6,641 yards • Par 71

One of the great links courses in Scotland, the Old Course at Royal Troon is a challenging test of golfing ability. Though a relative latecomer to the Open Championship circuit, Troon has hosted the famous championship seven times, the most recent of which was when Justin Leonard triumphed in 1997. With the wind to contend with, and deep rough interspersed with gorse and broom, accurate shot making is essential. Players should make their scores on the outward nine, as the prevailing north-westerly wind can make the back nine extremely difficult. Though boasting many superb holes, there can be little argument about Troon's most famous hole. At 126 yards, the par 3 eighth "The Postage Stamp" may be the shortest hole in British Open golf but it has certainly notched up its fair share of victims, including a notorious triple bogey by Tiger Woods in 1997.  All in all, Troon is surely one of the world's great golfing shrines.

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