2024 looks like a record-breaking Open Championship. The fourth Major of the year, scheduled at the Royal Troon from 18 to 21 July, has already broken one record and a second is shaky. The expected numbers of spectators are frightening: 250 thousand people are expected.
Royal Troon, one of the cradles of golf
Royal Troon Golf Club is located in Troon, in the South Ayrshire region of Scotland. It’s a sanctuary for those who love golf, a club founded in 1878 and initially named Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club. In 1882 the name became Troon Golf Club. One hundred years after the foundation, the term “Royal” entered the name in honor of the patronage granted by the then Prince Charles of England.
There are three courses: the Portland Course, the Craigend Course and the historic Old Course (a challenge to play especially on windy days). Hole number 5, known as Postage Stamp.
So far it has hosted an Open Championship nine times: the first in 1923, the last in 2016. Eight years ago Henrik Stenson won at the end of an incredible duel with Phil Mickelson.
Question of yards
This year, history will be rewritten at Royal Troon. The R&A has announced a change to hole number 6 (called Turnberry) which, in July, will be lengthened to a total of 623 yards, or 570 metres. The 22-yard stretch (just over 20 meters) makes the 6th the longest hole ever in an Open Championship. Ironically two holes later the pros could play another record hole: the Postage Stamp today it measures 123 yards (112.4 metres) but, for climatic reasons, it could be shortened to 99 yards (i.e. 90 metres). If so, it would become the shortest hole ever played in an Open Championship.
Compared to when Stenson won, nine new starts have been made and the route lengthened to 7,385 (6,752 metres).
To enter the history of the Royal Troon Golf Club click here.
