The Infamous Road Hole

Almost more legendary than the Old Course at St. Andrew’s itself is its 17th hole, aptly named “The Road Hole” after the old turnpike road which forms the hole's southern boundary.  With the hazards of the notorious road bunker and the road itself, this hole has been the downfall of many a championship hopeful. 

At the 1978 British Open, Arnold Palmer fell victim to the Road Hole, first hitting it out of bounds, then landing in the Road Hole bunker, and finally finishing with a triple-bogey, costing him the championship to Jack Nicklaus.  That same year, it took Tommy Nakajima 6 shots to get himself to the hole from the unforgiving bunker, prompting the bunker to be nicknamed “The Sands of Nakajima”.

Experience the history of what is considered by many to be the most famous hole in golf, with Sidney Matthew’s book “Wry Stories on the Road Hole”.  Please see below for the publisher’s description of this chronicle of part of golf’s history. 

Wry Stories On The Road Hole - by Sidney L Matthew

There is no more special and sacred golfing ground in the world than the Old Course at St. Andrews. Never before or since has such a perfect balance of sporting antiquity and eternity been joined together in 18 holes, and the jewel in this crown must surely be the 17th, dubbed The Road Hole. This hole has changed the results of golfing matches and major championships perhaps more than any other single hole in the world. Every storied golf hero in history, save one named Ben Hogan, has negotiated the adventurous banks and braes of The Road Hole. This book traces the evolution of The Road Hole. It chronicles the earliest days when The Road Hole was the first hole on the original left-hand course, the history of The Road, The Golfer's Bridge, The Road Bunker and The Stationmaster's House and Garden now occupied by The Old Course Hotel. The rich history is supplemented by a score of wry stories on The Road Hole. Revisit the jubilation and the tears of shots gone wrong on this famous hole. Never before has a single golf book been dedicated to a single golf hole. But, never before has a single golf hole justified it. The Road Hole, like this book is one of a kind.