At 452 metres, the previously mentioned par-5 13th is certainly a birdie hole if you can keep your ball dry between tee and green. From the elevated tee, the watery trouble either side of the driving zone is immediately apparent, with the pond on the right edge of the fairway just 220 metres away and easily reached from the back pegs. That said, if you strike a confident drive down the left half of the fairway, being careful not to hit it too far into the hazard just left of the short grass, then you will have set yourself up for a long, but straightforward approach, into the green.

Water comes into play, to varying degrees, on all of the remaining holes. At its most difficult – with a flag cut on the right edge of the green and the tees well back – the 159-metre par-3 14th is a brute as you are forced to carry your tee shot over a lake all the way to the flag. However, on most days the lake, which flanks the right side of the hole and green, really only catches the mis-hit tee shot.

The penultimate hole is certainly Southport’s toughest with length, water, bunkers, hundreds of trees and an undulating putting surface combining to make sure a par here is one that is well-earned. The tee of the 383-metre par-4 is tucked in amongst tall pines trees and forces you to take a driving line down the right half of the fairway, near two well-placed bunkers. Any drive long and left of the bunkers is a real chance of rolling through the fairway into a pond, which is hidden from view as you stand on the tee. Most golfers will be faced with a long shot into this green and, again, a lake short left of the green can inflict a hurtful penalty late in the round.