One of the most famous and difficult links golf courses in the world, Royal St. Georges has hosted some twelve Open Championships and is scheduled to stage the great event once again in 2003. Like many great links, Royal St. Georges owes its origins in large part to chance. Having set off from London in search of land upon which to construct a golf course akin to the links of their native Scotland, Dr. Laidlaw Purves and Henry Lamb came across a mountainous collection of dunes, which is now home to this famous links. Such was the quality of the links, that in 1894, Royal St. Georges became the first course outside Scotland to host the Open Championship.

Over the years, the layout at Sandwich has changed little and the fact that the course is rated so highly to this day is a testament to the fine initial design. Sandwich hosted many great Opens up to 1949, when it was decided that venue could no longer cope with the logistical demands of an Open Championship. Logistics improved, the event returned to Royal St. Georges in 1981 and again in 1985 and 1993. And if the commonly held belief that great courses produce great champions is true, then this is certainly the case at Sandwich. Its roll of honour includes the likes of J. H. Taylor, Henry Cotton, Bobby Locke, Sandy Lyle and Greg Norman.

Though the courses on the Open Championship rota are not supposed to be simple, Royal St. Georges, with the possible exception of Carnoustie in Scotland, is probably the toughest of the lot, particularly for the higher handicap golfer. The carries required to find fairways, which tumble amidst towering dunes, are almost all long, while some of them are also blind. Its toughness is probably best illustrated by the winning scores in major events - Sandy Lyle won the Open in 1985 on a total of two-over-par, while Jack Nicklaus won the Grand Challenge Cup as an amateur in 1959 on a combined two round aggregate of 149.

Each hole at Sandwich offers a stiff challenge and with a championship length of almost 7,000 yards being accompanied by a par of only 70, real muscle is almost always required on the par fours. For the ordinary player, the huge 4th either incites a laugh or a cry. With two sleeper-lined bunkers awaiting the drive and a wickedly elevated green, access in two strokes in practically unthinkable. The par four 8th and par five 14th are two magnificent holes but the real strength of the links lies in its finish. Three of the four closing holes are long two-shotter par fours, with the closing hole measuring almost 470 yards, requiring two majestic strikes.

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