Royal St George’s Hole Fourteen
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The Open Championship returns to Royal St George’s in Kent this year for the first time since 2003.
This will be the 14th time the venue has hosted this great event, yet after an eight-year absence, the layout will be new to many of today’s young guns. Even those with previous experience will be taking on a slightly different course to the one Ben Curtis successfully negotiated to win the Claret Jug in 2003. The 124-year-old Links has been lengthened by more than 100 yards and reduced from par 71 to 70.
PAR 5, 547 YARDS
ROSE: Ditches, deep rough, devious traps and dicey Out of Bounds; there are so many ways to run up a big number. Only the power merchants will get up in two, though the Suez Canal, crossing the fairway at 330 yards, means no short approaches for anybody. Your strategy is governed by your tee shot. OB right will see the guys bailing out to the left where the hay is usually pretty thick. Find the fairway and your thoughts then switch to carrying the cross bunkers 70 yards in front of the green; miss the fairway and it’s a lay-up short of them.
ROUGH NECK
OB right and thick rough left: this is one of the tougher drives.
KEEP IT DRY
At 330 yards from the tee, the burn will come into play for big hitters.
SAND TRAP
These traps will dictate strategy on the second shot here.
