Examining the new tee on the Road Hole
A few weeks back, I was in St. Andrews, checking out some of the changes to the most famous hole in golf, the par-4 17th. Called the Road Hole, 17 is known for a ton of things; the tee shot over the shed, the Road Hole Bunker, and the skinny green that forces you to hit a nearly perfect second shot.
In 2010, however, it is known for something completely different, and new: a tee some 40 yards back. The hole is now measured at 495 yards, and if there is wind into the face of players, players will have to play up the second-hole fairway, playing the hole like a par-5.
Below is a video we shot for the event, showing just how far back the tee is on 17, and what exactly players will be facing when they come to this famed piece of grass.
