Troon: Hole by hole

Inside guide to Troon

1ST SEAL Par 4, 370 yards
A good birdie chance if you can negotiate a difficult opening tee shot. The line is to the bunkers on the right. A hybrid or long iron leaves a lofted club into a slightly elevated green. 2004 average: 4.10 (rank 11)

2ND BLACK ROCK Par 4, 391 yards
Another tight tee shot just short of the three bunkers. Beware the mound which pushes shots to the left trap. The green slopes back to front, away from the bunkers on the right, so you can be aggressive. 2004 average: 4.06 (14)

3RD GYAWS Par 4, 379 yards
One of the shorter par 4s. A 3-wood or hybrid just short of the burn leaves around 100 yards. The green slopes away from you so the approach needs plenty of check to avoid going over the back. 2004 average: 4.14 (10)

4TH DUNURE Par 5, 555 yards
The tee shot should be played just short of the two bunkers on the left. The two-tiered green is defi nitely reachable in two, but any ball going long leaves a devilish chip coming down the slope. 2004 average: 4.75 (17)

5TH GREENAN Par 3, 210 yards
The fi rst par 3 which often plays much longer into a prevailing wind. The green cambers back to front and slopes towards the sand trap on the right. Short left will likely find one of three pot bunkers. 2004 average: 3.16 (8)

6TH TURNBERRY Par 5, 601 yards
It’s 300+ yards to negotiate the three bunkers off the tee. Short right of the green with the approach is the best bet, where a slope feeds balls to the hole. Too far left and there’s a hollow and a bunker. 2004 average: 5.00 (15)

7TH TEL-EL-KEBIR Par 4, 405 yards
Dog-leg left-to-right. Aiming just short of the first bunker to the left is the best line and leaves a mid-to-short iron in. The green slopes from top to bottom so anything short will catch a hollow. 2004 average: 3.97 (16)

8TH POSTAGE STAMP Par 3, 123 yards
Finding the green is a must with so many bunkers. Aim in-between the coffi n bunker and the centre of the green. The wind and slope tend to push shots to the right trap… six feet below the green. 2004 average: 3.09 (13)

9TH THE MONK Par 4, 422 yards
The tee shot is relatively straightforward and should be played just short of the two bunkers. Heavy rough runs either side of the fairway and the approach is into a two-tier green. Short better than long. 2004 average: 4.23 (5)

Holes 10 – 18 >>