The line is down the left, avoiding the bunkers at 240 and 274 yards. The best line is down the right which provides a flat lie for a short- iron to a generous green. The left-hand line leaves a blind second shot over sand.This green is a small target at the best of times It's better to miss it is long and right. The line of bunkers to the left of the green is not the place to go.
Many pros will hit one-iron off the tee and then aim a four or five at the middle-front of an upturned saucer of a green that is better missed right than left.This shortish, right-to-left dogleg is the only hole on the front nine which plays into the prevailing wind blowing from the left at 10 o'clock. The left-hand bunker at 250 yards poses a serious threat but the hole should favour a fader like Colin Montgomerie. The members say that if you're in sand at the first, you'll find bunkers all the way round. The ideal tee shot is over the bunkers on the right side of the fairway. The trees even further right, which screen the Blackpool-to-Preston railway line, often push you left, but it's virtually impossible to reach the green in two if you drive into one of the two bunkers down the left.A dangerous hole where it is again tempting to drive down the left because of out-of-bounds to the right. Often your tee shot is destined for the middle of the green only to veer left into a bunker.
Here, he presents his hole-by-hole guide to the course he knows best. The bushes which until recently hid the left half of the green have been trimmed back. It's difficult to feel the breeze as the tee is sheltered but the prevailing wind is from the right. Paul Eales began his link with Lytham in 1987 when he became assistant to the club professional, Eddie Birchenough. Eales plays all over the world as a member of the European tour, but regards Lytham as his spiritual home.
Montgomerie is not called Big Bertha, although one could think of less appropriate names, but his clubs are of that brand and, properly wielded, could put him and his country out of their misery.. There are almost 200 bunkers and and 80 of them are on the last six holes. The 17th and 18th are particularly infested which is why accuracy and patience are so important. For all the imbalance of these qualities in Montgomerie's nature, it is to him that we return as the most likely to triumph.Oddly enough a hurricane called Big Bertha has been lashing America over the past week.