Since 1860, the world's best golfers have gathered in Britain, the sports
ancestral home. The British Open has been, and continues to be one of the most prestigious stops on the tour.
The open is played on a number of courses in a rotating fashion. I would like to concentrate on Royal Troon, a venue
of personal interest to me as I spent many years of my life growing up just 10 minutes away. Royal Troon, is a links
course and is thought to be one of the most challenging stops on the Tour. Not only does the strong wind become a major
obstacle, but the deep and numerous bunkers, as well as the unforgiving rough (heather) wreak havoc on many a golfers game.
This course was founded in 1878 along the coast, in Ayrshire, Scotland. The last time the open was played at Troon was in 1997
when Justin Leonard defeated Jesper Parnevik by 3 shots to become the 5th consecutive American to win the British Open at Royal Troon.
The most famous hole at Troon is the 8th hole, nicknamed the "Postage Stamp Hole". Treacherous bunkers surround a tiny green making this par 3 126 yard hole one of golf's
most challenging holes.
| HOLE | PAR | YARDS |
|---|
| 1 | 4 | 364 |
| 2 | 4 | 391 |
| 3 | 4 | 379 |
| 4 | 5 | 557 |
| 5 | 3 | 210 |
| 6 | 5 | 577 |
| 7 | 4 | 402 |
| 8 | 3 | 126 |
| 9 | 4 | 423 |
| OUT | 36 | 3,429 |
| 10 | 4 | 438 |
| 11 | 4 | 463 |
| 12 | 4 | 431 |
| 13 | 4 | 465 |
| 14 | 3 | 179 |
| 15 | 4 | 457 |
| 16 | 5 | 542 |
| 17 | 3 | 223 |
| 18 | 4 | 452 |
| IN | 35 | 3,650 |
| TOTAL | 71 | 7,079 |
The Layout of Royal Troon
