49 who are simply not capable of making the green with their tee shot. Indeed, it is said that architect Alister MacKenzie was reluctant to build the hole for fear it would be impossible until club founder Marion Hollins proved otherwise. MacKenzie did, however, provide an alternative, layup route out to the left, and, although it must be hard for a one-time visitor to Cypress Point not to go for the green on one of the world’s most celebrated holes, it is certainly a legitimate strategy. At Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, the par-three sixteenth (formerly the fourteenth, before the course changes that saw the Open return to Portrush), known as Calamity Corner, is another epically long one-shotter. At 236 yards and with huge drop-offs into dune slacks to the right of the green, the hole can easily justify its name if a player misses the putting surface. When the Open first went to Portrush in 1951, South African Bobby Locke, deliberately missed to the left on every day, to avoid this risk. The small depression he played into has been known as Bobby Locke’s Hollow ever since. But architects say it’s not just these extremely long and difficult par threes that can have strategy. English designer Calamity Corner, the 236-yard sixteenth at Royal Portrush, features a huge drop-off into dune slacks Photos: Kevin Murray
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