SOUTHPORT, England (AP) — A hole-by-hole look at Royal Birkdale, site of the 154th British Open to be played July 16-19:
No. 1, 447 yards, par 4
One of the toughest opening holes in the Open rotation. This requires a tee shot to a fairway that bends to the left. The closer the drive is to the fairway bunker on the left, the better view of the green and angle of attack. The prevailing wind is left-to-right and there is out-of-bounds down the right. Two pot bunkers on either side guard the front of the green.
No. 2, 419 yards, par 4
Two bunkers are to the right side of the fairway nearly 300 yards from the tee, and there is severe mounding up the left side between 250 and 290 yards. It plays into the prevailing wind, and the green is protected by six bunkers and rough-covered banks.
No. 3, 450 yards, par 4
A tee built in the dunes turns this hole into a slight dogleg to the right, and additional bunkers on the left side of the fairway at just over 300 yards makes a partially blind tee shot even tougher. The tee shot should stay on the left side of the fairway to open up the best approach to a green guarded by four pot bunkers.
No. 4, 219 yards, par 3
The par 3 is made even more difficult by a right-to-left prevailing wind and a green that is some 40 yards deep. The green no longer has a bunker across the front so shots can run up to the green. But there are three bunkers to the left and one to the right. Mounds to the right will kick the errant shots away from the greens, making it tough to save par.
No. 5, 321 yards, par 4
The hole has been redesigned so that it no longer is a blind tee shot and will tempt players, depending on the wind, to drive the green. There is a pond to the right, an odd sight for links golf. It was there in 2017 but covered by shrubs. The green is surrounded by seven bunkers. Going long could spell trouble.
No. 6, 514 yards, par 4
The signature hole on the front side and the toughest hold in 2017. There are two pot bunkers on the right at the dogleg and one on the left for any drive that runs through the fairway. The tee shot must stay between them, leaving a long approach to an elevated green that is contoured and surrounded by dunes.
No. 7, 151 yards, par 3
The shortest par 3 at Royal Birkdale, the green has been slightly raised to create steep slopes into some of the deepest bunkers. Still in play is the famed “doughnut” bunker with a circular patch of grass in the middle.
No. 8, 459 yards, par 4
This usually plays downwind with a bunker on the left and three more on the right. The tee shot must thread its way between them. Two deep pot bunkers guard a large green that is difficult to read.
No. 9, 414 yards, par 4
This features a blind tee shot, rare for this links, and a dogleg right. There are no fairway bunkers, making it tempting to cut the corner, but extensive mounds down the right side of the fairway will punish anything less than perfection. The elevated green has a bunker front right set into the hill.
No. 10, 397 yards, par 4
Four bunkers must be avoided on a hole that bends to the left. Two bunkers are set among the dunes to the right.
No. 11, 434 yards, par 4
This hole typically plays into the wind, and the tee shot must avoid four bunkers placed between 280 yards and 350 yards. The variety of tough hole locations on the long, angled green require good decisions on club selection.
No. 12, 186 yards, par 3
This is among the most memorable par 3s in the British Open rotation, set among deep dunes and protected by two bunkers in the front.
No. 13, 502 yards, par 4
Five fairway bunkers bring trouble into play no matter which way the wind is blowing, although it is slightly easier at the players’ backs. The long iron is required for the second shot to a green framed by the dunes with three bunkers toward the front. This is where Jordan Spieth took an unplayable penalty shot from the driving range in his 2017 victory.
No. 14, 602 yards, par 5
This effectively played as No. 15 previously and still is the longest wait for a par 5 among Open courses. Bunkers are positioned on both sides of the fairway. A good drive makes it easy to get beyond a second cluster of bunkers. The green is protected by two bunkers in the front. The hole has 12 bunkers.
No. 15, 241 yards, par 3
An entirely new par 3 and the longest at Royal Birkdale. This typically plays downwind to a large green with a narrow entrance that makes the green look smaller than it really is. The green slopes from front to back. A front pin is intimidating with two bunkers at the entrance.
No. 16, 393 yards, par 4
The strength of the hole is the prevailing wind over native grass to the fairway. There are runoff areas on both sides and behind the green, making it important to stay straight. Two bunkers are on the right side of the green.
No. 17, 566 yards, par 5
The tee shot is between two large dunes and must avoid two bunkers on the right. The hole then turns to the left to a green that is narrow and has two tiers with extreme undulations not usually found on a links course.
No. 18, 508 yards, par 4
What previously moved from left-to-right is now a straight hole with the tee box moved to the left, allowing players to clearly see the six bunkers on either side of the fairway that must be avoided. The green sits below the famous white clubhouse, and its narrow entrance is guarded by three bunkers.
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