As one of the most difficult golf courses on the Open Rota, Royal Lytham & St Anne’s can boast a list of former champions which few can match. From the 1926 Open victory of Bobby Jones to 1979 and the Car Park Champion, Seve Ballesteros, greats of the game have come to this stunning layout and claimed the Claret Jug. From its inception in 1897 the course has been considered a tough but fair test for championship golf, having originally been laid out by George Lowe the course was made into the examination we see today following the work of Harry Colt between 1919 and 1922 which laid the foundations for the Lytham and St Anne’s to host its first Open Championship in 1926.
1st Hole – Par 3 – 205 Yards
As the only course on the Open Rota to start with a par 3 it is imperative for it to be a stern test. Thankfully at 205 yards we will see most players hit a 5-iron to the green which is protected by a host of bunkers left and right.
2nd Hole – Par 4 – 481 Yards
For me, the tee was the scene of one of my most memorable Open moments. Although the exact correspondence between Ian Woosnam and his caddy escape me, the realisation that he had 15 clubs in the bag standing on this tee effectively meant his race was run in the 2001 Open. With bunkers well placed on the left hand side a drive on the fairway is key to approach the well-guarded green.
3rd Hole – Par 4 – 478 Yards
Another testing par 4 with out of bounds right and bunkers left. With the wind generally helping reaching the green in regulation shouldn’t be difficult but avoiding the bunkers is!
Royal Lytham & St Annes primary defence comes in the form of devilish pot bunkers that are strewn all over the course.
4th Hole – Par 4 – 392 Yards
A shortish par 4 with an opportunity to make a birdie providing you put the ball into position off the tee. With a slight dog-leg featuring bunkers on the left hand corner this is a great course management hole which shouldn’t provide too many problems for competitors in the Open Championship.
5th Hole – Par 3 – 219 Yards
As the longest par-3 on the card anyone walking off with a par will be happy. Playing to an elevated green with bunkers set below left and right of the putting surface ensure a tricky up and down for anyone missing the green.
6th Hole – Par 4 – 492 Yards
Another testing two-shotter, having been reduced from a par-5 to a par-4 for this year’s tournament, competitors will be hoping to get a good drive away to give them as much loft as possible into the green which slopes to the right and features no less than 5 greenside traps.
When the wind gets up it can be difficult to get the whole way round this stunning course without paying the long, choppy rough a visit or two.
7th Hole – Par 5 – 592 Yards
Another good birdie opportunity. With firm fairways as a result of the Great British Summer ;-) most will be able to reach in two but will need to be wary of the bunkers positioned between 60-80 yards out which will catch any offline strikes.
8th Hole – Par 4 – 416 Yards
This plays a lot shorter than its yardage due to an elevated tee. With most players playing in from 150 yards the importance is on distance control as any shot long will face a very tricky up and down.
9th Hole – Par 3 – 165 Yards
With no less than 9 bunkers surrounding the putting surface and a very long green, this par-3 is one which requires both accuracy and distance control. With most hitting a 9-iron to this hole this is a realistic birdie opportunity if the shot is struck as intended.
10th Hole – Par 4 – 387 Yards
As a slightly blind tee-shot most will play conservatively to the left hand side of the fairway leaving no more than a wedge into the green. There is an opportunity to go for the green with a bit of help from the wind but with the perils of rough and bunkers to miss any slightly offline shots few will consider this option. This is great birdie opportunity and a nice start to the back nine.
Unlike many classic links courses, Royal Lytham & St Annes features mature pine trees that border a number of holes around the course.
11th Hole – Par 5 – 598 Yards
For most this will be a realistic birdie opportunity, although few will be able to reach the green in two it is important for them to make the correct decision when playing into the green due to bunkers lying in wait 50 yards from the green.
12th Hole – Par 3 – 198 Yards
A very picturesque hole but one which can be very difficult due to the wind. Playing it with the prevailing wind means that only a well struck shot will hold the putting surface, due to the angled nature of the green this is a small target.
13th Hole – Par 4 – 355 Yards
Most will play this as a simple iron off the tee and wedge into the green, ensuring that they keep the ball well left off the tee. With bunkers framing the fairway at almost every point those attempting the green will do so at their peril.
14th Hole – Par 5 – 592 Yards
This is a hole which is at the mercy of the wind, if it is down there is an opportunity to really take advantage and carry the fairway bunkers but if it is into the wind this is a totally different propostion where par becomes a great score!
As is the case with all of the courses on the Open Championship rota, a round of golf at Royal Lytham & St Annes can be greatly effected by the weather. Players competing in the Open will be praying for still and sunny skies!
15th Hole – Par 4 – 462 Yards
This is the toughest of the closing holes in my opinion with two good hits required to reach the sloping putting surface. While many will edge to the left of the fairway off the tee the best angle into the green is on the right – some big decisions to be made on this testing par-4.
16th Hole – Par 4 – 336 Yards
Although not officially known as “Seve” or “Car Park” this is the hole where Ballesteros smashed his drive slightly off line (well a lot off line), wedged it onto the green and holed the putt. While not so many will chose the Seve route, this cavalier route helped him claim the Open Championship in 1979 aged just 22.
17th Hole – Par 4 – 453 Yards
If the previous hole is to be named “Seve” this should rightly be known as “Jones”. On his way to claiming the 1926 Open Bobby Jones hit a magical shot from the left hand rough onto the green which startled his nearest challenger into a three putt. While this shows us that fortune favours the brave on this hole, few will ever have the ability or determination to pull off such a shot under pressure as Bobby Jones did.
18th Hole – Par 4 – 413 Yards
This hole is all about the tee-shot “threading the eye of a needle” with bunkers ready to snare any off line drive. The green is framed by the historic clubhouse and thousands of fans awaiting the next Open Champion, who will claim the Claret Jug in 2012, answers on
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