The historic Royal Jersey Golf Club, where six times Open champion Harry Vardon learned the game, has hired UK-based design firm Thomson Perrett & Lobb to carry out an audit of the course and make recommendations to enhance playing strategy.

Founded in 1878, the Grouville Links, as the course is known, occupies Grouville Common which comprises about 70 acres of rolling, sandy land bordered to the east by the coastline. Vardon grew up alongside the course, as did fellow Open champion Ted Ray.

TPL principal Tim Lobb said: “The history and traditions of Royal Jersey Golf Club are of paramount importance to us and they are sure to be a key consideration as we undertake our work over this famous links course.”

Bunker improvement is a key project goal. Design work begins this month with the TPL team working closely with the club’s head greenkeeper, David Crawford.

Crawford said: “This is the first time in 35 years that an outside team of architects has studied the Royal Jersey layout. One of the key aspects of TPL’s work will be to ensure the course is still a fair test of golf, particularly when you consider how advancements in equipment and golf ball technology over the past ten years have significantly influenced how far all levels of player hit their shots.”