Open-minded Hoylake

By Iain Carter BBC Five Live golf correspondent

What do you know about Hoylake? After all, the Royal and Ancient took a call from a leading American golfer wondering whether it was "a new course".

The Open returns to Hoylake for the first time in almost 40 years

This indicated a worrying lack of knowledge of golfing history and was only vaguely understandable because this famous old links hasn't staged an Open since Roberto De Vicenzo's victory in 1967.

It slipped from the rota because the area lacked the necessary infrastructure for transport, parking and hotels.

The club simply did not have the space to stage a tournament that was growing into one of the world's premiere sporting events.

So why is it back and in position to stage the 2006 Championship?

Well, history and tradition are vital ingredients for any Open venue and Hoylake never lacked it - indeed it has this in abundance.

For those who had never heard of Hoylake before, they'll know all about it soon enough

First and foremost it's a links course set on the Dee Estuary and the Royal Liverpool club became responsible for laying down the laws of the amateur game.

In 1885 it staged the first of 18 Amateur Championships to be held there.

Harold Hilton won the first of the 10 Opens to have so far been played there in 1897. The Hoylake roll of honour includes great champions: the likes of Walter Hagen, Alf Padgham, Fred Daly and Peter Thomson.

But as a venue it appeared consigned to the history books until the R&A signalled a desire to use more courses close to metropolitan areas.

This was in 1997 and Hoylake members quickly made clear their desire to return to the Open rota.

They contacted the R&A in a strengthened position after the acquisition of 10 acres of adjoining land that was the old Leas prep school.

This land will house the myriad broadcast trucks that beam the action worldwide. Hoylake also had local authority support and the nearby municipal course will serve as the practice ground.

Mickelson has already been to Hoylake to study the course

A co-ordinated transport plan using the rail connection from Liverpool and improved motorway links also made it logistically possible for the Open to return.

Another big selling point was the spectacular views afforded by the Dee Estuary, which will undoubtedly be very attractive to television directors armed with panoramic shots from camera towers and cranes.

Improved technology in the construction of temporary stands has also helped because they can now be situated in parts of the course previously deemed unsuitable to hold such structures.

The quality of the course was never in doubt but three new greens designed by Donald Steel have been built and the lay-out has been altered to make the original par-five 16th the closing hole.

The first two holes are the old 17th and 18th, the famous dog-leg 1st becomes the 3rd. Confusing for the members but more relevant for the Open.

It is also worth remembering that none of the competitors will have contested an Open at Hoylake.

It will be an intriguingly new experience and for those who had never heard of Hoylake before, they'll know all about it soon enough.