The Old Course at St. Andrews - A Hole by Hole Guide to the 150th Open Championship

You're going to see a lot of hole by hole looks at the Old Course at St. Andrews this week for the 150th Open Championship.  But there's only one written by a three-time Champion Golfer of the Year.

Straight from this year's official Open Championship Media Guide, Sir Nick Faldo gives you his insights into the Old Course at St. Andrews (he won the 119th Open here in 1990 here), and this reads like a course scouting report.

Hole No. 1: Burn - 375 yards, Par 4

In front of The Royal and Ancient Clubhouse, it’s one of the most iconic tee shots in golf. The 1st has one of the widest fairways in the sport – with out-of-bounds on both sides – yet the optimum line off the tee is between left of the green and right of the Swilcan Bridge. That then gives a great angle coming across the Swilcan Burn as some of the pin positions may be just over it.

Many of the players will play some kind of iron off the tee to give themselves whatever their comfortable distance is for the second shot, from 80 to 110 yards out. In the final round in 1990, I left it exactly 80 yards away and hit it to a foot so that was an important start. Getting too close to the green off the tee, especially downwind, can leave no room to work with so the most vital shot is the second one and leaving you optimum distance for spin control. 

Hole No. 2: Dyke - 452 yards, Par 4 

The Championship hole location tends to be down the left-hand side, so playing the ball as far down the right as possible – even in the rough avoiding the gorse – is more preferable than going left. Players need to avoid Cheape’s bunker on the left-hand side of the fairway. It is one of the great second shots as there is a wonderful diagonal ridge that runs up to the front of the green, the first of several huge double greens on the Old Course, with this one shared with the 16th.

To land the ball in the perfect place, it needs to be a couple of paces on to allow it to release into the middle of the green. If the hole is cut on the right, it is important to avoid the huge mound in the middle of the green and two small bunkers that lurk to the right of it.

Hole No. 3: Cartgate (Out) - 398 yards, Par 4

On a good wind, there could be a few players having a go at the green, trying to get the ball somewhere up to the front right. It’s best to not go left as the huge Cartgate bunker guards the front of a green that is shared with the 15th. I think there are two ways to play the hole.

Either hang back a tee shot to around 300 yards, even if it leaves an awkward pitch. You can’t see where the ball lands for the pitch, so players will try to land it on quite a side slope while trying not to pull the ball too far left as it will then release even more. Alternatively, players will seek to get as close as they can to the front of the green with their tee shot. The hole offers a birdie opportunity.

Hole No. 4: Ginger Beer - 480 yards, Par 4

The most demanding tee shot on the front nine. The riskier line is down the right half of the fairway to open up an easier second shot. Those choosing to play safer up the left will have to carry a large mound just short of the green with their approach.

It’s a great green and the Championship pins tend to be down the left-hand side. There are two giant waves to the green, as it climbs up and the pin could be in the middle or the back section. With a deep bunker to the left of the green, it is one of the most awkward second shots on the course.  

Hole No. 5: Hole O'Cross (Out) - 570 yards, Par 5

The first of only two par-5s on the Old Course, so is extremely important to get a good drive away for a birdie or even an eagle chance. The stone in the middle of the fairway is a great line, but it’s difficult to find it. Those who find the fairway off the tee will fancy their chances of firing a second shot over the Spectacles bunkers and finding a putting surface that is an incredible 100 yards long.

For the approach shot, the front section of the double green is actually quite narrow considering the size of the green and it’s guarded by a huge gully at the front. Trying to land the ball short to let it run on is extremely difficult yet landing on the green downwind could see the ball go 40 yards past the flag. That is the dilemma.

Hole No. 6: Heathery (Out) - 414 yards, Par 4

The tee shot is really difficult as it is played blind to a fairway where the Coffin bunkers lie in wait. There are more bunkers down the right to trouble the drive. If it is downwind, a lot of the players could be hitting it quite far down.

