For a hole that’s so short, the par-3 8th at Royal Troon, otherwise known as the ‘Postage Stamp’, is generally one where players are happy to make a par and skip to the next tee.
In the history of The Open, there have only even been four holes-in-one at this short hole, which tells the story – it’s not usually a pin that’s worth taking on.
Originally called ‘Ailsa’ after the island off the coast that’s visible from the tee box, the eighth hole at Royal Troon became known by its current moniker after William Park Jr compared its putting surface to that of a postage stamp.
“A pitching surface skimmed down to the size of a postage stamp,” Park famously wrote in Golf Illustrated.
The Postage Stamp is 123 yards from the championship tees and is not only the shortest hole on the Old Course, but also the shortest to be ever played at The Open.
One of the reasons why it’s so feared is because of the back-left bunker, otherwise known as ‘Coffin Bunker’. Even with a wedge in hand, it makes players think about making a double bogey or worse.
Four players, however, have made an ace on this terrifying short hole, which surely rivals ‘Little Eye’ at Royal Liverpool for fear factor.
Gene Sarazen was 71 when he made a hole-in-one at the eighth, which came in 1973, the legendary American popping the ball in with a 5-iron.
The same year, just an hour before, in fact, a 19-year-old by the name of David J Russell had aced the hole to become the youngest player to hit a hole-in-one in Major Championship history.
The last player to register an ace on the famous hole was Ernie Els in 2004.
The majority of stories about this shorty are tales of despair.
Tiger Woods, on the fringes of contention in 1997, made a triple-bogey six in the final round to end his hopes of glory.
If only Woods could have replicated the shot by Dennis Edlund that year, the only other player to have made a hole-in-one on the 8th.
