Hole seventeen
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PAR 4, 453 YARDS
The 17th is probably Royal Lytham’s most famous hole, and with good reason. A stunning par four that dog-legs to the left, its fairway is split into two distinct sections, and the safe landing area for drives is one of the most narrow and confined on the course.
This is a severe test of nerve from the tee, with a collection of seven bunkers awaiting drives that try to cut the corner left of the fairway. The hole has not been significantly altered since 2001, and in fact it will play 14 yards shorter this year, but the green is well protected, demanding a long and immaculate approach shot.
LAWRIE: The famous 17 has quite a severe dog-leg. What you hit off the tee will depend on the conditions, as you need to get your ball to the fat section of fairway short of the two long, thin bunkers but as far into that corner as you can to leave a shorter second. It’s not blind but most people will be playing into the well-bunkered green over the rough and bunkers so the correct yardage is diffi cult to judge. It was played into the wind last time so we were hitting driver, long iron but it won’t play as long nowadays.
WATSON: The 17th is so tough because it forces you to lay up, and this is such an historic hole thanks to the second shot Bobby Jones played here in 1926. Bobby was a great player and I wish I’d seen him play. He had a unique swing, he would actually let go of the golf club with his right hand at the top, so light was his grip pressure – my dad used to say it was like he was playing the piccolo at the top. He just had an innate ability to play golf.
