Lets Talk about Royal Birkdale

[Mike Mosely]

What holes are the ones to watch this year?  What interesting architectural features are out there?  Americans seem to do well there...how come?  Is it the flat fairways set in the dunes?  How are the greens?  Which ones are the best?

[Brent Hutto]

Based on a single round from the visitors tees under non-Open setup conditions I'd say the fairways are quite easy to hit (even in a 1-2 club breeze) but if you do miss the fairway you're in serious trouble. I would suppose they'll bring the rough in much narrower in preparation for the Open than it was last September, though.

The bunkers, especially greenside bunkers, tend to gobble up shots that on most courses would run right on by. I know the top players are geniuses out of the sand but many of the bunkers are quite deep.

The greens are not especially treacherous IMO with a couple of exceptions. I think if you can avoid getting the ball imprudently above the hole on a few of the biggest sloping ones and if you can read subtle breaks you can make a lot of putts.

Badly offline shots can get in the heavy grasses up on the dunes and in perilous sidehill lies. So as on many links courses there are big numbers lurking for shots that go far astray on the wrong holes, this will be more of a concern in serious wind.

I suspect the toughest holes may be the ones where thick rough and little pesky ditches come close to the green sites. There are many holes that were quite wide open and nearly trouble-free when I played there. Either they will be pushovers or else the R&A will adjust the setup accordingly.

I couldn't really judge the Par 3 holes playing from what is presumably way in front of the Championship tees. But from the visitors tees there were as a whole not as fearsome as some courses I've seen.

[David_Tepper]

The last 5 winners at Birkdale have been Trevino, Miller, Watson, Baker-Finch & O'Meara. With the exception of perhaps Watson, none were particularly long off the tee and all, again possibly excepting Watson, were very accurate with their irons.

Watson won his 5 Opens on a variety of courses likely because, aside from his great abilities, he embraced links golf more than any of his peers.   

[Jon Wiggett]

Mike,

Birkdale is a links course missing any hint of quirk. It is really a what you see is what you get. Links courses don't play long in general and depend on the wind/weather for protection.

What Birkdale does have is:

1. One of the greatest opening holes in golf followed by a great second.
2. A solid set of par 3s.
3. One of the best fininshing holes in golf.

To play I have always found 1,2,4,7,8,11,12,14-18 all to be great holes to play. Birkdale is also one of the best spectator courses around.

[Tim Pitner]

I see that Birkdale will play to a par 70 at the Open this year--is that par for the members? 

As noted above, Americans have played well at Birkdale in the past.  Have the recent changes added any quirk to the course?  Would you expect U.S. pros to continue to do well there?

I know Woods' absence takes something away, but the wide-open nature of this year's Open has me excited.  Let's see some buzz regarding the Open and Birkdale. 

I just read that the weather for the Open is supposed to be nasty--that could be interesting. 

[Tony_Chapman]

Also, somebody help me, but I swear that when IBF won they played to a par of 69. Can that be?

[Sean_A]

We have had a fair amount of rain recently.  I am guessing this will stall the burn back of the rough.  In normal conditions I would expect to see a load of irons off the tees, but it may be slightly different this year.  In any case, I am really looking forward to an Open without Tiger.  Lets see if any of these so called great players overshadowed by Tiger can step up to the plate.  I have a sneaky suspicion that a non-Yank will win.

Ciao

[Jay Flemma]

Also, somebody help me, but I swear that when IBF won they played to a par of 69. Can that be?

Actually Tony, that's not right.  It was par 70 and his winning score was 8-under 272.

[Tony_Chapman]

Thank you. Knew I was smoking crack.

[Phil McDade]

Also, somebody help me, but I swear that when IBF won they played to a par of 69. Can that be?

Actually Tony, that's not right.  It was par 70 and his winning score was 8-under 272.

Par at Birkdale -- and yardage -- has changed over the years. In '65 (the last of Thomson's 5 wins) and in '71 (Trevino's summer of glory) t played at @ 7050 yds and a par of 73 -- when three of the last four holes all played as par 5s. It was reduced to 7,000 yds and par 72 in '76 (Miller), then 6968 yds and a par of 71 in '83 (Watson), then further reduced to 6940 yds and par of 70 in '91 (Baker-Finch). It's playing to 7173 this year at a par of 71.

[Tony_Chapman]

Also, somebody help me, but I swear that when IBF won they played to a par of 69. Can that be?

Actually Tony, that's not right.  It was par 70 and his winning score was 8-under 272.

Par at Birkdale -- and yardage -- has changed over the years. In '65 (the last of Thomson's 5 wins) and in '71 (Trevino's summer of glory) t played at @ 7050 yds and a par of 73 -- when three of the last four holes all played as par 5s. It was reduced to 7,000 yds and par 72 in '76 (Miller), then 6968 yds and a par of 71 in '83 (Watson), then further reduced to 6940 yds and par of 70 in '91 (Baker-Finch). It's playing to 7173 this year at a par of 71.

Darn, I thought you'd mix a par of 69 in there somewhere. 

[Tim Pitner]

Phil,

Are you sure about that?  The Open Championship website says par is 70.  http://www.opengolf.com/ChampionshipGolf/TheOpenChampionship/TheCourse.aspx