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Eight years ago I knew very little about Royal Troon. I’d seen both Justin Leonard and Todd Hamilton win there on TV but they were both distant memories by the time I arrived for my first sight of this South Ayrshire links, reporting on The Open for Golf Monthly.
Royal Troon may not attract quite the same level of attention as some of the other Open venues but, as I witnessed back in 2016, this is a wonderful test of golf. What I loved most was its split personality.
If the prevailing wind blows, the front nine is forgiving and benign. Kicking things o with three short par 4s and a reachable par 5 means the top players will expect to get under par quickly.
That things are about to change becomes abundantly clear as you hit the turn. In a recent interview for Golf Monthly, Troon’s most famous son, Colin Montgomerie, said, “The 10th, 11th and 12th are as good a run of holes as you’ll find anywhere.”
If you are planning to watch this Open on TV, the 11th is the one that will likely grab your attention. There is a railway line that runs down the right side of the hole and there are gorse bushes just about everywhere else. The view from the tee is as intimidating as you’ll find anywhere. Welcome to The Open.
11th Hole
YOUR GUIDE TO GOLF’S ULTIMATE TEST
NEIL TAPPIN, EDITOR, GOLF MONTHLY