Royal Lytham & St Annes

The Club and The R&A felt that Royal Lytham needed to be reviewed before the 2012 Open, to ensure that the course presented a stern enough test for the world’s best players. The major adjustments to the course were the addition of some back tees, the formation of dunes to the left of the 2nd and 3rd holes, the lengthening of the 7th with a new green, the addition of a back tee and the reconfiguration of the fairway bunkering on the 11th and the adjustment of the bunkering for a number of the holes including the famous 18th to ensure that everyone had to think about these penal hazards, whatever the conditions.

Since the 2012 Open, advice has continued to be provided with a rationalisation of the bunkers being a major project. This has seen almost 40 bunkers removed from the layout with the majority being greenside bunkers. The swales and hollows which replace them have proven to be just as tough a test for the best golfers but more playable for the average player.