To score well at Sandwich your driving must be long and accurate, as you plot your route around and between the giant sand hills. Even some of the professionals consider this links course a real challenge.

Sandwich is as tough a test as there is in golf. The Kent course, owned by Royal St George's Golf Club, has undulating fairways, blind s and massive sand hills. Every stroke is a severe test of skill and strategy.

Even the world's best struggle to tame the course.At the 1981 Open Championship only American Bill Rogers finished under par, while four years later Sandy Lyle won at 2 over par.

The game's greatest player, Jack Nicklaus, also had problems at Sandwich. In 1981 he recorded his highest ever Open round of 83 and four years later missed the 36-hole cut for the first time in his career. Many professionals believe Sandwich to be the most difficult course on the Open rota.

Accuracy from the tee

From most tees your ball has to carry long stretches of rough to reach the fairway. The rough is usually between 160yd (146m) and 200yd (182m) long, and there are no fairway lies to follow a topped or badly hit drive - even if you're straight down the middle.

But you need more than just a long drive. You also have to choose the perfect line over and between all the sandy mounds, humps and hollows, so that you can find the best position for attacking the green. Long, accurate driving doesn't guarantee a low score, but without it you stand little chance.
The layout hasn't changed much since it was built in 1887, although a few holes were redesigned in the 1970s to reduce the number of blind shots. In the early 1900s blind shots were considered both fun and a challenge. But today's tournament pros - with their yardage charts and scientific approach to the game - want to see the flag from a good fairway position.

In the mid 70s changes were made so that the Open could be played at Sandwich again. Golf architect Frank Pennink was responsible for some of these improvements,which included a major new design for the 3rd. This short hole runs the same way as the former blind hole, but the different green is clearly seen from a new tee.

After the 1981 Open two bunkers just short and left of the putting surface were removed and the upward slope from the front edge of the green was eased. At 214 yards this  
par 3 now has a long, narrow green with grassy hollows and hillocks at the back and on both sides.

To increase the length of the course to today's Open standards, Pennink's partner Donald Steel laid out six new back tees. The drive from the 14th, formerly a blind shot,has a view of the distant green.

Previously, three of the four par 3s were on the front nine. Pennink balanced the two halves, with two par 3s on each. The front half is marginally easier than the back nine,and most low scores are recorded overthe opening holes. When the wind blows - which it often does - low totals are rare.

The first open

Laid out on dunes and salt marshes on the Kent coast, Sandwich is one of only two courses south of Liverpool to have hosted the Open Championship - the other is Deal just a few miles away. Eleven Opens have been held here, including the first ever to be played in England in 1894.

After staging its ninth Open in 1949, the event didn't return to Sandwich until 1981 - a gap of 32 years. This was no reflection on the standard or playing conditions of the course, but was the result of transport problems.

Even on a normal weekday the roads in and around the medieval town of Sandwich became badly congested. Better roads eased the traffic in the 1970s. These improvements persuaded the Royal and Ancient to take the Open to Sandwich again in 1981.

Record crowds were able to travel to the course. The event was such a success that the Open returned to Sandwich in 1985. Because of south-east England's huge population, Sandwich is always likely to be a well supported tournament venue.

In search of golf

Royal St George's Golf Club was founded by Edinburgh doctor Laidlaw Purves. Purves chose Sandwich after travelling east from Bournemouth in search of a suitable coastal site for golf that was within reasonable distance of London.

It's reputed that he instantly recognized the potential of the area when he viewed giant sand hills from a church tower. Purves designed the layout, which remained almost untouched until Pennink's alterations. The course was opened in 1887 and was an immediate success. Within five years it held the British Amateur Championship.

Most of the world's top golfers have played Sandwich. Two of the Great Triumvirate - James Braid in 1894 and Harry Vardon in 1899and 1911 -wonthe Open here. Walter Hagen was also a double Open Champion at Sandwich, in 1922 and 1928.

