Royal Birkdale tests every aspect of your game. You need to drive very well as the course – at almost 7,200 yards – is long when conditions are wet and tight when dry. The elevated tee shots on many holes demand excellent control – and a strong nerve when the capricious links wind is blowing. Greens are subtle and hard to read. Bunkers are cleverly positioned and unforgiving as they are designed to prevent an easy recovery. Overall, most clubs in the bag are tested to the extreme. From the spectators’ viewpoint, Birkdale is regarded as the best venue on the Open rota for viewing vantage points.

1st Hole 450 yards Par 4