Explore about Fair fairways

Birkdale's flat fairways make it one of the favourite British courses among American professionals. Many Americans dislike traditional links because they believe it is unfair when a perfectly good shot kicks at right angles off a bump or hollow into the rough or a bunker. But on the level fairways of Birkdale the punishment fits the crime.

However, if your shots do stray from the fairway, you are almost certain to find yourself among the many sand hills that surround and separate most holes. These sandhills turn each hole into an arena. Birkdale's greens are also friendlierthan those on most of Britain's championship links, even though the putting surface speeds up considerably in dry conditions. South African Bobby Cole fell victim to the greens at the 1976 Open during the very dry weather of that year's drought. He five-putted the opening green.