Every golfer has watched a major championship and wondered the same thing:
How would I fare if I took on the world’s best?
With the AIG Women’s Open heading to Royal Lytham & St Annes, we’ve looked at how many shots a golfer could receive if they tackled one of the most challenging links courses in golf.
Royal Lytham is renowned for its deep bunkers, demanding approach shots and tough coastal conditions. It has tested some of the greatest players in the game and will provide another stern challenge for the world’s best female golfers.
The championship challenge
The AIG Women’s Open will be played from a bespoke championship setup measuring approximately 6,601 yards and playing to a par of 71.
As this is a unique championship setup, it does not have a permanent World Handicap System™ (WHS™) Course Rating and Slope Rating. The closest comparison at Royal Lytham is the Red tee setup, which measures around 6,641 yards.
However, the Red tee rating is based on the men’s rating. A women’s Course Rating and Slope Rating would be different under the WHS, even from the same tees.
For this feature, we have used the closest available rated tees as a guide to estimate the challenge of playing the AIG Women’s Open course. The figures below are illustrative only and are not official WHS calculations.
Using the Royal Lytham & St Annes Red tees (men’s WHS rating):
Course Rating: 74.3
Slope Rating: 147
Par: 71
Formula: Handicap Index®× (Slope ÷ 113) + (Course Rating − Par)
The resulting men’s Course Handicap table is:
| Handicap Index™ | Men’s Course Handicap (Red tees) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 5 |
| 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 7 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5 | 10 |
| 6 | 11 |
| 7 | 12 |
| 8 | 14 |
| 9 | 15 |
| 10 | 16 |
| 11 | 18 |
| 12 | 19 |
| 13 | 20 |
| 14 | 22 |
| 15 | 23 |
| 16 | 24 |
| 17 | 25 |
| 18 | 27 |
| 19 | 28 |
| 20 | 29 |
| 21 | 31 |
| 22 | 32 |
| 23 | 33 |
| 24 | 35 |
| 25 | 36 |
| 26 | 37 |
| 27 | 38 |
| 28 | 40 |
| 29 | 41 |
| 30 | 42 |
| 31 | 44 |
| 32 | 45 |
| 33 | 46 |
| 34 | 48 |
| 35 | 49 |
| 36 | 50 |
| 37 | 51 |
| 38 | 53 |
| 39 | 54 |
| 40 | 55 |
Using the estimated women’s rating for the Royal Lytham & St Annes Red tees:
- Estimated Course Rating: 80.5
- Estimated Slope Rating: 150
- Par: 71
The AIG Women’s Open will be played from a bespoke championship setup. As an official women’s Course Rating and Slope Rating for this configuration are not currently available, these figures are estimates based on the closest available rated tee setup and are intended to illustrate the challenge of the course.
| Handicap Index™ | Estimated Women’s Course Handicap (Red tees) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 11 |
| 2 | 12 |
| 3 | 13 |
| 4 | 15 |
| 5 | 16 |
| 6 | 17 |
| 7 | 19 |
| 8 | 20 |
| 9 | 21 |
| 10 | 23 |
| 11 | 24 |
| 12 | 25 |
| 13 | 27 |
| 14 | 28 |
| 15 | 29 |
| 16 | 31 |
| 17 | 32 |
| 18 | 33 |
| 19 | 35 |
| 20 | 36 |
| 21 | 37 |
| 22 | 39 |
| 23 | 40 |
| 24 | 41 |
| 25 | 43 |
| 26 | 44 |
| 27 | 45 |
| 28 | 47 |
| 29 | 48 |
| 30 | 49 |
| 31 | 51 |
| 32 | 52 |
| 33 | 53 |
| 34 | 55 |
| 35 | 56 |
| 36 | 57 |
| 37 | 59 |
| 38 | 60 |
| 39 | 61 |
| 40 | 63 |
Could you compete?
Extra shots would certainly help, but Royal Lytham would still demand accuracy, patience and smart course management.
Avoiding the famous bunkers, finding fairways and handling the challenging greens would be just as important as hitting good shots.
The professionals make major championship golf look easy, but Royal Lytham is a reminder of just how difficult the game can be.
JOIN iGOLF
Get Your Handicap Index with iGolf – Just £47 a Year
Join iGolf today to track your game, maintain your Handicap Index®, and access the easy-to-use MyEG app. Enjoy an added peace of mind on the course with Public Liability Insurance included.
