Turnberry Course Changes

There have been quite a few changes made to The Open venue this year. get the latest news on The Open course and see what the players will face.

Toughened Turnberry
Designers Mackenzie & Ebert talk us through the changes on each hole…

1. Ailsa Craig
354 yards, Par 4
With the opening hole being driveable in certain conditions, it was felt that the risk/reward relationship needed adjusting. New bunkers were added at 280 and 300 yards from the tee.

2. Mak Siccar
428 yards, Par 4
No significant changes have been made to the second. The greenside bunker to the left has been cut slightly closer to the green.

3. Blaw Wearie
489 yards, Par 4
A new back tee lengthens the hole by just under 27 yards compared to the 1994 Open. In addition, two bunkers have been added to the left of the fairway at 260 and 300 yards from the new tee. The other change is the conversion of a bunker to the left of the green into a tightly mown hollow.

4. Woe-Be-Tide
166 yards, Par 3
This tough par-3 needed no change.

5. Fin Me Oot
474 yards, Par 4
An old back tee has been brought back into play, lengthening the hole by 33 yards and the carry lowered to give a better view of the fairway. Two new bunkers have been added on the right at 290 and 320 yards from the tee.

6. Tappie Toorie
231 yards, Par 3
No changes.

7: Roon The Ben’
538 yards, Par 5
The tee has been extended back by 10 yards. The deep crater left of the green approach has been cut closer to the centre line of the hole and a run-off towards the depression left of the green has been created.

8. Goat Fell
454 yards, Par 4
The back tee is a new one, well to the right of the old location straightening the hole a little and lengthening it by 24 yards. This makes the two new bunkers to the right of the hole at 300 and 325 yards fairer as there is a strong left to right cross slope in the landing area. The only other change has been to create some hollows to the left of the green.

9. Bruce’s Castle
449 yards, Par 4
No changes have been made to this famous hog’s back hole with its blind drive.

10. Dinna Fouter
456 yards, Par 4
A dramatic new tee has been built on a rock outcrop near the lighthouse. This results in a significant change to the driving line and lengthens the hole by four yards. The fairway has been mown closer to the beach and three new fairway bunkers have introduced more options for the tee shot.

11. Maidens
175 yards, Par 3
The only change involved minor alterations to the greenside bunkers.

12. Monument
451 yards, Par 4
One bunker has been added to the right of the hole at 320 yards from the tee. The bunker to the left of the green has been edged towards the green surface slightly.

13. Tickly Tap
410 yards, Par 4
The drive has been made more testing by the creation of a new left hand bunker and a new ridge in the right rough.

14. Risk-An-Hope
448 yards, Par 4
Two new bunkers have been introduced to the right of the drive zone and humps and hollows on the left. A Kintyre Course tee will be used which gives a better view of the fairway and a different drive angle.

15. Ca’ Canny
206 yards, Par 3
No changes.

16. Wee Burn
455 Yards, Par 4
The 16th hole has undergone major redesign. A new tee has been added and the fairway rerouted, making the formerly straight hole a left to right dogleg. The old 16th fairway bunker presents a hazard on the right and a new bunker has been added on the left. A deep crater created on the right adds a further challenge to the tee shot. The burn now presents a greater lateral hazard for the approach shot. The 16th will measure 45 yards longer than in the 1994 Open.

17. Lang Whang
559 yards, Par 5
The realignment of the 16th fairway allowed a new back tee to be added to the 17th, lengthening the hole by 61 yards. New approach bunkers and a new greenside bunker add to the challenge of the second shot.

18. Duel In The Sun
461 yards, Par 4
A new back tee will lengthen the 18th by 29 yards and a third bunker has been added to the left of the drive zone. The appearance of the hole has been enhanced with two new approach bunkers.