Why St Andrews' 18th Hole Being Drivable Is Amazing

The Old Course at St Andrews is once again reminding us how brilliant it is this week, with R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers saying pre-tournament that the course was exactly where they wanted it to be.

It's brown, it's bouncy, it's beautiful.

We spoke to a caddie this week who said that balls are running as much as 120 yards if they get the right bounce off a downslope. Others have said the fairways are faster than the greens. It's crazy golf but it's brilliant.

"The golf course is playing so, so short. But it's still tricky," Rory McIlroy said after his opening 66, just after revealing that he hit a pitching wedge into the 615 yard 14th.

VIDEO: THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ST ANDREWS

One hole that is playing particularly short this week is the finishing hole. It's one of the best holes in the world but there may well be some fans, players and officials questioning it this week. It always is officially 'drivable' but this week is something else. It's probably only playing around 250-270 yards depending on the first bounce, and that's shorter than par-3s have been in past US Opens. 

A senior golfer drove the par-4 18th hole in a Major with a fairway wood today. It sounds quite funny when it's written down. That was Ernie Els, who sadly three-putted to record a par on the 356 yarder.

The hole has been decimated in the opening round and has been birdied by dozens of players and eagled by two. Paul Lawrie and Danny Willett both made 2 on the home hole. Richard Mansell had a tap-in eagle in practice too.

Watch Lawrie's drive on 18:

The world's best are finding it with 2-irons so some may argue that the Old has failed to stand the test of time amid a fight against a longer ball, improved technology and a professional game full of athletes.

That could be true for this specific week in these specific conditions but who cares? Par is only subjective anyway. The par of the hole today will be whatever the average score is for the round. If that's 3.5 or 3.6 then that's what its par is and players who make a four are essentially losing strokes. Players are making four and they're doing so by being caught out by the Valley of Sin, or hitting an average chip, an average drive or maybe a weak putt.

That's fine and the players who are making birdies and eagles are being rewarded for good shots, while the players who are making pars clearly aren't hitting shots to the best of their abilities.

The 18th on the Old Course is a true icon and no matter whether it's soft, downwind, into wind or firm and fast, it's one of the best and most famous golf holes in the world. This week, we've been very lucky with the conditions and it being a one-shotter has made it a delight to watch.