Why it matters
Royal Lytham is the only Open Championship course not directly on the sea — it sits a mile inland behind a Victorian railway, with houses and walls visible on both sides. It has hosted 11 Opens. The course's defining feature is its bunkering: over 200 pots placed with surgical precision through the corridors. Tony Jacklin won the 1969 Open here; Seve Ballesteros won twice. It is the most claustrophobic of the Open rota — there is nowhere to bail out.
How to play it
Walking only. Tee times bookable directly with the club; visitor slots Mon-Thu typically. Two hours by car / train from Manchester airport. Pair with Royal Birkdale 25 minutes south for a Lancashire two-course day.