Lancashire preparing for 2012 Open

Lancashire is expecting to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world for the 2012 Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St Annes

Royal-Lytham-&-St-Annes-Golf-Club---Open-2012---Credit-visitlancashire.com-1.jpg

Lancashire is poised to accept an influx of around 150,000 golf fans from all over the world when the Open Championship starts at Royal Lytham and St Annes next week.

The Open was last staged at Lytham in 2001, where it inherited the name of 'the Friendly Open' because of the warm welcome afforded to visitors; something club officials and locals are determined to replicate again this year.

"We are absolutely thrilled to be hosting the 2012 Open Championship on the Lancashire Coast," said Tony Openshaw, Marketing Director, Marketing Lancashire.

"Lancashire is renowned for the warm welcome we offer visitors and our aim is to retain the reputation we've earned as the friendliest Open destination on the rota."

This year marks the eleventh time that Royal Lytham and St Annes has hosted the world's oldest golf championship, with legendary American amateur Bobby Jones winning the club's first Open in 1926.

"Lytham has always produced winners of genuine class and this is a record that is liable to be extended this year, with virtually all of the world's best players included in the 144-man field," added Openshaw.

"It's just as well Lytham, St Annes, Blackpool and the surrounding area all enjoy an abundance of top-quality facilities because it's going to be an extremely busy week."

Accommodation is limited during the Open week. For further information, visit www.visitlancashire.com/open2012

Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x