​SOUTHPORT, England — Every major championship is an examination. Course set-ups are designed to ask difficult questions and demand precise answers. Royal Birkdale is no different.“When you give professional golfers options and you can create a little bit of doubt in their minds in terms of should I play this shot or that shot, that’s when things start to get fun.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThose the words of Rory McIlroy on Tuesday when asked about the examination players will face this week at the Open Championship.“Fun, especially for the viewer. Not so much for us but that to me is the sign of a good championship test.”So what does that mean? What are the “options” players have this week?/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/kennedy/18thTeeBirkdale.jpgThe answer is right in front of them. It’s the decision they make on each tee that defines their answer to the challenge of Birkdale. Nearly every hole on the course presents options. Players can choose their own adventure from there, in hopes of circling their scorecard with a birdie at the end.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHere’s some specific examples of the options players will face this week.More From Golf Digest Golf Digest Logo British Open power rankings 2026: The entire field at Royal Birkdale, ranked The Craziest 29 Minutes in Open Championship History 16:45 British Open 2026 British Open 2026: Reigning champ Scottie Scheffler gets deep (and just a little morbid) at Birkdale First hole—447 yards, par 4/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2026/7/first-hole-birkdale-strategy-story.jpgThe test starts immediately at Royal Birkdale. As players enter the arena of the first tee, they are asked to make a decision. A solitary bunker lies in a sand dune on the inside corner of the dogleg, with out of bounds lining the right side of the hole.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPlayers can lay back to the widest part of the fairway with a long iron, leaving an approach of around 200 yards. Or they can, or attempt to bite off more distance at the cost of width further down the hole. The option is there to cut the corner and go on a direct line to the green but heavy rough lurks on the left side and a mound that will block any view of shots hit right.Fifth hole—320 yards, par 4/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2026/7/fifth-hole-birkdale-strategy-story.jpgThis hole has been renovated ahead of this year’s Open. Now 25 yards shorter than it played in 2017, the green has been remodeled and the sand dunes and mounding that blocked the view of the green on the right side of the hole have been removed. The question, while difficult, is clear. Do you take on the green or not?AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe lay up is relatively straight forward, short of the left bunker around 215 yards, leaving just 100 yards or so to the hole. Players could also could take it over the first line of defense and play into the fairway short of the