The Open Championship returned to Royal Lytham and St Annes for the eleventh time in 2012, underlining its status as one of the country's elite links and a popular Open venue. You'll find it on 'England's Golf Coast', around 10 miles north of Royal Birkdale, with Blackpool Tower often visible on the horizon.
What makes Lytham a bit different is that it's a links that feels coastal without starting and finishing right on the shoreline. George Lowe's 1897 routing runs through proper linksland, dunes and hollows, with sea glimpses more likely as you head into the back nine.
The biggest change came in 1919 when Harry S. Colt added over 200 pot bunkers, turning Lytham into the true championship seaside test it's known for. They sit in clusters and they're properly penal, so placement, patience and a sensible gameplan off the tee matter more than raw power. When the breeze picks up, and it often does, club selection becomes half the battle, so trust your numbers and aim for the fat side more than you think you need to.
Lytham has crowned some of the game's greatest champions, from Bobby Jones in 1926 to Seve Ballesteros in 1979 and 1988, and more recently Ernie Els in 2012. It asks questions on every shot and rewards smart, strategic golf.
Who is this for?
Golfers who want to play a genuine Open Championship venue on England's Golf Coast, with easy access to other top links courses in the region and the nightlife and attractions of Blackpool nearby.
Who is it best for?
Low to mid-handicappers who relish a strategic, bunker-heavy links test and appreciate the history and prestige of walking the same fairways as Jones, Ballesteros and Els.
