Royal St George’s Hole Four
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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 4, 495 YARDS
ROSE: I guess you could call this Sandwich’s signature hole, thanks to the huge bunker guarding the right side of the fairway. I’ve never been in there – the last time I played it in 2003, it was a shorter carry off the tee – but it’s one of those bunkers you almost want to hit into for fun, just to watch your caddie rake it!
This year the carry will be more like 235 yards, with another 30 to the fairway, making this an intimidating drive and one where it is hard to commit to your line off the tee. Get it right and you are looking to keep your second shot up on the left as everything runs away to the right. OB is not far through the severely sloping green, too. It’s a hole where you’re just looking to make four and get out of there.
