Royal Lytham & St. Annes was the 3rd Open Championship Rota course in a row for our group and from my perspective, it did not disappoint. This was the site of one of Bobby Jones’s greatest shots. In the 1926 Open Championship, Jones hit a 4-iron from the sand onto the 18th green from 175 yards out and made par while his competitor Al Watrous 3-putted the final green for a bogey. Jones won the championship by 1 stroke.
Unlike some of the other courses we played on this trip, Royal Lytham is as flat as a pancake. Its main defense is the 174 bunkers, many of them not visible from the tee, that will suck your ball in even if you think you hit a great shot.
One additional important bit of information – if you want to enter the clubhouse at Royal Lytham, you must be wearing long pants and shoes without spikes (even soft spikes are not allowed). One member of our group had not heeded this advice and was forced to wait in the bus while the rest of us had a post-round beer.
A rather unfazed feline spectator decided to join us for a hole or two.
Arnie and I standing in front of the famous portrait of Bobby Jones. This was in a room generally off-limits to guests, but a member of the club graciously invited us in to view it and take this photo.
Final thoughts: I really enjoyed my round at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. It is not the most scenic course, but it does require you to think as you make your way around. Before the round, my impression was that this would be the stuffiest of the clubs and it might have been, but the members we met all seemed very welcoming and friendly. This is another must play if you are in the area.
Leave a Reply