| Facilities |
|---|
| Championship Standard Course |
| Club House |
| Pro Shop |
| Putting Greens |
The Open Championship will be staged at Royal Lytham and St Annes for the eleventh time in 2012, underlining its position among the country's elite links venues. The course may have celebrated its centenary in 1998, but only minor alterations have been made to George Lowe's original design; the renowned Harry S. Colt's subtle 1919 tweaks were all that was required to ensure that Lytham remained a true championship seaside test.
| Facilities |
|---|
| Championship Standard Course |
| Club House |
| Pro Shop |
| Putting Greens |
The general consensus is that Lytham is not the most aesthetically satisfying course, being located close to some suburban housing, but any shortfall in prettiness is certainly well compensated for by the remarkable clarity of the course's design. Lytham is renowned for its merciless difficulty, but many believe it to be the country's fairest test of championship links golf; when David Duval triumphed in 2001, commentators praised the quality of the design, as well as the outstanding set-up and condition, which proved to be a great leveller and rewarded the most consistent play.
Lovers of links golf are sure to be enchanted by the wind-swept landscape at Lytham, where the championship seaside layout is enough to rival the best that the English coastline has to offer, and is a certain highlight of any pilgrimage to this famous golfing stretch.
