Royal Lytham & St Annes is one of golf’s great courses. It is a venue steeped in history, defined by its brutal bunkering, and celebrated for the champions it has crowned. For a while (16 years), there had been no sign of Royal Lytham returning to the Open rota, until 2026 when it was announced The Open would return in 2028.
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NCG Top 100s Tom Irwin and Mike Robertson enjoyed the privilege of playing at Lytham in ’48 hours in Blackpool’. The pair had nothing but admiration for the Championship course, with plenty of excellent holes, packed with challenge and nuance. Here’s what they thought as they hit the North West coastline…
WATCH 48 HOURS IN BLACKPOOL
The Ultimate Test
Tom Irwin captured the essence of Lytham’s challenge. “It is incredibly strategic, very well bunkered, it is always in mint condition regardless of what time of the year it is”, he said. “I would think this is in my top three, alongside Muirfield and Carnoustie.”
He continues: “When people ask, ‘why is it harder?’, ‘How is the test of golf more difficult?’ The bunkers seem to be just one after the other. Once you’re in the bunkers, they aren’t flat American style, where you can comfortably hit an eight or nine iron out, you are simply pitching out hoping not to hit it into the face.”
That penal, old-school character defines Lytham. Its 174 bunkers demand accuracy and discipline, while its relatively modest dunes mean that the course’s defence lies not in its scenery but in its strategic subtlety.
“It’s not underrated, it’s just unloved,” Irwin adds. “People don’t have loads of affection for it. I think mainly because of what is around it, rather than the golf course itself. It is extremely penal and well bunkered and is what I would consider a proper strategic golf course. Particularly in relation to the stretch along the railway, which I think are some of the best holes in golf.
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“In terms of the golf holes, if you forget about what is around them, as I understand the course doesn’t have the views of a Royal Portrush and potentially doesn’t have the spectacular dunes of a Birkdale, I do think it is an unbelievable test of golf.”
A Century of Championship Legacy
As Tony Bradley from the Golf Operations team at Royal Lytham notes, “The history is very rich here and it’s ingrained within the building. The golf club was formed in 1886, and then 11 years later, they built this one and only clubhouse. We celebrate 100 years of Open history next year.”
That milestone underlines Lytham’s importance in golf’s oldest major. Since hosting its first Open in 1926, when Bobby Jones lifted the Claret Jug, the Lancashire links has staged golf’s oldest championship 11 times. Legends of golf from Bobby Locke and Peter Thomson to Seve Ballesteros, Ernie Els, and David Duval have all won at this storied venue. Yet the last time the world’s best walked these fairways was back in 2012.
A Proper Golf Course
For fellow host Mike Robertson, the magic of Lytham lies in its purity. “This is a proper golf course”, he said. “Such a great test. Every shot you have to be on it. The course will give up some chances but not if you’re not striking the ball well, it will just eat you alive. It really is a beautiful test of golf.”
That’s exactly the kind of examination The Open should embrace. Nearly 100 years on from its Open debut, Royal Lytham has every reason to be back in the conversation. It offers a classic challenge, one that rewards control and courage over brute force.
WATCH 48 HOURS IN BLACKPOOL
HAVE YOUR SAY ON ROYAL LYTHAM
Have you played Royal Lytham before? Which of the golf courses on The Open rota have you played, if any? Let me know your experiences of Championship golf by leaving a comment on X.
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