#1 (Royal)
Par-4, 457 yards
Normally the 17th for the members, this presents an awkward start if played into the wind. The tee has been pushed back 30 yards and the well-bunkered green, where a back-left pin position is especially testing, has been narrowed and toughened with more severe run-offs, making it especially difficult to hold with a long-iron. In the prevailing wind, many drives will fly the steep bunker on the left corner of the right-to-left dogleg to set up a short-iron rather than tangle with two bunkers down the right. Against the wind, though, the tee shot will need to be more circumspect yet positioned close to the left trap for the best angle of approach. It is named after the Royal Hotel which housed the first clubhouse in 1869.
#2 (Stand)
Par-4, 456 yards
Heading back towards the clubhouse, this left-to-right dogleg (played as the 18th in normal circumstances) has a narrow landing area due to cleverly positioned sand traps—two in the elbow of the dogleg and another, a little further on, on the left corner—all around driving distance. Those who lay up at 240 yards to take the left bunker out of play will face a long second through a cross-wind to an undulating, left-sloping green guarded by a complex of swales and three front bunkers behind which flags will invariably be tucked. Starting with two pars is no disgrace.
#3 (Course)
Par-4, 429 yards
This bunkerless hole is a sharp, left-to-right dogleg with internal out-of-bounds down the right where the club’s practice range is situated, though it will be part of the tented village during Open week. An oldfashioned links hole, it starts in front of the clubhouse and turns towards the green at around 300 yards. Most drives will favor the left side of the fairway, but anything hooked is threatened by a plethora of unpleasant bushes and thick rough. The flattish green is an inviting target, but players need to remain wary of the out-of-bounds immediately to the right and the swale to the left that could leave them with an awkward uphill chip.
#4 (Road)
Par-4, 372 yards
This is the only green that remains from the original layout, but two new bunkers on the left side of the fairway will swallow wayward tee shots and spoil an obvious birdie chance. Many players will take a long-iron or hybrid to layup short of these traps and create the best angle of approach for a full wedge with enough spin to hold a well-protected green that falls away gently from front to back. The hole is now a slight left-to-right dogleg, so the fairway runs at a different angle to the original. This means the green is less receptive, especially to shots played from the right side. A large, V-shaped hedge frames the back of the putting surface.