I would like to recommend England as a golfer’s destination if you are taking a move to make a European golf vacation. England is a hub of six Championship golf courses. These golf courses are renowned and recognized for their honor of hosting the Open. Here is a resume of the top six golf courses in England to make you feel the thrills and spills of playing golf at these courses.
The north-west coast of England houses three of the top golf courses in England. The area is bounded by Scotland to the north and Wales to the south. Being in the shadow of both Manchester and Liverpool airports, the area is easily accessible by plane.
The second oldest of the links golf courses, Royal Liverpool is the first to host the Open in the northwest. It is a great honor to the golf course to hold the event as many as eleven times. Also known as Hoylake, it had regularly witnessed the event every decade from 1897 to 1967. Royal Liverpool tells the historic tale of Bobby Jones winning the grand slam.
With over 200 bunkers, Royal Lytham & St. Annes is one of the most demanding golf link courses in Britain. Though founded in 1897, it did not host the Open before 1926. It has long witnessed winning performances by Bobby Jones, Englishman Tony Jacklin, South African Gary Player and Spaniard Seve Ballesteros.
Among golf courses in England, Royal Birkdale has been endowed with eminence of being an Open venue. Since 1954, when the first event was held, this golf course has been holding the Open two times a decade to date. It is a favorite with pro US golfers; as they have taken the award home five times. Other three Opens were dominated by Australian golfers – Peter Thompson and Ian Baker-Finch.
Other top three golf courses are there on the south coast of England. Set in rural scenario of Kent, these golf courses feature a picturesque landscape all around. Royal St. Georges has been recognized with the honor of holding the Open for no less than thirteen times. I would recommend a visit to this course when you go for a European golf vacation. It has also been the witness to winning performances by two golf celebrities – Walter Hagan and Harry Vardon.
Royal Cinque Ports has held the Open only for two times – 1909 and 1920. Afterwards, it could not hold events because of the war in 1915. High tides left the course unfit for play in 1938 and 1949. Another golf championship course that is lost in the wilderness is Prince’s that had held the Open only one time in 1932. The course bears witness to Gene Sarazen’s outstanding performance that earned him a Championship record for eighteen years. It was made use as a ground for bombing practice by the RAF during World War II.
