Time to revel in the long-awaited return of Major championship golf to the Fylde coast

Positive signs at last for golf fans on the Fylde – those yellow AA signs are finally back on the M55 directing motorists towards an Open championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Of course the seniors graced the famous links in 2019, when we watched Bernhard Langer roll back the years, but it was the year before that the AIG Women's Open was last staged here and way back in 2012 when the Claret Jug was last lifted outside the clubhouse.

Indeed, the winner 14 years ago, Ernie Els, is now enjoying the oldies' tour and tied for 14th in the Senior Open at Gleneagles last Sunday.

A few years ago, then R&A chief Martin Slumbers described RL&SA as a little "tight" to stage its biggest modern events – one word appearing to dash our dreams of more Major magic in the foreseeable....

But this week RL&SA stages the Women's Open for the sixth time, with the gents to follow two years hence. It's been a long time between drinks, and those drinks on the course are much more expensive now .... and you can no longer buy one without a credit card.

There's more of a family feel than at Royal Birkdale two weeks ago, with a packed tented village offering some cracking crazy golf, swing zones, driving lessons and even shuffleboard.

The stars seem more accessible too, with the practice greens and driving range in close proximity.

This was my fourth Women's Open here, having cheered Catriona Matthew and Georgia Hall to British victories on the last two occasions – Charley Hull, the bridesmaid often enough, could make it a hat-trick entering the weekend at two-under.

I first attended a Women's Open in 2003 and followed Annika Sorenstam on her Sunday afternoon victory lap to complete a Grand Slam of Majors.

Following your favourites around the course was a big thing at Opens and I'm pleased to say it still is at the Women's. Okay, we'd hardly heard of climate change when Annika won and so yomping over RL&SA's 7,000-plus yards was less arduous, though the venue remains relatively flat and navigable for hikers even on a warm day .

Such were the numbers in Southport the other week that finding good vantage points when walking the fairways became very tricky. The best views seemed to be enjoyed by the many who parked their bum behind a boundary rope at first light and baked there defiantly all day.

Trying your luck in the grandstand queues seemed the best answer – and there was little point joining the line within an hour of Tommy Fleetwood passing through because nobody would be surrendering their seat.

Of course, the constant lengthening of courses to stop them being overpowered by your Rorys and Brysons hasn't helped us ageing course-walkers either.

What joy that RL&SA is actually shorter this week. The reduction of the 15th by 36 yards taking it down to a par four and the whole course to a 71.

The fairways are less scorched than Birkdale's but still look drained by a long, hot summer, the 174 bunkers standing out like beacons.

I joined the amateur Lauren Crump, who had won through final qualifying at St Annes Old Links on Monday, for her first few holes but brought her little luck.

Fellow Englishwoman Alice Hewson fared better, still playing with bags of energy after hitting the opening shot of the championship at 6.30am the previous day.

But it was treat to watch any of them competing for one of golf’s most coveted crowns on this most historic course once again.

RL&SA may not offer the most spectacular 18 holes on the circuit and its boring detractors will always highlight one obvious drawback for a links.

But when the play is so good, the atmosphere so vibrant and the sheer excitement of having Major golf back here so much in evidence, does anybody really care that you can't see the sea?