I wonder about merits of ‘grip it and rip it’ approach

When talking about great Open golf courses, Royal Birkdale rarely springs to mind, writes John McHenry. 

Dwarfed by its more imposing Scottish cousins, it simply cannot compete with St Andrews’ status or indeed the calibre of test provided by the likes of Carnoustie.

But behind the course’s uncharacteristically flat fairways and easy front nine holes lies a brutal spine — the unpredictable dunes that are both shaggy and tall and a relentlessly difficult back nine, where pars are your friend.