Royal Birkdale
Located in Southport on the Northwest part of England, the Royal Birkdale golf course is a perfect example of how a links course should be.
History of the course
The course was originally called The Birkdale when it was opened in October, 1889 at Shaw Hills. It was then a nine-hole course and in 1884 it was extended to 18 holes and moved to its present location at Birkdale Hills. After George Low designed the course, it was opened for play in 1897. FW Hawtree and JH Taylor modified the course in accordance with championship standards in the 1930s. In 1951, it came to be known as the Royal Birkdale Golf Club as King George VI bestowed the royal charter to them.
The Royal Birkdale is a links course and is set on the Irish Sea coastline. The winds play a huge factor in determining the outcome of your play. The fairways are laid in flat-bottomed valleys between towering dunes.
Course Trivia
- The 15 th hole is the longest at the Royal Birkdale golf course. It is a par-five hole and has the maximum number of bunkers which are spread throughout the hole.
- The 12 th and the 18 th hole are also well known. In the 12 th hole, a par three, you will have to drive the ball over a hollow while avoiding the four bunkers surrounding it. The 18 th hole has had a monstrous reputation as it is also heavily bunkered.
- The Royal Birkdale Golf Club has hosted The Open Championship, one of the four majors, eight times. It will again host it in 2008.
- The club has also hosted the Ryder Cup, Walker Cup, Curtis Cup and several other tournaments.
The Royal Birkdale has been voted as the best course in UK . It is the 26 th best course according to Golf Digest magazine's list of top100 golf courses outside the US. As we continue on this tour we will learn about the other top-100 golf courses in the world.