There is a great, wonderful ridge at the front of the green and that makes the pitch shot more difficult to any pins located there. It is one of the flattest greens on the course but the second shot demands short iron accuracy. 

Hole No. 7: High (Out) - 371 yards, Par 4

The optimum line is really the 12th tee. I was told to go as far left as you can as there are no bunkers out there and it gives a great line in. Players must be careful to avoid the large Shell bunker to the right at over 300 yards.

It is an amazing green, sloping left to right and shared with the 11th. It is best to hit the approach shot down the green, as the ball tends to get a huge bounce and then releases. Even a wedge shot may need 25 yards to stop the ball if you are coming down the green – especially if the wind is behind.. 

Hole No. 8: Short - 187 yards, Par 3

The first of only two short holes with pin positions often over the bunker at the front or all the way to the back plateau. The most difficult aspect of the hole is suddenly turning towards the town. If there is a cross-wind,

coming from the left or even from the right, it affects the ball by 30 yards or more. If a player mis-hits it slightly, they could very easily end up with a 30 or 40-yard putt. It is so important to work the ball against the wind to keep it as straight as possible.. 

Hole No. 9: End - 352 yards, Par 4

It’s a short par-4 offering a great birdie chance. Off the tee, many players will be looking for a big bounce to try to get close to the green. But gorse on the left and a host of bunkers, including two in the right half of the fairway at approximately 260 and 290 yards from the tee, are in play. It’s a mind game with them, whether to take them on or not.

They are so small but for some reason they are like magnets. You can putt it from 30 yards short of the green quite comfortably, which is probably the right shot to play. Much depends on the wind for the front nine. There are birdie chances but when the wind is up, it is really hard work to get the ball close. That is why the Old Course is so special. 

Hole No. 10: Bobby Jones - 386 yards, Par 4

Turning back again to start the back nine, this is a hole named after the Champion Golfer of 1927 and The Amateur Champion of 1930 at St Andrews. On a favorable wind, many will look to get as close to the green as possible, so it represents a chance for back-to-back birdies.

The green is one of the largest on the course, shared with the 8th, and there is a plateau running through it. Players can either lay up in front of the righthand fairway bunkers and strike a wedge onto the plateau, but with favorable conditions many will look to hit it up towards the green off the tee. 

Hole No. 11: High (In) - 174 yards, Par 3

This is a hugely testing par-3 and the fearsome Hill and Strath bunkers must be avoided. Even striking a short iron into the green needs to be absolutely perfect. If the wind is into, left-to-right, a tee shot can end up way down somewhere near the 7th green.

Extreme care must also be taken to not go over the green as it is ten feet deep. It is one of the bravest shots on the course to find the back of the green but going long could be in deep trouble. A par is a good score. 

Hole No. 12: Heathery (In) - 351 yards, Par 4

It is a hole that offers amazing strategy for such a short test. There are even three options to play it. At The Open in 2015, I hit 4-iron, 4-iron because it was into the wind and it was difficult to find an area to drive into. But if the weather is good you can get close to the green with a drive. If you avoid the five bunkers scattered around the center of the fairway and the gorse to the left and right, a great birdie chance awaits.

To be level with the bunkers and have a good angle in is a nice yardage for a short iron, but the right rough is perhaps a good place if you miss the fairway. The green also has one of the most difficult plateaus running across it – and it is only some ten to 12 yards in depth. It’s amazingly tricky to get the ball close. You could make a nice birdie here, or a complete mess of it!. 

Hole No. 13: Hole O'Cross (In) - 465 yards, Par 4

It is one of the great holes on the Old Course and where St Andrews strategy really comes into play. The fairway comes to an end at approximately 300 yards and the Coffin bunkers are the main threat from the tee. Opting to strike a tee shot down the left provides a great angle to the green.

It is a large green with wonderful rolls, especially in the middle. If it plays into a left-to-right wind, players could be hitting a 3-iron for their second shot. In 1990, I remember hitting a 6-iron from the left mounding on day two, one of my great shots that week. 

