The Open 2017 - Fully Escorted Tour by GOLFSelect

Formby Golf Club is one of the classic courses of the Lancashire coastline. Although somewhat protected from the elements by pine trees that line several of the holes, the course is a tough one, particularly when the wind does break through.

Formby has hosted many important national and regional amateur golf events, particularly three Amateur Championships. It was on this course that Jose-Maria Olazabal beat Colin Montgomerie to win the final of The Amateur Championship in 1984. The excellence of the course was underlined once again in 2004, when the Club had the honour to host the Curtis Cup - the world's greatest team event in Ladies Amateur Golf, a match between Great Britain and Ireland against the USA.

Formby is at the forefront of amateur championship golf in the U.K. and has again been invited to be one of the three final qualifying courses for The Open in 2006.

The lovely surroundings tempt many golfers to delay their departure, spending time in the clubhouse, where they are guaranteed a warm welcome.

Royal Liverpool Golf Club can be, by turns, beautiful, uplifting, awe inspiring and, on occasion, soul-destroying. The course was created to be a demanding test of golf and remain so, and they lie at the very heart of the history and development of golf in Great Britain.

Built in 1869, on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club, Royal Liverpool is the oldest of all the English seaside courses with the exception of Westward Ho in Devon, which was established just a few years earlier.

Much time has passed since then, but Royal Liverpool, despite a first glance of a flat and benign appearance, is still very much among the toughest and most demanding tests of golf. What’s more, in recent years, under the guidance of renowned course architect, Donald Steel, the course has been lengthened and upgraded to take on twenty-first century technology and increasingly athletic big hitters.

Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club was founded in 1861 and the present Course constructed in 1897. It is one of the premier links courses in the world, host to ten Open Championships, two Ryder Cups and numerous other major tournaments including Woman's and Seniors Open Championships.

The layout of Royal Lytham & St Annes has remained faithful to the original created by the clubs first professional, George Lowe, over a century ago. It is a Links course that is a long way from the sea yet close enough for the sea breeze to have an effect on one's game.

It is renowned as a course on which is it hard to scramble a good score, after all, there are 200 bunkers peppering the fairways and surrounding the greens. It may not be the longest of courses but it is one where careful thought and accurate shots are required.

Royal Birkdale, one of Britain’s finest golf clubs has been voted the No 1 course in Britain, and is among the best in the world. Having previously hosted two Ryder Cups, the Walker and Curtis Cups, the Women’s British Open and on eight occasions the Open Championship, Royal Birkdale is again to host The Open 2008 Championship.

Founded in 1878 by a few enthusiasts Troon Golf Club soon outgrew its purely local reputation. The Old Course today presents a stern golfing examination and in particular the inward half of Royal Troon is widely accepted as the most demanding of any Course on the Championship rota.

One of the great links courses in Scotland, the Old Course is a challenging test of golfing ability. With the wind to contend with, and deep rough interspersed with gorse and broom, accurate shot making is essential. Players should make their scores on the outward nine, as the prevailing north-westerly wind can make the back nine extremely difficult.

The most junior of Open venues, the Ailsa course at Turnberry is nevertheless one of the best and toughest challenges in championship golf.

Sited between the magnificent Trump Turnberry Resort and the sea, this great course weaves in and out of spectacular dunes that, with Turnberry lighthouse and Ailsa Craig standing over 1200 foot high out at sea, form great backdrops to all of the holes.

The course has recently undergone an extensive renovation with the changing of a number of holes providing even more excitement along the cliffs. In fact the trio of holes 9, 10, 11 rival if not surpass those at Pebble Beach. The iconic Turnberry lighthouse has been transformed into arguably the world's best halfway house providing amazing views at the end of the 9th hole.

Although stretched to over 7,000 yards for Open Championships, the medal course is not one that demands great power for par but rather more care and attention to detail both off the tee and with the approach shots. This course has seen some of the best exhibitions ever in the game, particularly over its closing holes testing the world's greatest players to their limits.

Given its quality, it is difficult to comprehend why the wonderful links at Carnoustie lay virtually undiscovered for so long and why it took until 1931 for it to host its first British Open. Since then, this great links has hosted the Open on six occasions.

Carnoustie Championship course is now in the finest condition it has ever been. Not only does it offer the ultimate challenge to every golfer but it provides a playing quality second to none.

It will provide you with one of the sternest tests of golf in the world - a relatively flat course, Carnoustie's main defences are from the wind and the two burns that run across the links through out, quietly awaiting the shot that is slightly less than perfect.

While its golf origins date back to 1793, the multi-award-winning Kingsbarns Golf Links only opened in the summer of 2000. It immediately established itself as one of the world’s must-play links courses – debuting at 46th on Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Worldwide list.

Since 2001, Kingsbarns has co-hosted the annual European Tour’s elite Dunhill Links Championship along with the Old Course and Carnoustie. Kingsbarns has become a favourite destination for first-time and returning international and UK golf visitors to St Andrews. This reputation is based on a combination of playability, dramatic seaside location, classic links turf and staff dedicated to personal service.

Designed by Kyle Phillips and Mark Parsinen, every hole on this championship standard course offers inspiring views of the North Sea.

Sir Michael Bonallack, Past Captain and Past Secretary of the R&A said of Kingbarns: "Mere words cannot convey just how extraordinary the place is. It must be seen to be believed. And once seen, it will never be forgotten".

The Old Course at St Andrews is a must for all avid golfers, who should make the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. This is where it all started – the undoubted Home of Golf.

This traditional links course is the oldest in the world. Its layout is unique and challenging and the sense of history is overwhelming. To tread the turf of St Andrews, where in the 13th century shepherds played a form of golf, is a marvellous experience. The course is known for its 112 bunkers including one of the most famous in golf, the Road Hole bunker at the 17th hole.

A peculiar feature of the layout of the Old Course is the double greens where the outward and inward holes are cut on the same putting surface. These large greens can mean that golfers may be faced with putts of almost 100 yards.