The opening hole at Royal Portrush is a classic links hole. Modern architects who worry about such things as packed tee sheets and pace of play gridlock in the first three holes would not have the nerve to place a vending machine bunker in the face of the hill below the first green.

What is weird to me is that standing on the tee the bunker gets into your head even though you cannot reach it. It is like the architect is whispering in your ear, don’t hit this drive out of the fairway because your second shot will be incrementally more difficult if you do.

With a wee Irish breeze in your face you are tasked with trying to calibrate an additional club and a half up that hill on your approach. Not hitting from the short grass, it just takes the slightest timidity for a shot that clears the bunker to get sucked back off the false front into this abyss. If you overswing and yank it the sand cavern 12 feet below green on the left is likely to see some action.

I remember walking off this green the first time I played it after making a double thinking this is going to be a difficult day.

December, 2025