Playing and studying the great links of Great Britain and Ireland is an essential part of what we do, but one of the great privileges and most formidable challenges is being invited to carry out work on them.

Over a period of ten years, Donald Steel & Company were invited to advise upon 27 of Golf World’s Top 50 courses, including 6 of the 9 Open Championship venues - Royal St. George’s, Royal Troon, Royal Liverpool, Royal Birkdale, Carnoustie and Turnberry.

The projects at Royal St. George’s, Royal Liverpool and Turnberry involved the major exercise of new green construction as well as general reviews of tee locations and bunker placement and the circulation of spectators during the Open.

Royal St. Georges

In advance of the 2003 Open at Royal St. George’s, it was felt that the 14th hole needed to be toughened. Despite drives being limited by the Suez Canal crossing the hole, the Amateur Championship of 1997 highlighted the deficiencies of the par 5 with some competitors reaching the green with a 1-iron and as little as a 7-iron.

Fortunately, there was scope to move the green further on and to the right, tight to the out of bounds which has always been such a frightening feature of the drive.

14th Hole

"In The Open, the new 14th yielded more birdies
and double bogeys than any other hole.
What more could be asked of a par five?"

18th Green

Royal Troon

The exercise at Royal Troon for the 2004 Open involved the review of tee and bunker locations. The early holes of the front nine were toughened considerably by additional bunkering and a new 1st tee overlooking the beach provided a fitting way to start the round. Further strenghtening of the formidable 18th hole was also undertaken.

Ailsa 11th Green

Turnberry

Following the exciting Opens of 1977, 1986 and 1994, it is very much hoped that the championship will return to Turnberry. In order to convince the R&A that the course will provide a stiff enough test for the best players in the world, a comprehensive study of the links was conducted. As a result, new tees, bunkers and even a new 17th green will fortify this classic seaside course.

Bunkering at Royal Liverpool

Royal Liverpool

The Open returned to Royal Liverpool in 2006, or Hoylake as it is better known, a period of 39 years has passed since Roberto de Vicenzo’s popular victory over this fearsome links. For the course to be re-considered as an Open venue, it was necessary to implement extensive proposals. Included were new greens for the 3rd, 17th and 18th. Many new or extended tees were also constructed and the entire bunkering network reviewed.