Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club

The Just Beast of Lytham

The golf course at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club reached its present home in 1897, eleven years after the club was founded. George Lowe laid out the links, and Harry Colt later modified it between the wars. Although the shoreline has receded and the course now sits inland, sandy ground and the nearby sea breeze preserve its links character.

Its setting is unusual. A railway borders one side, red-brick housing surrounds much of the property, and the Victorian clubhouse watches over relatively level terrain. The challenge comes from exact positioning, firm and fast greens, rough grass, and hazards placed to catch a poorly judged line rather than from towering coastal dunes.

The closing stretch has settled many championships. At the 17th, a plaque marks Bobby Jones's celebrated recovery from a sandy lie during his 1926 Open victory, while the club displays the mashie used for the shot. The final hole asks for straight driving past a dense field of bunkers before the approach returns towards the clubhouse.