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Ranking the most difficult holes at Royal Birkdale.
The British Open, or Open Championship as it’s also referred, is the oldest major in professional golf. Dating back to 1860, it’s held annually in Great Britain, with future expansion to Ireland potentially in the works.
Throughout its history, 14 venues have played host to the tournament. Since Royal Birkdale in Southport, England opened its doors in 1954, no course outside of St. Andrews has staged the event more.
This will be the 11th time the club has been home to the major, and the third time since the turn of the century. We’re going to use those previous two 21st Century tournaments to provide a course breakdown.
Which is the toughest hole at Royal Birkdale?
I’ve used Open Championship events from 2008 and 2017 to gather information. Holes are ranked based on available data related to average scoring from past events.
I’ve also noted some changes that have been made to the course over the last nine years. Below are the 9 toughest holes at Royal Birkdale ranked from hardest to easiest.
Hole 6
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The sixth hole at Royal Birkdale
Hole 6 has been the most challenging for Open Championship competitors in each of the last two tournaments. In 2008, golfers recorded an average score of 4.77. In 2017, it was 4.4.
The sixth hole is 514 yards from tee to pin, and the longest Par 4 on the course. Wind typically comes from the right, providing a crosswind to the course, which dog-legs in that direction. It’s also littered with bunkers. The field made just 10 birdies at No. 6 in ’08.
Hole 1
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The first hole at Royal Birkdale.
Royal Birkdale wastes no time challenging its golfers. The first hole is the second-most difficult on the course. In 2008, golfers shot 4.52, about a half-shot over par.
The Par 4 squeezes golfers with a bunker on the left side before bending back in the same direction. A pair of hazards then await with sand on either side of the front of the green.
Hole 11
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Joe Dean lines up a putt at Royal Birkdale during a practice round.
There’s a bit of a break on the front nine after No. 6, but things immediately ramp back up on the second half of the course. No. 11 played the third toughest in the 2008 tournament with an average score of 4.44.
This one is tight. There is little room for error. Four bunkers line either side of the fairway make the landing area seem miniscule. Another sand trap sits at the left of the green, providing more risk on the 434-yard Par 4.
Hole 10
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The 10th hole at Royal Birkdale.
The previously mentioned 11th hole is part of a back-to-back challenge that starts at No. 10. The first stop on the back nine, it played 4.42 at the ’08 Open Championship.
The hole is less than 400 yards long, which seems short for a Par 4, but danger looms. There are six bunkers in all, with two sitting in very awkward spots on the green. One mistake can make for a long day!
Hole 16
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Pierceson Coody hits from the bunker at Royal Birkdale.
Golfers recorded a 4.4 on No. 16 at the ’08 British Open. That made it the fifth-most difficult hole on the course. Another shorter Par 4, it dares players to use their power. But with the potential reward of a gained stroke comes major risk.
Six bunkers sit on the course with five bunched near the front end of an unforgiving green. Play it wrong, and you’ll find yourself on the beach.
Hole 2
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A tee box marker on Hole 2 at Royal Birkdale.
Returning to the front nine, Hole 2 averaged a score of 4.37 during the ’08 Open Championship. It played as one of the more difficult in ’17, too.
No. 2 is a 419-yard Par 4 that bends slightly left. A pair of sand traps line the right side before the dogleg. Four more surround the green, making accuracy of the utmost importance.
Hole 13
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A view of the clubhouse at Royal Birkdale.
No. 13 is a long Par 4 that stretches 502 yards. It played at an average score of 4.32 in 2008 and nearly made things very interesting for Jordan Spieth during his 2017 title.
A change has been seen over the last few years that potentially makes the hole a bit more forgiving. A bunker was removed from the left side of the fairway, which can now be used as a landing area before targeting the green.
Hole 12
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A view of grandstands at Royal Birkdale.
Our first Par 3 on the list, the 186-yard 12th hole was the eighth hardest in the ’08 tournament with an average score of 3.27. Distance is key.
Hit your tee shot too short, and the front of the green slopes towards two bunkers. Hit it too strong, and risk rolling into a huge run-off where a sand dune once resided. A lack of precision will prove costly.
Hole 4
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Views from Royal Birkdale ahead of the British Open.
Another Par 3 comes in next with the 219-yard No. 4. The hole saw a score of 3.25 in ’08, making it the ninth toughest hole at Royal Birkdale. It could get a bit easier in 2026.
Two bunkers have been reduced in size on the left of the green, though the hole has added 25 yards in distance since the last Open Championship. The reductions could allow golfers to more easily attack that left side. We’ll see if it results in a lower average score this time around.