The five key shots for winning at The Old Course
5. Be a master at lagging it
There are some huge greens on the Old Course and they don’t come any bigger than the 5th. The par 5 shares a vast 98-yard putting surface with the par-4 13th hole. The 5th is extended to nearly 600 yards during Open week so getting it close to any back pin in two is a big ask. Expect those who go for it to come up short and be faced with a massive two-putt for birdie. Good touch and feel is required on these larger greens if you want to go low.
Love the lag
Taking time to read the putt allows you to take in the distance and contours. A wide stance with the ball forward is needed for a powerful, ascending strike that will stop the ball bouncing and coming up short. The pros will up the pace of their stroke and allow some wrist hinge on the way back.
Get creative from the front
We saw it at 18 and the 5th is another green that is guarded by a deep valley. It will swallow up any shots that come up just short, leaving a tough up-and-down. Hybrid, wedge and putter are all viable options here, depending where the pin is.