Lee Westwood

I’ve been playing Major Championship golf since 1995 and this year’s four host courses are as strong a set as I can remember, starting with the inimitable Augusta National in April...

On next year’s Major Championship venues

Happy new year to everyone! I hope you enjoyed your time off over Christmas. I took a decent break off over the festive period following a busy end to the year and I’m looking forward to getting going again, especially given how I finished the 2018 season.

During the off-season, I sat down to look at the schedule and one thing that struck me was that this year’s Major Championship venues are as strong a collection as I can remember. As I’ve played each one, I thought I’d share my thoughts on them.

As always, the first Major is The Masters at Augusta National. It’s my favourite golf course in the world. It’s a place you learn more and more about each year and one that continues to go up and up in your estimations. It genuinely ticks every box. It’s stunning, but the quality of the test and design more than matches the visual appeal. I’ve also been told it’s one of the best courses in the world in terms of the viewing experience for spectators. So there you go – if you haven’t been to watch The Masters, make this the year!

It’s just immaculate and you’re looked after really well as players. I’d have to say my favourite hole is the 12th. It’s fabulous to look at and it has so many different challenges, many of which you only appreciate when you play it for the first time. It’s helped shape so many Masters and it’s a focal point for drama.

Augusta is one of those special places that makes you genuinely excited, even if you’ve been lucky enough to play The Masters numerous times. I remember the first time I saw Augusta was in 1997, and I actually turned up two days before the first official practice day. I was just running around taking it all in. Well, not running around, as that’s not permitted at Augusta! In those days, you only saw the back nine on TV, so exploring the whole property was special. I still get a buzz driving down Magnolia Lane to this day.

One thing I only found out just before my first Masters is that anyone who’s in the tournament can go up to the club by prior arrangement and play the course any time from January 1st. Just a little titbit for you if you’d ever wondered about that!

As the schedule has changed this year, the next Major is the USPGA Championship at Bethpage Black. I played the US Open there in 2009 and also The Barclays in 2012. It’s a very good golf course. It’s got some tricky holes and I’d certainly class it as one of the harder US Open venues I’ve played. It will be interesting to see what it’s like in May, as the temperature will probably only be around 60 or 70 degrees in New York at that time, so it should play longer and be a better test.

I’d expect there to be less rough than for a US Open as the PGA of America doesn’t mind if 20-under-par wins – not that I think that’s likely at Bethpage Black. I’d expect it to be around the 13-under mark. It has a lot of defences built in and it’s definitely a layout that suits straight hitters.

The third Major of the year is the US Open at Pebble Beach, one of my top three courses in the world. It’s all about visuals and location, because it’s not the strongest course on the planet and there are a couple of average holes. But the stretch from 5 to 11 is just incredible.

I finished 5th in the 2000 US Open at Pebble, or, as I like to say, 4th in the other event to the one Tiger was playing! He was on a different planet that week. I remember thinking it was ridiculous that he was holing so many putts on those greens, as they were horrendous that week. When you face a quick putt on poa annua greens, you have to hit it softly and the ball often wobbles off line. I do find them quite tricky.

But that’s all part of the challenge, and the great thing about Pebble is that any type of player can win round there. I think it will be quite an open US Open.

It will be strange turning up to The Open knowing it’s the final Major of the year, especially as it’s at a venue that hasn’t been on the rota in my lifetime. I played the British Amateur at Royal Portrush in 1993 and I think it will be a terrific Open host venue. It’s a fantastic course and I’ve spoken to Darren Clarke, who says the two new holes are brilliant.

I found it difficult in 1993 – I remember not reaching the par-4 1st with driver, driver – and if the wind is up it could be a hell of a test. I’m looking forward to it, though – the home fans will be excited and it should be a cracking atmosphere.

■ Lee is sponsored by Audemars Piguet, Bioflow, Close House, Druh Belts, Flannels, ISPS Handa, Nike, Ping, Titleist, UPS and Your Golf Travel

“It will be strange turning up to The Open knowing it’s the final Major of the year, especially as it’s at a venue that hasn’t been on the rota in my lifetime”