You won’t hear anyone describing Royal Troon as the best venue on The Open roster. That’s not to say it doesn’t have its attractions and there are some obvious starting points when dissecting a course hosting this tournament for the tenth time. At it’s most basic, this is an in-and-out with the first nine usually playing with the wind at its back and the journey home made into the teeth of a wind that invariably makes its presence felt on a stretch of land that hugs the Firth of Clyde.
It’s not quite that simple, and not just because of the wind changes expected this week. Troon is also a three-parter: an unremarkable and easy opening half-dozen holes, a superb collection of six to follow that throw up an array of challenges and aesthetics around the sand dunes, and then the last third which is pure grind but lacks character. Half-a-dozen tees have been shifted back and the three par-fives lengthened to add 201 yards to the course since its last hosting in 2016.
The entire bunker-littered stretch now runs to 7,385 which still leaves it as the shortage on the major roster in 2024. Three holes to watch Hole 8 (Postage Stamp) Hole – 123 yard Par 3 The course’s signature hole, this is probably the most famous par-three on the Open roster and a patch of real estate that has caused fear and recriminations for everyone from Gene Sarazen to Rory McIlroy in its long and illustrious history. The obvious starting point is its length.
It’s short and a fabulous rebuttal to.