Since the First World War, three Britons have delighted the crowds by lifting the Open trophy at Sandwich. Henry Cotton won in 1934, opening with rounds of 67 and 65 -this 36-hole total of 132 is so far still an Open record.

Reg Whitcombe won in 1938 and Sandy Lyle in 1985 - the first British winner of the Open Championship for 16 years.

Hole by hole

Championship tees: 6857 yards, par 70. Medal tees: 6534 yards, par 70.

1st hole
(Champ 445yd Medal 400yd Par 4) Play your second short of the bunkers fronting the green.

2nd hole
(Champ 376yd Medal 341yd Par 4) Drive down the right for the best angle across the dogleg.

3rd hole
(Champ 214yd Medal 200yd Par 3) Take one more club than you think you need to clear the front  slope.

4th hole
(Champ 470yd Medal 420yd Par 4) Drive down the left to avoid two huge bunkers.

5th hole
(Champ 422yd Medal 422yd Par 4) Drive down the right for the easiest angle over the sand dunes.

6th hole
(Champ 156yd Medal 156yd Par 3) Take enough club to clear the huge bunker at the front of the green.

7th hole
(Champ 529yd Medal 475yd Par 5) Drive down the left and play an iron across the angle of the dog-leg.

8th hole
(Champ 415yd Medal 410yd Par 4) Play your second short of the rough that cuts the fairway in two.

9th hole
(Champ 387yd Medal 376yd Par 4) Drive down the right for the best view of the green.

10th hole
(Champ 399yd Medal 377yd Par 4) Take enough club to clear the slope by the green.

11th hole
(Champ 216yd Medal 216yd Par 3) Take care to read the links' most difficult green.

12th hole
(Champ 362yd Medal 343yd Par 4) Play down the left and don't try to cut the corner of the dog-leg.

13th hole
(Champ 443yd Medal 438yd Par 4) Best to approach the green from the right side of the fairway.

14th hole
(Champ 508yd Medal 497yd Par 5) If you try to clear the stream with your second, aim down the right.

15th hole
(Champ 467yd Medal 439yd Par 4) If you can't reach the green in 2, play your second short and left.

16th hole
(Champ 165yd Medal 165yd Par 3) Play safe and aim at the centre of the green regardless of pin position.
                     

17th hole
(Champ 425yd Medal 422yd Par 4) Take at least one more club than you think.

18th hole
(Champ 458yd Medal 437yd Par 4) Play down the left for the best line to the green.

Four holes to watch

1st hole  
(Champ 445yd Medal 400yd Par 4) You need a long, accurate drive to avoid the grassy ridges between 200yd (182m) and 247yd (225m) from the tee.

Your second is almost as long - if the wind is against you, you won't reach the green in 2. Unless you're confident of clearing the trio of bunkers in front of the green, don't try. Lay up short and aim to save par with a pitch and putt.

4th hole
(Champ 470yd Medal 420yd Par 4) Aim your drive left of the huge sand hill which blocks your passage down the right side of the fairway. Unless you're a low handicapper, play it as a par 5 and hit your second down the right for the best line to the green.

Use the left-to-right slope to run your ball up to the flag, but don't over hit your approach with out of bounds just beyond the back of the green.

14th hole
(Champ 508yd Medal 497yd Par 5) Drive down the left to avoid the out of bounds which runs from tee to green on the right. But don't over compensate. If your ball runs off the fairway, you'll find it difficult to clear the Suez Canal - a stream that runs across the fairway - from a rough lie.

Hit your second to the right of the four bunkers that skirt the left edge of the fairway. The green is fairly flat.

18th hole
(Champ 458yd Medal 437yd Par 4) Drive down the left for the best line to the green on this long par 4.

Your second is usually either a long iron or a wood - you must avoid tricky slopes on either side of the putting surface. Go too far to the right and your ball is gathered by a deep bunker. Too far to the left and a small hollow runs your ball off the green.
 
There is out of bounds a few yards beyond the back of the green.