 WALLASEY is not just one of the great links courses of the north but a club at the heart of the great traditions of golf. Its sand dunes, of course, are famous, challenging to the very best. The famous old links has hosted many great events, including final qualifying rounds of the Open and that honour will be restored when the greatest championship in world golf returns to Royal Liverpool in 2006. Inevitably to walk the fairways and spend some time in the club-house will stir the memories of events and names from the past. Wallasey is best known as the famous home of Stableford. Frank Barney Gorton Stableford, ex-Boer War surgeon, became a member in 1914 and here he became aware of the frustrations of high handicap golfers after they had made a disastrous start in a medal round. So he devised the points system which was to bring so much pleasure and indeed moments of relief and hope to golfers. If during your visit your ball strays into the rough or the wind blows strong from the sea at Wallasey you may, once again, have particular cause to be thankful to 'Stablie' as he was affectionately known. Your start your round close to St Nicholas Church, across the road, a well-known landmark. The first is not particularly demanding, a par-4 of just less than 350 yards from the yellow tee and the entrance to the green is on a widening fairway. The second is indeed a place of history. A plaque tells this is the hole where Stableford realised the need for a new system as it is impossible for many high-handicap players to reach the green in two. It is where Wallasey starts to lay down its challenge. It is 441 yards, parallel to the sea and usually into the wind. A straight and long tee shot is needed to reach a place on the fairway, which gives a reasonable chance of reaching the green with the second shot. But the wind is almost always likely to be a factor on this hole and perhaps, too, the gorse and trees waiting on the right. The third is a par-4 where along a narrow fairway to a raised green. The distance again is not great, 360 yards off the yellows, but again the wind is likely to be against and with the narrow approach the main need is accuracy. Slow play is to be condemned, of course, but if there are no following golfers waiting behind, the high ground of the fourth tee is a chance to pause and admire just one of the many spectacular views from the high sandhills. Here the scene includes Leasowe lighthouse and on a clear day Formby Point and the hills of Wales. The hole ahead is a demanding par-5, usually again into the wind, and where the challenge has now been made more severe by the building of two new bunkers this year. In total 14 new bunkers have been built, to maintain the test for today's big hitters. Also three new greens and three new championship greens have been made. The green at the fourth needs particular care. Just when you think you have got used to the speed of the links surfaces this one is regarded by many as the fastest on the course. The fifth, a par-3 from elevated tee, again offers views of sea. The par-4 sixth brings a change of direction into more gentle terrain after the fairways set along the sea and has two new bunkers on the left. The par-5 seventh features two new ones on the right with the additional risks from the out-of-bounds on the right. But then the bunkers may not be the only hazard. These parts produced one of the strangest experiences of my time in golf. The ball finished in the middle of the fairway and the second shot seemed to present no problems until a crow swooped down and carried the ball away, despite the shouts of protest from one of my playing partners. | 
