Old Course at St Andrews
Hole
9
Hole 10
Par: 4
Yards
Black: 340
Blue: 311
Green: 296
HCP
Men: 15
Women: 13
Hole
11
Bobby Jones
Sand in play
OB in play
Toilets available
Prevailing wind: Left-to-right headwind
Refreshments Available
Hole 10 Discussion

The tenth is the fourth hole on the Loop. Named for Bobby Jones, the hole is incredibly unique on the Old Course, as the gorse is on the left side, and play favors moving the ball right. The tee shot plays over a trio of bunkers to where the fairway narrows before the green. The Kruger bunkers pose a very real danger to any player that fail to take the wind into account.

The approach is complicated by the green’s slope from front to back. Shots will not hold as well here as they do elsewhere.

“At one time I thought the 10th hole was weak. It is of poor length (310 yards), there is no bunker of any meaning, and a width of over 100 yards to drive into.

Nevertheless, to have a good chance of a three, not only the second but the first shot as well must be placed with the greatest accuracy. In front of the green is a high bank sloping down towards and beyond the usual position of the pin on medal days.

A pitch shot played from the position of a straight drive is stopped by the bank or runs far beyond the hole. On the right of this bank, however, there is a V-shaped valley running towards the hole, so that if the drive is placed opposite this valley it enables a player to run up his second shot near the pin.”

Alister MacKenzie