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SCMP Reporter

Royal Troon is one of the longest courses on the Open calendar yet its best-known hole is the shortest.

 The Postage Stamp measures just 126 yards but its tiny green - just eight paces wide - makes it an elusive target and five deep bunkers surrounding it are highly punitive.

 German amateur Herman Tissies took 15 there in 1950 but American legend Gene Sarazen, who won at Troon in 1923, holed in one in 1982 at the age of 70. The course also has the longest Open hole, the 577-yard sixth.

 Just one hole has been altered significantly since the 1989 Open here, the 11th having been reduced from a relatively easy par five of 481 yards to a tough par four of 463 yards.

 Here is a hole by hole look at the course, with the local name of the hole, yardage and par.

 1. Seal, 364 yards/par four: The shortest par four on the course is a gentle start unless golfers are consumed by Open nerves. Two bunkers on the left must be avoided so players will drive to the right, which leaves a generous opening to the green.

 2. Black Rock. 391/4: The drive must be threaded through three cross bunkers if the wind is blowing from behind the tee. The green is ample with another reasonably wide entrance.

 3. Gyaws. 379/4: Gyaws Burn, a stream 285 yards out, could force a lay-up drive - or even a long iron from Tiger Woods - if the course is firm and the wind behind. A wedge should get most players to a green sloping slightly away from front to back.

 4. Dunure. 557/5: Despite its length, this was the second easiest hole with 16 eagles recorded in 1989. Three bunkers guard a tighter entrance to a two-tiered green.

 5. Greenan. 210/3: This is a tough par three in a prevailing crosswind with three bunkers on the left of the green and one on the right.

 6. Turnberry. 577/5: The longest Open hole wrecked young American Bobby Clampett's bid in 1982. The halfway leader took eight in the third round and never recovered. The green can be reached in two on a still day, a drive to the right side improving the chance but the green is narrow at the front with a bunker on the left side.

 7. Tel-el-Kabir. 402/4: The drive from an elevated tee must pierce pairs of bunkers on each side of the landing area. The hole doglegs right but a six or seven iron should reach an elevated green.

 8. Postage Stamp. 126/3: The shortest hole at any Open course has claimed many victims over the year because of the five bunkers surrounding the tiny, narrow green.

 9. The Monk. 423/4: The toughest front nine hole doglegs right and the drive should stop short of two bunkers on the left. If it does, the second shot to the plateau green is blind but if the players drive past the bunkers, the green is visible.

 10. Sandhills. 438/4: Despite its name, there are no bunkers but the hole is not a soft touch. It surrendered a mere 23 birdies in 1989, making it the hole with the fewest birdies. The blind drive must carry 220 yards to clear a steep slope and the green slopes from left to right.

 11. The Railway. 463/4: This was almost too easy for the players in 1989 so officials have narrowed the fairway, shortened the hole and reduced its par. The Glasgow-Ayr Railway runs along the right side where it is out of bounds but a drive left means that the second is threatened by the rail line if the prevailing wind is from the left. There is a dip in front of the green and a bunker to the left front. Jack Nicklaus took 10 in his first Open here in 1962.

 12. The Fox. 431/4: After two tough holes, this offers a brief respite with no bunkers to threaten the drive. There is a deep bunker right of the green, which slopes left at the back. Holder Mark Calcavecchia pitched in here for an unlikely birdie in the final round in 1989 before he won in a play-off.

 13. Burmah. 465/4: Troon's fearsome finish begins here with a hole that turns back into the prevailing wind. The fairway is narrow and undulating with heavy rough on the right. The green is elevated with hollows front and left but there are no bunkers.

 14. Alton. 179/3: Three large bunkers guard the green which broadens towards the back with the pin likely to be near the front. The safe tee shot will be to the rear of the green.

 15. Crosbie. 457/4: Another tough par four which may have cost Nick Price the title in 1982 when he took double bogey. Three bunkers frame the landing area of the drive, which should go left to give a better view of the distant green. It is guarded on both sides by three more bunkers. To compound the problems, the hole plays into the wind.

 16. Well. 542/5: Gyaws Burn reappears some 280 yards out yet Woods and fellow big-hitters might try to clear it off the tee. Playing short leaves a second shot of some 250 yards to the front of the green.

 17. 223/3: This hole has had a pivotal effect in the last two Opens here, Price bogeying in 1982 to let in Tom Watson and Greg Norman and Wayne Grady coming to grief in the 1989 play-off to let in Calcavecchia. The green is elevated but the wind blows from the left and there are huge bunkers right of the green.

 18. Craigend. 452/4: Greg Norman drove into the right-hand bunker 310 yards out to ensure he lost the 1989 play-off after aiming at that side because of three bunkers on the left side. Five bunkers surround a large green so the long-iron approach must fly to the heart of it.



Golf