ROYAL LYTHAM & ST. ANNES
141st Open Championship // Lytham St. Annes, England // July 19-22, 2012 // Par 34-36–70 // 7,086 yards
HOLE PAR YARDS AVERAGE RANK
YDS.
SINCE
2001
9 3 165 + 1 2.929
OUT 34 3,440 +100 35.373
10 4 387 + 52 3.987
11 5 598 + 56 4.818
12 3 198 0 3.271
13 4 355 + 13 3.900
14 4 444 - 1 4.171
15 4 462 - 3 4.436
16 4 336 - 23 3.987
17 4 453 - 14 4.362
18 4 413 + 1 4.240
IN 36 3,646 +81 37.172
TOTAL *70 7,086 +181 72.545
*PLAYED AS PAR 5, COURSE AS PAR 71 IN 2001
2012
BRITISH
OPEN
10
11
2
8
6
18
17
9
14
STEPHEN SZURLEJ
The ninth of 14 courses to host the Open debuted as
a venue in 1926, a year after Prestwick, site of the
first decade of Opens in the 1860s, saw its 24th
and final competition. Long considered one of
the championship’s most difficult tracks, Lytham
did not earn its inaugural (or Royal designation)
until the 40th anniversary of its formative links. In its
early years the course’s outward nine seemed much closer to the
Irish Sea. But decades of development around the seaside resort
of Blackpool mean the 800-yard distance from the first tee to the
beach today includes the single Blackpool South railway track,
the A584 roadway, three side streets and a couple dozen tidy
homes. Despite being encroached upon by houses and commercial
buildings, Lytham has a reputation for identifying worthy
champions. The inaugural British Ladies’ Amateur was played
here in 1893 and became the first of three straight titles for Lady
Margaret Scott. After extensive modifications the 1923 Daily Mail
tournament proved the course’s value by crowning Ted Ray
after he shot 288. A plaque tucked into the face of a bunker at
the 17th commemorates the 1926 Open win by Robert T. Jones Jr.,
a legacy extended by Seve Ballesteros in capturing the ’79 and
’88 titles. The course has been strengthened considerably thanks
to modifications credited to Martin Ebert, a partner in the firm
that recently redesigned Turnberry and Royal St. George’s.
TEXT BY BRETT AVERY // MAP BY RON RAMSEY
N
Prevailing wind
Firm and fast? Not likely.
The wettest spring since British rainfall statistics
were first collected in 1910 means Lytham will have
lush, thick rough and probably will not firm up by the
first round. A hard rainfall June 2 2 that typified this
spring momentarily doused the Olympic flame on its
relay through nearby Blackpool. Course conditions
could change considerably with three or four days of
sun and heat. But there is always the specter of the
Monday finish in 1988, when heavy rain Saturday
flooded several greens, forcing R&A officials to scrub
the third round and replay it Sunday.
T12
16
4
15
7
1
T12
3
5
Central Drive
12
Links View
11
Rossall Road
Public path
Woodlands Court
10
7
9
Woodlands Road
8
