Philip Reid examines the course.

1st, 454 Yards, Par 4

A straightforward start, with the ideal tee-shot down the right close to the fairway bunkers. The out-of-bounds only comes into play if the drive is badly pushed. The large green is slightly angled across the fairway and is protected by a number of front bunkers, right and left.

2nd, 436 Yards, Par 4

The tee-shot is crucial, with fairway bunkers left and right. The approach shot is played to a well-bunkered green. Players will be wary not to get too greedy with their second shots, as the slopes are liable to throw the ball off the green, leaving difficult recovery shots.

3rd, 429 Yards, Par 4

A one- or two-iron is likely to be the club of choice off this tee. The hole is a severe dogleg to the right, with out-of-bounds lurking all the way down the right. The ideal tee-shot is to the elbow, leaving an approach to a very flat green protected by a swale on the safer, left side away from the out-of-bounds.

4th, 372 Yards, Par 4

The secret is to stay out of the fairway bunkers in the landing area. Players will seek the left side of the fairway, which offers the best angle to attack the green (the only one remaining from the original layout). The green falls away from front to back and is protected by bunkers.

5th, 528 Yards, Par 5

It is called "Long" but, this right-to-left dogleg is very much on in two for practically the entire field.

It is not without its dangers, though, with masses of gorse down the left and some well positioned fairway bunkers. The green is two-tiered, but this hole will be viewed as a great birdie opportunity.

6th, 202 Yards, Par 3

The first of the short holes, the green (which was dying earlier in the week but has been resuscitated by heavy watering) is surrounded by bunkers. Apart from the sand traps, the main problem here will be holding the rock-hard green.

7th, 453 yards, Par 4

A difficult driving hole, where the bold line is to toy with the two fairway bunkers down the right. Anything down the left will leave a more difficult approach to the green that brings the greenside traps into play.

It'll take its share of victims.

8th, 423 Yards, Par 4

The old orchard that nips into the fairway some 190 yards off the tee is out-of-bounds, but it's not in play for these guys, who will simply fire their tee-shots over its corner to a generous fairway. The green is guarded front left and right by bunkers, where the flags are likely to be tucked away.

9th, 198 Yards, Par 3

Again, holding the green will be the trick. Although the green is protected by bunkers front left and right, the slopes on the narrow green will throw the balls into the swales on either side, which leaves tricky recovery shots.

10th, 534 Yards, Par 5

With out-of-bounds down the left and a very narrow landing area on the fairway, this is a demanding driving hole. If the ball finds the fairway, however, the green is on in two - although a deep greenside bunker front right offers some protection.

11th, 393 Yards, Par 4

The first of four holes that run along the shore. The favoured side off the tee is the left, which offers a better angle to a green that tilts away from the fairway.

The green slopes from front to back and has two greenside bunkers on either side and another short of the green.

12th, 448 Yards, Par 4

A demanding hole, this sharp right-to-left dogleg has a series of bunkers down the right and a pot bunker on the elbow. The fairway slopes from left to right, bringing the bunkers into play.

There are no bunkers around the green, but there are severe run-offs that will leave players facing difficult recoveries should they miss the putting surface.

13th, 198 Yards, Par 3

Course architect Donald Steel built a new tee-box here, making for a more difficult approach shot to a long, narrow green. The front left is guarded by mounds, while the front right is protected by a bunker.

14th, 456 Yards, Par 4

Not a hole for the faint-hearted and sure to cause more than its share of problems, this right-to-left dogleg has a cluster of bunkers on the elbow, although some of the longer hitters will consider driving over them. Most, though, will hit a two-iron off the tee to keep the bunkers out of play and then face a longer approach into a green that throws any shot veering to the right down into a deep hollow.

15th, 161 Yards, Par 3

A classic short hole. The tee is elevated and players are hitting to a small green surrounded by five deep bunkers. Any wayward shot will leave an extremely difficult chip or bunker shot.

16th, 554 Yards, Par 5

The drive is all-important, setting up the prospect of reaching the green in two. The left of the fairway is lined with bunkers (the first 278 yards off the tee), while the green is protected by traps on the left and has a grassy hollow front right from where players will face awkward chips.

17th, 459 Yards, Par 4

Since the last British Open here, in 1967, the fairway bunkers left and right have been moved to bring them into play off the tee.

The onus is on players to find the fairway, leaving an approach into a deep, two-tiered green that is further protected by bunkers left and right.

18th, 560 Yards, Par 5

A real risk-and-reward finishing hole, which offers birdies and eagles in equal measure with bogeys or worse. With out-of-bounds all the way down the right, the ideal position off the tee is close to the corner of the right-hand dogleg, offering the better angle into the green.