This course is in our GSPro library — pull it up in any bay and play it wall to wall.

"Confirmed community builds in GSPro (listed on the Simulator Golf Tour roster) — extremely topical during the 2026 Open this month. Valley fairways funnel shots but punish anything sprayed into the marram-grass dunes."

Royal Birkdale, on England's Lancashire coast at Southport, is many judges' pick for the best course in England. Founded in 1889 and reshaped by Hawtree and J.H. Taylor in the 1930s, its genius is fairness: fairways run through flat-bottomed valleys between huge dunes, so good shots stay findable and the wind does the judging. Ten Opens from 1954 to 2017 produced a murderers' row of champions — Thomson, Palmer, Trevino, Miller, Watson, O'Meara, Harrington, Spieth — and the Open returns in 2026. Its white art-deco clubhouse is one of golf's most recognizable buildings.

Anyone building an Open rota bucket list — this is arguably England's best course and its fairest major venue. Strong players who want their ball-striking graded honestly by the wind.

The par-3 12th, tucked in the far dunes, is rated among the world's best short holes — a small green ringed by trouble with the wind swirling. The 17th and 18th finish delivered Harrington's 5-wood in 2008 and Spieth's escape act in 2017.

A championship links, but among the fairest: flat fairway floors between the dunes mean fewer sideways lies than most links. The wind and the revetted bunkers are still merciless on new players.

Yes — Royal Birkdale is in GSPro via a well-regarded community recreation, and it's a fantastic sim course: the flat-bottomed fairways translate honestly, and cranking the wind makes it a proper Open simulation. With the 2026 Open at Birkdale this month, this is THE course to queue up at the Clubhouse right now.

Private club that takes visitor bookings on set days, well in advance; green fees run around £300+ in season, and 2026 Open prep will squeeze availability. Book months out through the club.