The closing hole holds a clear place in golfing history, and its distinctive bunker at the front right of the green is excessively photographed but cool from an ergonomic standpoint. At 448 yards, it is a hole where the driver is usable but not necessary. If in need of a birdie, the plays can go for it if they keep it straight and avoid the bunkers left, a 280 yard carry, generally into a crosswind.
The tee shot is better in the right half of the fairway, giving a little alley around the diagonal triad of bunkers to the front left of the green. However, I don't expect too many pros running it in low on this one, especially with the enormous grandstands reducing the influence of the wind. The best approach is somewhere around a 5-iron landing just short of the putting surface and running up the fronting slope to the center of the green. This is the best tactic to get it close. The safest miss is short and right (not in the famous bunker), or anywhere long, as the rough behind the green is not that bad and the green is flat towards the back.
I think this hole is a microcosm of the whole course this week....stressing placement instead of brute strength, with exceptional bunkering for all classes of player with a dose of the penal to direct the strategic play.
The penal part of the hole begins and ends with the rough, but the other factor would be the famous greenside bunker with its island. The tough thing about the island is that it has a revetted face as well, instead of a gradual slope down into the sand, meaning that if you are too close to it, you backswing will likely be impaired and you will have to play away from your target. The sandy ring is probably only 4-5 feet wide, so chances are high that if you find the bunker, you will be too close for comfort to one of the faces.
The green is also emblematic of the course, with some modestly broad contours and some added wrinkles to make you miss when the chips are down. The front part is marooned in a slight hollow, where a lot of desparate balls will collect if they avoid the bunkers. The rest of the green has some little ridges running diagonally through out, but most putts in the front 2/3rds will break towards the front a bit.
Here are the photos, some from yesterday, some from November.
The professional's tee, with hazard visibility fairly low.
The member's tee, with a clearer picture of what needs to be done.
A view of the general landing area for the tournament, from outside the ropes, with the fairway bunker positions evident.
A closer peak at those fairway bunkers on the left...going for the green is not an option with 190 to go.
The ideal location from which to approach the green. A little draw off the flagpole would be perfect, some 170 yards to go.
A little closer, perhaps where a third shot might be attempted after a good recovery from the rough.
The front left side of the green.
A panoramic from right of the green, famous bunker and all.
A view from one of the stands down towards the 18th green.
A look back on the hole in November, with a ridge coming from the back right behind the bunker into the green. A stark contrast to the 'Open Circus' atmosphere this week.
This concludes our tour. Tray tables, seatbelts, etc. Enjoy the Open...hopefully everyone has become a bit more familiar with one of the finest courses in golf.