Report: Royal Liverpool's Controversial 17th Hole To Be Redesigned
The par 3 is set to be reconstructed following the event, with major design changes set to take place
Prior to Brian Harman lifting the Claret Jug on Sunday, a lot has been made of the par 3 17th at Royal Liverpool, with professionals and caddies divided about the layout of the short hole.
Some liked it, some didn't, and now, following the conclusion of The 151st Open Championship, it has been reported by The Telegraph that the hole is set to be given a complete makeover, with members of the club also disliking the way that the hole plays.
According to The Telegraph, an insider has said: “In truth, the majority of members have not liked this hole since it was opened a few years back. It has caused all manners of problems in the club’s competitions.
"There was one women’s tournament held when there was a host of ‘no returns’ at the 17th. It was taking 20 to 30 minutes for each group to complete and it caused a huge tail back. They are not getting rid of it but they will be blowing it up and making it much fairer and more appealing to play.”
Reportedly, the tee will be elevated, with the right portion of the green elevated and filled in. Currently, that area is a severe run off into a bunker, which was found multiple times throughout tournament play.
Before the tournament, Matt Fitzpatrick's caddy, Billy Foster, described the par-3 as a “monstrosity”, with legendary coach, Pete Cowen stating: “I hate it,” before adding: "It could ruin somebody’s career if the wind goes in the wrong direction."
On Friday, Travis Smyth made a hole-in-one at the par 3, with scores of up to quadruple bogey being made. Two of the players to make triple bogey were Matt Fitzpatrick, Foster's boss, and Tommy Fleetwood, who both went long and couldn't recover from some horrendous lies in the sand.
Get the top Black Friday deals right in your inbox: Sign up now!
The hottest deals and product recommendations during deals season straight to your inbox plus all the best game-changing tips, in-depth features and the latest news and insights around the game.
Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.
Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.
Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?
Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°
Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°
Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°
Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°
Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
-
Jamie Spence Facts: 18 Things To Know About The Former Player And Now DP World Tour Commentator
The Englishman enjoyed a successful career as a professional before moving into broadcasting
By Michael Weston Published
-
How To Adjust Your Driver And Why It Can Help
It's crucial that you know what you're doing if you want to change the setup of your driver to improve your ball flight. Here's our ultimate guide
By Joel Tadman Published