand dunes, 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 recognition, particularly among the professionals, that its lack of the eccentricities of some other seaside links is more to their liking.
Royal Liverpool (6840 yds. Par 72)
(Hoylake) The great Hoylake is seldom a question of love at first sight. As is the case with so many championship links courses, it is not physically attractive and rarely endears itself to the average golfer. However, it is without question a very grand links, and a life-long bond of respect and admiration soon begins to establish itself.
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club (6603 yds. Par 72)
(Southport) Set amongst ranges of tall sandhills and smaller sand dunes, the Course is a true test of golf for all golfers. Accuracy is of ultimate importance and one needs to plan your drive rather than just hit it as far as possible. The coastal climate is kind and is a delightful atmosphere in which to play golf.
Formby Golf Club (6490 yds. Par 72)
(Formby) Founded in 1884, Formby is a magnificent traditional links of charm and elegance situated close by the shoreline of the Irish sea, near Southport. Accuracy is always required since the indigenous heather protects much of the rough and great caution is required whether this be off the tee, in approach shots, or on the green.
Hillside Golf Club (6850 yds. Par 72)
(Southport) Hillside's links golf course is surely one of the best links courses never to have hosted the Open. Situated next door to Royal Birkdale, it provides a peerless test of golf, which tests all the shots in a majestic setting. Even if you safely negotiate the start, there are plenty of testing and scenic holes to come. Much earth- moving, done in the 1960s, has produced one of the most scenic and testing links courses in the British Isles.
Central
Brabazon Golf Course (6905 yds. Par 72)
(The Belfry) The Belfry is the headquarters of the PGA and is situated in a 370 acre park, only 10 miles northeast of Birmingham. The two 18-hole courses, the Brabazon and the Derby, have been designed by Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas. The Brabazon, a demanding championship course, has eleven holes on which one has to negotiate water. Streams and lakes are features of the courses and spectators have been taken into account.
Woodhall Spa Golf Club (6907 yds. Par 73)
(Woodhall Spa) This is one of the country's greatest and most beautiful heathland courses, founded in 1905 and originally laid out by Harry Vardon. It provides flat, easy walking amongst heather and tree-lined fairways and is renowned for its vast bunkers and clubhouse atmosphere.
South
Wentworth Golf Club (6905 yds. Par 73)
(Virginia Water) Of all the inland courses in England, Wentworth is the most revered. Host to the Ryder Cup, the World Match Play, Dunlop Masters and so on, it personifies great inland golf the world over. the challenge, in terms of sheer yards, is enormous. But the qualities go beyond this, and include the atmosphere, the heathland, the silver birch and the fairway side homes.
Sunningdale Golf Club (6586 yds. Par 72)
(Ascot)The Old Course was designed by Willie Park Jr, a leading player and twice the winner of the Open Championship. He was engaged by the original committee of the Club in 1900 and the course opened for play in 1901. It retains a high ranking in courses around the world as a fine example of a heathland course. It was here in 1926 that Bobby Jones played his legendary round of 66, 33 out and 33 back in qualifying for the Open Championship which he went on to win.
Walton Heath Golf Club (6801 yds. Par 72)
(Walton-on-the-Hill) On an exposed heathland setting, some 700 feet above sea level and covered with bracken and heather, the courses are undoubtedly two of the finest of their type in England. Both are at the mercy of the winds which sweep across the Downs and both have wide greens, merciless bunkers and awkward rough.
Royal St Georges Golf Club (6903 yds. Par 70)
(Sandwich) 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 1 st can be daunting, so can the bunkers and the huge sand hills. But there are classic shots here.
Prince's Golf Club (9 holes - 3343 yds. Par 36)
(Sandwich) This is a 27-hole championship links of the highest calibre built in 3 loops of 9 holes from a modern clubhouse. The course represents all that is best in traditional links golf in the use of depression ridges and broken ground on a predominantly flat surface, with as little protection from the wind as possible. The three 18 hole combinations all demand the highest standard of distance judgement.
Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club (6785 yds. Par 72)
(Deal) This is a famous championship seaside links, windy but with easy walking. The outward nine is generally considered the easier. The inward nine is longer and includes the renowned 16th, perhaps the most difficult hole. On a fine day there are wonderful views across the Channel.
East Sussex National Golf Club (7081 yds. Par 72)
(Uckfield) Created with a $45 million budget, the East Sussex National, which runs around the elegant Horsted Place Hotel, is a wonderful creation for golfers and is planned to be one of the most luxurious golf clubs in the world. Its two courses have been created with tournaments in mind and the 18th green has been designed so that 50,000 spectators can see.
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