Hole 1: Burn 376-yards
A fairly easy opening hole with the
widest fairway in the world at 175-yards wide, sharing it with the 18th.
The top players expect a fast start around The Old Course and depending on
the wind, the first hole can play anything from a three-wood and a flick
with a sand wedge to two full blooded wood shots when the wind is in your
face. The only real trouble is the Swilken Burn itself, which catches many
a ball over the four days, especially Sunday when the pin is tucked just
over the edge of the burn.
Hole 2: Dyke 413 Yards.
Again, depending on the wind, this
hole can be a drive and a flick with a wedge or wind against, difficult to
reach in two! The main hazard from the tee is to avoid Cheape's bunker in
the fairway. If you safely negotiate that, the sensible play is to aim for
the right half of the green. A huge bunker awaits anything pulled left and
with a steep downslope behind it, getting to the Sunday pin position is
going to be very tricky.
Hole 3: Cartgate-out 397 yards.
As with most tee shots
around The Old Course, miss left if you are going to hit a bad one! That
will give you a shot in, but Cartgate Bunker, one of the biggest and most
fearsome on the links will come into play. If you can drive down the right
hand side, it makes for a much easier opportunity for a birdie putt.
Hole 4: Ginger Beer 464-Yards.
This hole is named as such
because in the days of Old Tom Morris, this hole became the first halfway
hut where players sought refreshment behind the green where there is now a
menacing little pot bunker called Ginger Beer! A monster of a par four
when the wind is against and many fives will result! Avoiding both the
Cottage bunker and Students bunkers from the tee, along with thick whins
on the right is the goal. A very undulating green in places and one where
if par is made, the pro's may feel they have picked up a shot on the
field.
Hole 5: Hole O'Cross-out 568-yards
A birdie opportunity for
the bigger hitters, but the second shot must climb the steep bank in front
of the green, otherwise, it is an awkward chip and putt for a four. The
huge double green it shares with the 13th hole might give way to some
extremely long putting if club selection is even just a fraction out on
the hard fast greens expected next week.
Hole 6: Heathery-out: 412-yards
One of the better
opportunities to make birdie on the front nine. Only the coffin bunkers
get in the way of a drive and that is only wind against. The sloping
fairway could pose a few problems to the second shot, but as there are no
bunkers around the green, a traditional running shot is the prudent play
into this double green, shared with the 12th.
Hole 7: High-out 388-yards.
Most of the players will take a
driver from this tee and clear all the trouble, leaving a short pitch into
the heavily sloping green. Watch out for the few who find Strath, Cockle
or Hill bunkers…they could be in there a while! A good birdie opportunity.
Hole 8: Short 175-yards
Start of the famous "Loop" at The
Old Course where birdies are commonplace, except for this hole! Despite
the name, the only par three on the front nine can be a bugger to play
especially if the pin is tucked behind the notorious pot bunker that
fronts the massive green. Expect few birdies here as most players will
bail out long and happily two putt for par.
Hole 9: End 352-yards
First of the gimme birdies for the big
hitters. If they can avoid Boase and End Hole bunker, the ball will run up
onto the green which is just a close mown extension of the fairway. A flat
green where putts can be tricky to read, but two putts will see a red
figure posted on the card.
Hole 10: Bobby Jones 379-yards
Yet another birdie hole,
depending on the wind, even so it will only be a short pitch in if they
come up short. The tee was moved back in the 1998 Dunhill Cup so only the
biggest hitter would manage to reach it in one. However, play smart here
and a three will be likely for the pros.
Hole 11: High-In 174-yards.
Many players will opt out of
aiming at this pin when it is tucked behind Strath Bunker, which is deeper
than the Road Hole bunker. A Long iron played left is the sensible shot
and a chip and putt would see par. But the green is heavily tilted back to
front and those who play long can expect a fast curling putt which could
roll off the green when it is downwind!
Hole 12: Heathery-In 314-yards.
Another good birdie
opportunity for the brave or arrow straight pro's off the tee, but bunkers
and lots of gorse await the wayward. A classic risk and reward hole, but
the punishment could result in a double bogey or worse. When the pin is
tucked away back right, it is very difficult to get to and easy to roll
the ball off the green with a tricky shot to recover from.
Hole 13: Hole O'Cross-In 430-yards
Avoiding the bunkers from
the tee is not too much of a problem, but running out of fairway is! The
bigger hitters have no advantage on this hole but positional players can
place the ball in the Cats Trap, leaving a mid iron into the green. But
there is a busy, steep faced bunker short right of the putting surface
that can rack up numbers on a card.
Hole 14: Long 581-yards
A good round can be lost or found
here. Jack Nicklaus took a ten here in 1995 when he found Hell Bunker and
took three to get out of it. Nick Faldo found the "Beardies" on the same
day and blew his chance. But Greg Norman made Eagle here in 1990 so
anything can happen at this treacherous par five. Thread a drive between
the "Beardies" and the Elysian Fields, which are out of bounds is easier
said than done, especially in a crosswind. The second shot over Hell is
heart in the mouth time for everyone.
Hole 15: Cartgate-In 455-yards.
A brute of a hole with out
of bounds all down the right and the infamous Sutherland bunker in the way
of a well-positioned drive. Like any good line in at The Old Course, you
must take on the bunkers. But for this hole, Sutherland must be avoided or
it is curtains. The rest is fairly straightforward and the best shot to
play is a "runner" up the slope in front of the green.
Hole 16: Corner of the Dyke 424-yards
Again, out of bounds
down the right, but that is by far the best line in to this green. The
Principal's Nose bunkers are waiting for any straight drive and as the
hole has been lengthened recently, they are in play, even for Tiger Woods!
If he does catch one flush, Deacon Sime awaits just behind. The safe line
in is from the left, but that will leave a tricky approach over Wig bunker
and a long two putt for par on this, the biggest of the greens at St
Andrews.
Hole 17: Road 455-yards
This hole is legendary. More
disasters are expected this year as the hole has changed a little. With a
new wing on the Old Course Hotel, wind from the right could affect how the
players play it. The Pro's will tee off aiming over the O of "Hotel"
inscribed on the side of the old railway sheds in front of the tee. But
that is just the first problem to solve in this 455-yard puzzle. The
approach shot must be perfect to avoid the Road behind the green and the
most fearsome bunker in the world, It has been refurbished as have all of
the 112 bunkers on the course and no doubt it will see the championship
decided come Sunday evening if the Championship offers a tight finish and
Tiger doesn’t do a "Pebble" around the Auld Lady! The grass between the
Road and the green has been grown up a little, so players who find the
path will have to make a miraculous recovery if they are to save par.
Watch for how many different shots are played into this green…only a vivid
imagination and a lot of luck will see par or better made during the week.
Hole 18: Tom Morris 357-yards.
Perhaps the easiest hole on
the course with no trouble except the Valley of Sin in front of the green.
Aim at the Clock face on the R&A Clubhouse for the best line in, but
the bigger hitters will have a "shy" at it when conditions allow.
