Birkdale, to Royal St. Georges. What happened to Royal Liverpool? Very little, and that was the problem. The Open had evolved into carnival as well as a competition, and no less important than 18 holes were areas for champagne sales and merchandise tents – which Royal Liverpool lacked. The Open in 1990 was played at St.


Andrews, and at the conclusion a couple of American journalists motored back to London, with recreational stops along the route. “Ever heard of Hoylake?” the conversation began. “Yeah. Isn’t that the place with the in course out-of-bounds?” Indeed, and so much more. As bad as the weather was for the


ladies of last year’s women’s Open, it was that spectacular on a July afternoon 13 years ago when I played. Sunny and still. Not a test, perhaps, but a joy, Who wouldn’t be enamoured? Those


holes on the back nine with the bunkers tucked into sandhills that rise toward the water? The little lighthouse? Wonderful. That the R&A and Royal Liverpool


after 39 years of silence were in tandem able to bring back the Open was no less


8 ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB MAGAZINE 2013


wonderful. Switch a few holes. Buy a few pieces of property, and there it was from out of the past, history with some mystery, except no mystery to Tiger. The man used his big club, his driver,


only once in 72 holes. Keep the ball in play and out of the sand. Brilliant strategy, with an assist from Mother Nature who permitted such a game plan. And such a performance. Hoylake was brown for that ’06 Open,


other than tees and putting surfaces. It was strikingly green for my round in 2012, after a summer of rain frequent enough one never left the Clubhouse without waterproofs or, wary of the warning, plenty of golf balls. Needed a great many too, but didn’t


need the rain gear. The course was magnificent, the golf was, well, testing, and tough. But with the rare exception of the summer of ’06, that is what one invariably gets on a great course, and Royal Liverpool is a great course. No surprise then the open is returning


in 2014 and, one would think, regularly after that. “Hoylake golf is never slack or casual,”


Top: The 11th green Above left: The 16th green and Clubhouse Above Right: The Open 2006 Below: The 12th green


Bernard Darwin said in the colourful, determined prose of his day. “It is the golf of men rigorously brought up, who will always do their best and die in the last of their own sacred ditches. To play on such a course must make a man humble, so that he wants to learn and be proud.” And never fails to bring enough golf


balls. ■


Kind, enticing Hoylake, such a gentle, delightful venue


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