Hole 11 – High (In)
Published: Last updated:
Par 3 / 174 yards
How it played out in 2005:
Eagles: 0 Birdies: 34 Pars: 321 Bogeys: 107 Others: 9
Local caddies joke this is the longest par 5 in Scotland. Its fearsome reputation stems from the deep Strath bunker wedged into the front of the green and a severely sloping putting surface that has brought the game’s best to their knees. And Ian. “I hit a 5-iron, short left off the tee,” he says. “I thinned my next and had a huge putt back which I hit to six feet, which I then missed. It was tough.”
IAN: 5 NEIL: 5
LUKE SAYS: “The signature feature of this hole is the bunker at the front of the green. It’s probably one of the course’s deepest sand traps and has a steeper face than even the Road Hole. The R&A love to put the pins just over the bunkers. There is a slope at the back so you’re trying to work the ball to the middle of the green and hopefully it’ll then roll back towards those pins which are tucked over the bunker. It’s anywhere from a 7-iron to a 5-iron into the wind. If it’s windy you often see balls going right and they tend to go down to the 7th green, which is a very tough two-putt.”
PADRAIG SAYS: We are all seriously intimidated by the pot bunker, Strath, at the front of the green. All the traps during Open week seem to be about two feet deeper and flat at the bottom with no camber when you compare them to the rest of the year; and this one is the sort of place which can bring an early end to your week. Triple bogeys and more are quite possible from here, as you can end up with a hideous lie and an awkward stance. Even the bunker on the left of the green, Hill, can cause problems. The green slopes severely from back to front so you want to play beyond the flag. It’s the course’s most exposed green, so a ferocious wind can affect your putting.
