Royal Birkdale

I have been very kindly, invited for a round on Birkdale in the near future. Does anybody have any experience of the course and any tips (other than keep it on the short stuff)?

thanks

Just enjoy it, it's fabulous. Whatever your level, don't put ambition over ability, if you do, the likelihood is you'll run up a big number.

The one time I played it I was going really well until the 9th (blind tee shot). Tugged it slightly and ended up in the gorse on the left, dropped out and a dose of ambition over ability saw me take a 3 wood to try and get on the green and recover...of course, snap hooked it into more gorse further up on the left...walked off with a quintuple bogey 9.

There are some great holes and I'm sure the condition will be immaculate.

One thing...as they are having the Open in 2017 there may well be "Improvement" work going on.

Sim - it'll be rubbish. So bad you should immediately get rid of your invite. I'll pm you my address...

I've never been or seen it away from the telly but sure it'll be mint. Only tip I could offer would be to enjoy and I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that!

I'm also playing it for the first time soon - on 30 March, combining it with Hoylake the following day.

Any views most welcome!

I have had the great good fortune of playing it very many times. Definitely the best course I have ever played. Hoylake's back nine is also exceptional.

Only tip I'm giving is, if at all possible leave yourself an uphill putt.

Birkdale/Hoylake double. What a belting start to the season.

Thanks for the replies!

Unfortunately, my ability doesn't really give me the choice of picking which area of the green to land it on! If I have a putt, I am happy, never mind up/down hill.

I live about 2 minutes from the course, but this is the first time I will have played it!

Look out for the plaque commemorating Arnold Palmer's shot in the 1961 Open. It was on the 15th hole, which is now the 16th hole. It's in the right rough about 130 yards from the green.

I'm not good enough to find the bloody fairway, never mind a plaque!

If the plaque is in the rough, I'm sure I will stumble across it

You'll find the plaque if your drive is a bit too far right. Unlike Arnie, you aren't likely to find the green from there though.