The Old Course needs no introduction. It is the home of golf, defined by its massive double greens and strategic bunkers.
The widest fairway in golf. The Swilcan Burn guards the front of the green. The challenge is the second shot: judging the distance over the burn to a flat green. Nerves on the 1st tee are the primary hazard.
The first shared green (with 16). Cheape's Bunker on the left must be avoided. The ideal line is right, but gorse awaits. The green dips at the front, complicating the approach.
The Cartgate Bunker eats into the fairway left. A drive right opens the angle. The green is massive (shared with 15) and undulating.
A long par 4. A mound sits in front of the green, obscuring the view and deflecting short shots. Staying left avoids the worst trouble but leaves a harder approach over the mound.
The first par 5. The "Seven Sisters" bunkers guard the right. The drive must stay left. The massive green (100 yards long, shared with 13) is protected by a swale. A birdie opportunity.
A blind tee shot over dunes. The "Coffin" bunkers are the danger. If the wind is helping, they can be carried; otherwise, strategy is key. The green is flatter than most.
The start of the "Loop." The Shell Bunker is the dominant feature. The drive crosses the 11th. The green slopes left to right.
The first par 3. Depending on wind, it can be a wedge or a 4-iron. The green is large but flat, exposed to the wind. Shared with the 10th.
Drivable for big hitters downwind. Ideally played short of the Boase's and End Hole bunkers. The green is flat. The easiest hole on the course statistically.
Named after the legend. A drivable par 4 for pros. The green undulates significantly. A good birdie chance to start the back nine.
The "Eden" hole. One of the world's best par 3s. The green is guarded by the deep Strath Bunker (front) and Hill Bunker (left). The green slopes severely back to front. Par is a triumph.
A deceptive short par 4. Four "invisible" bunkers clutter the fairway centerline. The smart play is to lay up short or blast over them. The green is shallow and tiered.
A long, brutal par 4. The "Coffin" bunkers are now on the right. The approach is to the massive shared green (with 5). Three-putts are common due to the sheer scale.
Home of "Hell Bunker." A par 5 that requires a drive into the "Elysian Fields" (left). The second shot must navigate Hell Bunker (100 yards short of green). The green is elevated and guarded by a slope.
A narrow fairway requiring a drive between two mounds ("Miss Grainger's Bosoms"). The green is shared with the 3rd and is guarded by the Cartgate bunker.
The "Principal's Nose" bunkers split the fairway. The drive must go left or right (risky OOB). The green is guarded by the "Deacon Sime" bunker.
The Road Hole. The hardest par 4 in golf. Drive blind over the Old Course Hotel "O". Approach to a narrow, angled green guarded by the Road Hole Bunker (front) and a tarmac road/wall (back). A bogey is a good score.
The most famous finish in golf. Drive over the Swilcan Bridge toward the R&A clock. The "Valley of Sin" guards the front of the green. A birdie is possible, but history weighs heavy.
