The 5th at Royal St. Georges

[Peter Ferlicca]

This looks to be a fantastic golf hole with multiple options going on.  410 yard par 4

If you lay up you must hit it up on the left shelf of the fairway to have a view of the green, but must contend with the two fairway bunkers just to the left of the shelf.  If you hit it in one of those bunkers, you really have no shot at the green.
If you fail to hit the upper shelf on the left, you ball will roll down to the lower right shelf giving yourself a completely blind shot into the green over the mounds.

Then if you have the prevailing wind which makes this hole a little downwind, the pros can take a crack at it.  You have to hit a 340 yard drive directly over the mounds and your ball will most likely kick forward another 50 yards up by the green.  Taking this route does not guarantee birdie, as seen by many of the pros being left with difficult pitch shot. 

During the first round, the commentators where making the hole sound bad, and saying that many players didn’t appreciate it either.   

I would love to hear people’s opinions on this hole that have played there. 

[Mark Chaplin]

The reason the pros go for the carry with the breeze and why it played so hard in round one is the fairway is extremely hard to hit. You are aiming at a narrow shelf with bunkers left and a drop off on the right. Oddly the approach and green are probably the easiest on the course.

[Mark Chaplin]

The BBC are using the wrong graphic saying it's 492 yards. Lots having a crack today to leave a fairly easy chip/pitch or even a putt.

[Bill_McBride]

For average players from the member tee, it's a difficult hole.  As Mark says, the fairway is terraced and many tee shots wind up far down to the right, leaving a mid or long iron blind through the gap.  A bold play toward the gap is threatened by a nest of pot bunkers. 

With regard to the Deal-RSG debate, I really don't think Deal has a stretch of difficult holes to match up with 1-5 at RSG for difficulty.  It's what sets RSG just a notch above RCP in my mind. 

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I like the hole for the pros. It was a strong hole for me. As Bill said you have a midiron blind shot to the green. I like it better as an alps type hole that the Old Mac version.

[Noel Freeman]

For average players from the member tee, it's a difficult hole.  As Mark says, the fairway is terraced and many tee shots wind up far down to the right, leaving a mid or long iron blind through the gap.  A bold play toward the gap is threatened by a nest of pot bunkers. 

With regard to the Deal-RSG debate, I really don't think Deal has a stretch of difficult holes to match up with 1-5 at RSG for difficulty.  It's what sets RSG just a notch above RCP in my mind. 

Bill- Try 12-16 into a 20-25mph wind as was playing at St. Georges today and you'll think differently.  Put the pin in the front on 13 on a day like that and you'll see a tough putt down wind.  People would be bailing out all day on 14 and 15 would play I guess at 4.5 stroke play.. If you turned 16 into a par 4 for the Open, then you have plenty of toughness down the stretch.

[Bill_McBride]

For average players from the member tee, it's a difficult hole.  As Mark says, the fairway is terraced and many tee shots wind up far down to the right, leaving a mid or long iron blind through the gap.  A bold play toward the gap is threatened by a nest of pot bunkers. 

With regard to the Deal-RSG debate, I really don't think Deal has a stretch of difficult holes to match up with 1-5 at RSG for difficulty.  It's what sets RSG just a notch above RCP in my mind. 

Bill- Try 12-16 into a 20-25mph wind as was playing at St. Georges today and you'll think differently.  Put the pin in the front on 13 on a day like that and you'll see a tough putt down wind.  People would be bailing out all day on 14 and 15 would play I guess at 4.5 stroke play.. If you turned 16 into a par 4 for the Open, then you have plenty of toughness down the stretch.

11 is pretty tough too!   I'm a big fan of Deal, in fact of that entire five course stretch along the coast. 

[Joel_Stewart]

I was looking at Google earth today and it appears that there is enough space for the Open to return to Deal?  Would it be suitable?

[Mark Chaplin]

Joel - personally I do not see how an Open can work at Deal, the Open is now massive and the flow of people around the course and stands doesn't IMO work. The comparision with TOC as an out and back is flawed as TOC has The New running alongside it where as Deal has the sea wall. Other tight courses seem to have a sister course alongside, Hoylake, Troon & Lytham.  I could see a seniors or womens Open working extremely well as would a Walker Cup.