The west coast of England provides a number of good golfing experiences with Royal Birkdale hosting the 146th Open in 2017.
Jordan Spieth walked away with the title during the Open and we were interested to test ourselves on this challenging track.
Before we headed up to Southport, we took a stroll around Liverpool on the brightest day of the year. A highlight was visiting The Cavern and taking in some Beatles nostalgia. The city has undergone a period of rejuvenation and the old docks are well worth a visit. After a relaxed morning, we headed out to Royal Birkdale for Open Venue #8.
‘Wacko’ Jacko is the new man joining the tour for the last three Open Venue courses on the English Coast.
Wacko is a solid player who is able to hit a long ball and with the English run-out, he is able to hit it really, really far. He is part of an esteemed group of gentlemen who play for the ‘3BC Trophy’ which has seen more implosions under pressure than witnessed around the Barry Burn. He is now UK-based so does not get to play with the Johannesburg crew on a regular basis – so he was ready to take some pounds off The Good Doctor (as he typically does).
Royal Birkdale immediately gets your attention with tight fairways, high rough and narrow approaches. We spent some time chatting to the starter, a fabulous gent, who reminded us how good golf in South Africa actually is – he had recently been on a trip down south.
He sang the praises of the southern cape as a golfing destination, which was good to hear. The opening tee shot followed and the pressure to hit a solid strike is immediate as the hole is played into the prevailing wind. Fortunately, we both got off the tee box well and we were off on the rollercoaster ride that is Royal Birkdale…
Birkdale is very tight and the run-out is something to behold.
The dry period has obviously impacted the course as they have not run the irrigation systems. Hitting a ball a bit off-centre was a virtual guarantee of finding a fairway bunker – and unplayable. Chip out sideways. The Good Doctor was bunkered virtually the entire way around the course – a bit of course management required.
Wacko put together a solid round, playing some terrific iron shots and was unfortunate not to make more of his ball striking. That being said, he pulled off a very comfortable win for the champion golfer of the day award. He was on the cusp of shooting a nett score well below handicap – but then the beast bared some teeth.
We both really enjoyed the course, the shaping and flow of the layout. It is a special golf course and it is understandable why it is so highly rated.
Every hole is memorable and the par-three holes are particularly well set up. The bunkering is the stuff of legend. A shot struck a few feet off-line is going in a greenside trap. If you and the mates come over and play, be sure to practice the bunker shots before you get here and play a side bet for most sand found. The Good Doctor needed a spade yesterday – you may need the same when you play Birkdale.
Royal Birkdale is a course that is well known and is surrounded by a fair amount of history and hype – having hosted The Open and Ryder Cup to name a few. Having played this track, it is clear to see why that is the case. It is simply terrific. The views, classic clubhouse and playability for all levels of golfer make it a very special experience. We both commented that we would like to play it three or more times to get the proper feel and understand the nuisances.
Adding to the Birkdale experience was a visit by a good mate from Grahamstown stooging days – Powder the Mancunian man. We have not been in touch for many years and it was special to share some pints (some more than others) and many good laughs. The Rat and Parrot (the most famous of establishments) was primary to the topic of conversation as were the days of good times in the student town. Our evening ended with banter and chatting cricket in the Shaamraat Indian Restaurant (well batted Faf). This trip has been epic on all levels and picking up as if it was a day after the last pint is just so special.
Wacko is ready to take The Good Doctor’s cash again as we head down to Royal Liverpool Hoylake to play our next round. The weather has been so kind that we will both be heading home with a tan. It looks set to be fair for the final two rounds so there can be no excuses for poor shot-making. Avoidance of the bunkers over the next two days will be key.
The English coast has much to offer and we understand from the locals that the courses around Birkdale are all damn good. Like Portrush and Royal County Down in Northern Ireland, you have a plethora of courses on the English coast.
All that remains is to pick the other layouts and come and test yourself on the beast at Birkdale!
