Situated on the golden links of the North West coast in Southport, Royal Birkdale is one of the finest course in England. Royal Birkdale has held more Championship and International events since World War 2 than any other course in the world. Open Championships, Ryder Cups, Women’s British Opens, Senior Opens, Amateur Championships, Walker Cups and Curtis Cups.
Royal Birkdale Golf Club has been voted one of the top five clubs in the UK and amongst the top 40 in the world. Three generations of the Hawtree family of golf course architects have worked on the course
It truly is a famous links and widely recognised for its fairness. If you hit the fairways, rarely will the ball be thrown off course. The fairways are laid out in the flat-bottomed valleys between the towering dunes. These dunes, in turn, provide superb viewing platforms for spectators. Invariably in immaculate condition, Royal Birkdale is a very tough cookie to master. The greens were re-built prior to the 1998 Open and despite their youth, are extremely difficult to read.
Birkdale has a superfluity of great golf holes. A tough opening hole, often rated as one of the most difficult holes on the course. An accurate tee shot is vital in order to have a chance of attacking the pin, which is a very demanding shot to say the least. The 12th, a 183-yard par three is a classic hole and as natural as you can get. From a raised tee, the ball must carry across a hollow, whilst avoiding four deep pot bunkers before coming to rest on a narrow, raised green that is nestled at the feet of tussocky sand dunes.
The par five 15th is Birkdale’s longest hole and one of the most heavily bunkered on the course; knock it straight down the middle off the tee and then using a long iron or a fairway wood, avoid the bunkers spread-eagled across the fairway; chip it on and, bingo, an easy five! The monstrous 18th with Out Of Bounds to the right has seen drama over the years, a heavily bunkered par four measuring 476 yards. Only our best two shots in the bag will see us putting for a birdie.
Royal Birkdale can be a difficult experience when the wind is up, with the big waves of the Irish Sea. In these conditions, many of the carries from tees to fairways into the prevailing wind can be too much for the intermediate golfer. But whatever the weather, Royal Birkdale is a provocative place to play golf and an amazing experience.