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Par 6 hole makes debut at Double A International Open

Rayong, Thailand: A monstrous 878-yard, par six hole will make a daunting debut on the Asian Tour at this week's inaugural US$300,000 Double A International Open, which starts on Thursday.

The par six fourth hole at St Andrews Hill (2000) Golf Club has set off a debate ahead of Asia's newest golf event which will be headlined by Order of Merit leader Thaworn Wiratchant and last year's number one Thongchai Jaidee, both from Thailand.

While golf purists will wince at the fourth hole that breaks all traditions associated with the Royal and Ancient game, Asian Tour players have also shown mixed reaction after their practice rounds.

American veteran Gerry Norquist, a five-time winner in Asia, said: "It's a tough hole. It's unique that we have a par six for the first time on Tour. All of us will have to learn to play it as it is but I have to say I've never seen anything like this before."

In practice, Norquist hit a driver from off the tee followed by a four iron, three wood and a wedge onto the green but said it won't be smooth sailing on the putting surface. "The greens are sloping as well,," Norquist warned.

This rare golf challenge opens up to two fairways split by a lake, and players have various options of tackling the hole. A risky option is a brave tee shot that needs to carry trees and water for a shorter route to the green.

Thailand's Wisut Artjanawat opposed to the idea of a par six hole, saying it was against golf's traditions. "I don't think it's good but this is my personal opinion. Golf should only have par three, par four or par five holes … that was how this game was created.

"Of course we'll play it as it is but you really need to hit three good strikes and hit a short wedge in to have a chance to be on the green in regulation. It's just too long a hole," said Wisut.

St Andrews Hill, designed by Desmond Muirhead, opened for play in 2000 and in its original design, the 13th hole was also designed as a par six. However for the Double A International Open, the 13th was reduced to a conventional par five, making this week's total yardage at 7,483 yards and playing to a par 73.

"The fourth hole would be a strong par five if they brought the tee box forward. I've never played anything like this in my life but I don't mind it. It was a bit of a cross wind today but if you're playing into the wind, it's going to be really hard," said England's Chris Rodgers.

Asian Tour Chief Executive Louis Martin said: "It's a great golf course and a fantastic club. The club has two par six holes in its original design and we felt that we should be playing the tournament using the traditional accepted of maximum hole of a par five.

"But in respect of the club, we agreed on a compromise of keeping one par six and reducing the other hole into a par five. It's against the norm to have a par six hole but we don't believe this is against the integrity of the game as the players still have to put the ball into the hole.

"I'm a staunch traditionalist and it is very difficult for me to get my mind round having to play a drive, six iron, three wood and know that I still got a wedge to the hole. There is water every where. It will be a mental game playing that hole for the pros."

The Double A International Open is the 23rd leg of this season's Asian Tour.

November 1, 2005