Hole 14 – Long
Published: Last updated:
Par 5 / 618 yards
How it played out in 2005:
Eagles: 3 Birdies: 168 Pars: 214 Bogeys: 69 Others: 17
Aptly named, this monster was lengthened in 2005 with a new championship tee. From there a collection of punishing bunkers known as the Beardies and OB await on the right-hand side. Thankfully none of these came into play for our determined duo. Both played the hole pretty well.
“It was suicidal off the back tees,” admits Neil, “although I was short of the rubbish. If the wind had been in my face, I don’t know if I’d have even made the fairway.”
IAN: 5 NEIL: 6
LUKE SAYS: “The longest hole on the course has out of bounds down the right. You have to take it over the out of bounds to start with so it’s an intimidating tee shot and anything pulled left will find sand. If it’s into the wind then some players won’t be able to get over Hell bunker and some will even lay-up to the left down the 5th fairway. But it is reachable in two if downwind.”
PADRAIG SAYS: You aim to land in the so-called Elysian Fields, but as they’ve taken the tee back, the landing area has got a lot narrower and anything pulled left is going to catch the Beardies bunkers. Of course you don’t want to hit it out of bounds right here, but again (like at the 5th) there’s a lot of psychological pressure to make birdie.
Downwind it’s a relatively easy two-shotter; though it’s much better to be long with a chip back than short, where you have a very awkward chip over a big slope off the right. Into the wind, it is one of the toughest tee shots we play in championship golf and then obviously you need to avoid Hell Bunker with your second.
