Lytham and Birkdale

[Whereditgo]

Just got an invite for a freebie at Royal Lytham and Royal Birkdale in June!

I've previously played a few of the courses around Southport; Hillside with Golf Monthly, West Lancs, Formby and Southport and Ainsdale. I'm expecting this trip to be at least as good.

So, two months to get my game back on track

 

[Albo]

Im playing both these in May, not as a freebie!!!!!!

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I've heard that they aren't all that...so perhaps you should pass the invitation to a friendly forummer, who doesn't mind slumming it, and is currently available to play in June

 

[Whereditgo]

Im playing both these in May, not as a freebie!!!!!!

Let us know your thoughts on both.

We will be staying over at Lytham in The Dormy for a couple of nights too, so should be special.

 

[SteveJay]

Fingers crossed I will be playing at Lytham in a couple months - our club has a senior's friendly against them - hoping to get selected this year

 

[Foxholer]

Not played Lytham, but Birkdale is a bit special! The holes 'surrounded' by dunes and trees can be tricky as that disguises any breeze.
Stayed in the Dormy House at Royal St Georges once - on a 2 round deal. Fabulous to wake up and open the curtains to a wonderful view.
Enjoy!

 

[Marshy77]

Wow. Never played it, not good enough but went to the Open and was amazed by the course. Absolutely stunning.

The pub near Lytham is nice, went there last for food.

 

[HeftyHacker]

Not jealous at all. Not one bit.

I've hopefully got Lytham lined up for August with a mate who's uncle is a member there staying in the dormy.

I've got the vaguest link to a member at Birkdale too (missus' best mates dad) so I shall be at my most charming when I next see him ?.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Just got an invite for a freebie at Royal Lytham and Royal Birkdale in June!

I've previously played a few of the courses around Southport; Hillside with Golf Monthly, West Lancs, Formby and Southport and Ainsdale. I'm expecting this trip to be at least as good.

So, two months to get my game back on track

I hope you do get your game back on track as both are brutal from any off the tees.

Birkdales rough is just another level.

Both are exceptional courses but Royal Birkdale is the one for me.

 

[IanM]

What he said?

 

[Deleted member 23270]

I hope you do get your game back on track as both are brutal from any off the tees.

Birkdales rough is just another level.

Both are exceptional courses but Royal Birkdale is the one for me.

I prefer Lytham, love courses that you have to think your way round.

 

[Jason.H]

I played Lytham a few weeks back on a wam sunny day with hardly any wind. I played really well despite visiting a few bunkers. One of which I couldn’t see off the tee and thought I,d be in perfect position, another on the 18th fairway thought I’d hit the right club to be short of the bunker only to reach it. The sausage roll at the halfway house was awesome as was the fish n chips after in the club restaurant ?. Good to watch Seve at Lytham on YouTube

 

[Whereditgo]

I hope you do get your game back on track as both are brutal from any off the tees.

Birkdales rough is just another level.

Both are exceptional courses but Royal Birkdale is the one for me.

I played West Lancs a few years back in very strong winds and had a nightmare off the tee, miss the fairway and you were lucky to even find the ball

 

[Deleted member 21445]

Played them a lot when I was a member of Southport & Ainsdale in matches.

Both an absolute delight and you will have an incredible 2 rounds but make no mistake Birkdale is the better course of the two

 

[Deleted member 21445]

Played Hillside in that little warm spell in March.

Thought their recent changes were stunning and was in great condition for that time of year.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

What's not to like. Even if you play like an idiot to play both as a freebie will be an experience. Have a great trip

 

[Albo]

Let us know your thoughts on both.

We will be staying over at Lytham in The Dormy for a couple of nights too, so should be special.

Thats me back from my weekend away playing these. And you csnt fail to be impreased by them both.

Lytham, a lot flatter than I was expecting, not a great deal of elevation change, some when you get to the far end of the course, but so so well bunkered, and I found a lot of them! All seem to have long run in's to the bunkers, so a gradual mown fairway downslope into them, rather than a flat fairway dropping in if that makes sense, it makes the bunkers much larger as a result. Greens were running on the slow side for a champ course (they are hosting some.championship soon and arent cutting the greens down as much to protect them), but ran so true, I really putted well. Loved the course, found the bunkers hard, not going in them is the best strategy but given there are 170+ i'm confident you'll find more than one, just be prepared to take your medicine and get out. Its so well designed with the bunkering too, I found my drives were all about the right length to challenge a bunker especially with the firm conditions, so I thought abouy 3w but that brings other ones into play. Its brilliantly desinged to make you think and challenge you on every shot. If you're good enough you'll be in with a chance of a good score, that said there was wind but not as much as Birkdale, so could imagine in 20+mph winds it would become a different challenge.

Birkdale was even better in my opinion, though our group was split on that point. A lot more elevation change but no crazy holes. I found the holes more visually appealing and interesting, if you like dog legs Birkdale is for you! The wind was up more at Birkdale and the greens running a hell of a lot faster. That was a far far stiffer test of golf, being in the wrong spot and with my golf game that happens lots, was really penal, one hole I was down wind, on the left of fairway flag was left front and a bunker before it, about 180 which was 7i as it was so far down wind and I needed to carry the bunker, being in it wasnt a good spot for me. There.was no way for me to stop the ball close to the flag, flew the bunker little spin due to the wind anf it rolls out to the back, same shot from the other side of the fairway wlould have been 8i land short run it in, but I couldnt play that shot as bunker in the way, could have tried it to the right front but there was a bunker to the right so over roll was in there. From the bad side im looking at bogie or double as long puts on glassy greens tend to make for bad lags or the bunker brings double.in play, from the good side looking at a putt for bird, par at worst. I got a lesson in links golf from Birkdale. If the wind is up and its firm and fast, and you're good enough you csn score very well, if you're not good enough, and I wasnt, then accept it and just enjoy the experience.

Both amazing courses, try and get there early enough to make use of the practice facilities and enjoy the experience of being there, looking at the memorabilia inside etc.

Let us know how you get on

 

[Foxholer]

Not played Lytham, but I expect it, as Birkdale is, will be a similar step (or 2) up from those other courses - as are the several other Open courses I have played (The Old Course actually being the smallest step up ). Birkdale is pretty brutal in any breeze, not just for the usual reason, but several greens, especially early ones, are protected by trees and banks, so the wind you can feel on the fairway may not exist near the green!