What is now the 3rd at Hoylake used to have a reputation as the most intimidating first hole in championship golf.
It's out of bounds everywhere to the right, an area which assumes the magnetic properties of a black hole when you've got a club in your hand.
There's been speculation that this internal OB, which also comes to play on the 18th, might raise a few professional eyebrows. Perhaps we have just become used to it but I can't understand why - it gives both holes enormous dramatic potential.
Anyway, even if you hit a decent tee shot to the corner of the 3rd's dog-leg you are unlikely to have the bottle to go straight for the pin, especially if it's on the right of the green.
So you can easily miss to the left where the ball is swallowed up by rough. In my book it's sometimes not a bad idea to lay up to 50 or 60 yards and hope to get your third very close.
Again, a par here and all's right with the world.
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