St Andrews: A guide to The Old Course
Bruce Sorley
If you want to be the best in your field, it’s helpful to have a mentor to show you the ropes. The Karate Kid had Mr Miyagi. Luke Skywalker had Yoda. Mark Zuckerberg had Steve Jobs. The Jamaican bobsleigh team had John Candy… St Andrews caddie Bruce Sorley had Arnold Palmer’s bagman, James ‘Tip’ Anderson. Anderson, most commonly known as ‘Tip’, caddied for Arnold Palmer for more than 30 years, including during his back-to-back Open wins in 1961 and 1962. Tip knew the Old Course better than anyone, and guided Tony Lema to victory in 1964 on his first ever visit to St Andrews, the year Palmer was forced to miss the tournament. When Sorley took up caddying in 1974, Tip took him under his wing. He passed on his wealth of knowledge, helped him learn the Old Course and how to tame it in a variety of conditions. “He was a really good guy,” says Sorley. “He got me into it and taught me a lot.”
Stephen Gallacher
Ryder Cup star Stephen Gallacher has won around the Old Course. The 2004 Dunhill Links Champion has played here dozens of times, but he’s still learning. “The key at St Andrews is not to be too aggressive,” he told us. “There are pins designed to suck you in. But there are plenty of birdies.”
We have combined Sorley and Gallacher’s Old Course Tips to bring you the ultimate hole by hole guide to The Old Course.
Hole 1 – Burn |
Hole 2 – Dyke |
Hole 3 – Cartgate (Out) |
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Par 4, 375 yds |
Par 4, 452 yds |
Par 4, 398 yds |
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Tame opener with space off the tee. The burn short of the green is the danger. |
The second hardest hole in 2010, now with two new greenside bunkers. |
Bunkers have been moved up quite a bit to bring them back into play. |
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Hole 4 – Ginger Beer |
Hole 5 – Hole O’Cross (Out) |
Hole 6 – Heathery (Out) |
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Par 4, 480 yds |
Par 5, 570 yds |
Par 4, 414 yds |
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Yardage and heavy rough made it the fourth hardest hole in 2010. |
Second easiest hole during 2010. Reachable in two for most professionals. |
A tight drive on this hole really needs to avoid the ‘Coffins’ bunkers. |
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Hole 7 – High (Out) |
Hole 8 – Short (Out) |
Hole 9 – End (Out) |
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Par 4, 371 yds |
Par 3, 174 yds |
Par 4, 352 yds |
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Favour position over distance off the tee to an undulating fairway. |
A short hole but hard to get it close on a green with lots of subtle breaks. |
Third easiest in 2010, including four eagles. The flattest green on the course. |
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| Pro and Caddy guide >> | Pro and Caddy guide >> | Pro and Caddy guide >> | ||
Hole 10 – Bobby Jones |
Hole 11 – High (In) |
Hole 12 – Heathery (In) |
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Par 4, 386 yds |
Par 3, 174 yds |
Par 4, 348 yds |
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Driveable for the big hitters on tour, but no one made eagle in 2010. |
Short, but the toughest par 3 in 2010, mainly thanks to a very deep front bunker. |
Another driveable hole, protected by an upturned saucer green. |
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Hole 13 – Hole O’Cross |
Hole 14 – Long |
Hole 15 – Cartgate (In) |
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Par 4, 465 yds |
Par 5, 614 yds |
Par 4, 455 yds |
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Second hardest hole at the Open in 2010, thanks to the ‘Coffins’ bunkers. |
Longest hole at any Open hree-shotter, even for the big hitters. |
Most players are happy to escape with par on this tough par 4. |
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Hole 16 – Corner of the Dyke |
Hole 17 – Road |
Hole 18 – Tom Morris |
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Par 4, 418 yds |
Par 4, 495 yds |
Par 4, 356 yds |
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Third hardest hole at The Open in 2010, yielding just 24 birdies all week. |
Hardest hole by miles. Nearly as many triples or worse as birdies in ’10. |
By far the easiest hole on the course. Most birdies, fewest bogeys. |
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