Tommy Fleetwood's Guide to the British Open

For Tommy Fleetwood, this course is more than just a championship venue.

Set among the dunes on England's North West coast, it is a course he knows closely and one that has played a meaningful role throughout his golfing journey. Long before he competed there as a professional, Tommy spent time around the course with his father, Pete, developing a fascination for one of golf's most iconic links courses. Those early experiences created a lifelong connection with the venue and helped shape the golfer he would become.

With The British Open set to return to Royal Birkdale, few players are better placed to explain what makes the Southport venue such a compelling test.

From favourite holes and demanding tee shots to the support of a home crowd, Tommy gives us his guide to the course.

While the course presents a stern challenge, it is the atmosphere that makes the venue especially meaningful for Tommy.

"I would never overlook how lucky I am to get to play a Championship in my hometown."

Growing up in the North West, Tommy understands just how much major championship golf means to the local fans, and he believes the crowds play a huge role in creating the unique atmosphere around the event.

"The huge crowds, the support, the atmosphere that they create — they are amazing at it."

For Tommy, having that support behind him is something he will never take for granted.

"I'm a fortunate one that gets home support, which I'm always very grateful for."

Ask Tommy to pick a favourite hole and two immediately come to mind.

"The 14th, the par-5, is an amazing hole to look at from the tee," he says. "Visually, standing on that hole, it's amazing."

Framed by towering dunes, the 14th is one of the most visually striking holes on the course. While its beauty immediately stands out, the hole demands careful decision-making from start to finish. A well-placed tee shot is essential to navigate the strategically positioned bunkers and create an opportunity to attack the green. From there, distance control becomes critical, with run-off areas ready to punish anything struck too firmly. Combined with the ever-changing links wind, it's a hole that rewards commitment and execution in equal measure.

Tommy's second choice is the par-3 seventh.

"It's a really good, strong little par-3."

While it may be the shortest hole on the course, the seventh is far from straightforward. A redesigned green with subtle contours and challenging pin positions places a premium on accuracy, while deep bunkers surround the target and leave little room for error. It's a hole that rewards commitment and precise ball striking — qualities Tommy believes are essential to playing the course well. As it turns out, that hole would feature again when discussing some of the course's toughest challenges.

When it comes to the most daunting tee shots, Tommy points straight to the beginning and the end of the round.

"One and 18."

The opening hole may not require a driver, but that does not make it any easier. The first tee shot of the British Open brings its own pressure and anticipation. Finding the fairway is critical. Trouble sits on both the left and right sides of the hole, and a wayward tee shot can leave players struggling to control their approach and with little opportunity to take on challenging pin positions.

"Even though you're likely to hit an iron off the tee, it's still the first hole," he says.

Before the round has truly begun, the course is already asking one simple question: how precise can you be under pressure?

At the other end of the course, the challenge only intensifies.

"18 especially is such a demanding shot. There are so many bunkers that you look at and everything's in place."

The greens provide their own examination, with Tommy highlighting the seventh as one of the most demanding on the property.

"It's a small green, but it's got a lot of sneaky undulation in it."

Like so many aspects of the course, the challenge is not always obvious at first glance.

If Tommy had to identify the key attribute required to succeed at this course, it would be ball-striking.

"I think Royal Birkdale is very much a ball striker's golf course."

Accuracy is critical throughout the round, particularly from the tee.

"It's very narrow off the tee. So even though potentially you're not hitting a lot of drivers, it still demands you to be very accurate."

Finding fairways is only part of the equation. Players must also navigate the course's strategic bunkering and consistently position themselves in the right places to attack the greens.

"If you're going to avoid bunkers, you could be leaving yourself one going into the green. So, I think it's very demanding tee-to-green."

That combination of precision, discipline and execution is what makes this course one of the most respected tests in championship golf.

Asked to describe the course in a single word, Tommy's answer is simple: "Royal."

As players head to Royal Birkdale for the British Open, there will be plenty of attention on the course's famous dunes, demanding fairways and challenging greens. But through Tommy Fleetwood's eyes, the course is also something more personal — a place that combines world-class championship golf with the unmistakable feeling of home.