Hole No. 14: Long - 614 yards, Par 5

When you reach the 14th and start to see St Andrews in the distance all the way in, it’s one of the most wonderful views in golf. At over 600 yards, this is a scary test. Players should keep right of the bunkers known as the Beardies, while being careful not to drift towards the out-of-bounds wall on the right. If it is firm, dry and calm, a long drive can be achieved and players can have a go for the green in two.

If it is three shots because of the wind, however, they face an extremely difficult tee shot and then have to make a decision whether to try and carry Hell bunker or go left. If the pin is on the right, it will be guarded by a huge downslope so it is best to come from the left angle. The green has a wonderful big roll at the front edge and a second shot can go long off the back left. It is one of the greatest par-5s in golf. Very few holes have so many options of how to play it. 

Hole No. 15: Cartgate (In) - 455 yards, Par 4

This is another testing hole on the homeward stretch. The fairway narrows significantly at around 300 yards and has pot bunkers a little further up so many may choose to leave the driver in the bag. Again, it depends on the wind, if it is playing into a left-to-right wind, then it is a really tough tee shot.

I hit a punchy 5-iron into the green during the final round in 1990 when my lead had been cut from five to two shots and made a crucial birdie. The front of the green is guarded by some twisty mounds and a devilish pot bunker to the front left. 

Hole No. 16: Corner of the Dyke - 418 yards, Par 4

This is a risk-reward hole, depending on boldness off the tee. With out of-bounds very much in play to the right, the safe play is a drive down the left side of the fairway, albeit that brings the Principal’s Nose collection of bunkers into play. It could be a long iron off the tee or a little 3 wood depending on the wind, or others may fancy risking the driver and getting it as far down as possible.

The green has a really difficult front corner and a plateau which is tricky to get onto. It’s very easy to pull the approach shot and end up somewhere on the 2nd green. Judging the flight and getting it to land and release is very difficult, especially if the pin is in that front right corner. It’s also a challenging green to putt on if you have to go over the ridges.  

Hole No. 17: Road - 495 yards, Par 4

Here is one of the greatest holes in golf. It has an iconic bunker, a road and a real fear factor. You are so proud of yourself to hit a solid tee shot, knock it on the green and two putt. Off the tee, the drive can actually go further right than you think. Pick a line over the corner of the Old Course Hotel, right over the word ‘Course’ is pretty good and find a good spot in the fairway up the right. Going left can make the second shot really difficult as the club can get wrapped up in the rough and go left into further trouble.

The perfect play is some kind of drawing second shot where it lands short, releases up and turns on the green. It has got to have some shape on it, as if it is dead straight it will run out and end up on the road. It’s all about not pulling anything near the Road Hole bunker and tip-toeing around that. It is one of those holes where you kind of mentally say ‘if I make a mistake, let me just make a five’. You can run up an eight by getting it on the gravel or the road at the back as the ball can bounce anywhere. 

Hole No. 18: Tom Morris - 356 yards, Par 4

It’s a magical hole. There is nothing like it, with the tradition, The Royal and Ancient Clubhouse, the history and the famous town. Every golfer has scraped their spikes across the Swilcan Bridge. For a moment, you are absolutely engulfed in the history of our sport which is a wonderful feeling. There are three ways to play the hole, depending on the weather. Either go as far left as deemed necessary, although it is often said the clock on the Clubhouse is a great line as it provides a good angle from around 100 yards or less in. Or players will look to strike it up into the mounds some 30-40 yards short of the green before playing in a bump and run through the Valley of Sin.

The other option is to take on the green, especially if it is downwind. On the first day in 1990, I was about 35-40 yards away and I chipped it up with an 8-iron… and in it went for eagle. It was huge for me as I remember looking up at the big, yellow leaderboard to see six-under-par was leading, so the chip-in took me to five-under and right in the mix. Come the final day, knowing I had a healthy lead, I was able to walk up the fairway, let it sink in and enjoy it all.