Though a relative newcomer to the Open Championship rota, only hosting its first Open in 1954, Royal Birkdale is regarded by many to be the finest championship venue of all. And in order to get an idea of the stature of the course, one only has to look at the events that have been staged there. Eight Open Championships, two Ryder Cups, the Walker Cup, the Curtis Cup and countless major amateur events have all been played over the hallowed turf of Royal Birkdale.

It is often said that great golf courses invariably produce great champions and this being true, Royal Birkdale must be pretty good. Birkdale's list of winners reads like a veritable who's who of golfing greats; among them being Peter Thompson (1954 & '65), Arnold Palmer (1961), Lee Trevino (1971), Johnny Miller (1976), Tom Watson (1983), Ian Baker Finch (1991) and Mark O' Meara (1998). And in September 1969, Birkdale was also the scene of one of the most memorable and sporting moments in Ryder Cup history, when Jack Nicklaus conceded Tony Jacklin's putt on the final green to half the game and the match.

Founded by a group of eight golf enthusiasts on July 30th 1889, the original nine-hole course was extended to eighteen holes by the turn of the century. The first major reconstruction at Royal Birkdale occurred in the early 1930's when five-times Open Champion J. H. Taylor and course architect Charles Hawtree joined forces. Work aimed at fine-tuning the links has been ongoing over the years and it is to the credit of the club that all the greens were redesigned and rebuilt between the Opens of 1991 and 1998 - such is the forward-looking attitude of the club.

As for the golf course itself, Royal Birkdale is exceptionally fair, with the problems associated with each hole clearly stated. With each hole essentially running along valley-like fairways amidst towering dunes, the sound advice is to avoid sampling the punitive delights of the sand hills, buckthorn and thick scrub. It is nigh impossible to select any particular hole for special praise. It suffices to say that right from the off, having negotiated a 450-yard par four, double dogleg start, Royal Birkdale will provide the links purist with a profound golfing experience, which will linger in the memory as long as you live.

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