The March edition of the prestigious ‘Today’s Golfer’ magazine features the annual ranking of England’s top 100 golf courses. Coming in the top ten – at number 8 – is our local links, Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s.  This year the expert panel were invited to participate because of their extensive knowledge and deep experience of playing at a high level on a wealth of courses.  They rigorously assessed each course, awarding up to a total 100 marks shared among six criteria. Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s scored 85.4 out of 100. This is how our local links scored:

Design: scored 37.3 out of 40 

This is a key category split into three subsections.

Does the course take advantage of the landscape (20):   The green complexes (10): The routing (10)

Setting: scored 8.5 out of 15

The scenic values of the surrounding views and the course itself and the atmosphere of the course (not the club)

Memorability: scored 13.4 out of 15

How easy is ot to recall the holes? Are they distinctive, varied and interesting?  Are they strategic and heroic?

Playability: scored 7.3 out of 10

Is it just too tough, possible unfair, for the majority? Or is it easily enjoyed by all?

Consistency: scored 9.6 out of 10

Does every hole deliver all of the above, or is it let down by a few poor ones?

Presentation: scored 9.3 out of 1o

Is maintenance at ease with its surroundings? What is the conditioning of trees, fairways, bunkers and greens?

The commentary adds that Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s is not flat and boring. There are plenty of undulations in the fairways, even if the trees and greens are on the same level.  We also find some beauty in the infamous bunkering that frames the holes.  Not pretty beyond the links, but an unremittingly strong examination.

You can find the full Top 100 in the March edition of ‘Today’s Golfer’ magazine.