1) 18th at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach The closing hole at Pebble Beach is an endlessly beautiful par five. The drive onto the sweeping right-to-left fairway is never boring. If you want to reach the green in two shots, you have to drive as close to the Pacific Ocean water as you dare. A bunker runs along the shore for about 100 yards, ending just short of the green. In terms of strategic interest, Pebble’s 18th passes every test, as it does for its stunning beauty. Those are my two most important measurements when it comes to rating the quality of any hole. As the late, great Walter Hagen might have said here, “there are always flowers to smell.”
2) 17th at TPC Sawgrass, Florida This 137 yard short par three is known as the “Island Green” and is one of golf’s most recognisable and difficult holes. For most professionals, this hole only requires a pitching wedge, however, the hole consists of nothing but a 26 yard long green with a tiny bunker in front of it. Save a small path to the platform, the green is completely surrounded by water. It is estimated that more than 100,000 balls are retrieved from the surrounding water each year, courtesy of professionals and tourists alike. You could make a lot of money out of re-selling those!
3) 18th at the Old Course, St Andrews The closing hole at the St Andrews Old Course is on of the most famous in the world of golf. The hole is called “Tom Morris”, names after the Old Tom Morris (1865-1908), who designed the first and 18th holes. Originally the holes were played on a shared fairway. The Swilcan Bridge, spanning the first and 18th holes, has become a famous icon for golf in the world. Everyone who plays the 18th hole walks over this 700-year-old bridge, and many pictures of the farewells of the most renowned golfers in history have been taken on this bridge. A life-size stone replica of the Bridge is situated at the World Golf Hall of Fame museum in St Augustine, Florida.
