Championship Course #3 is inspired by Royal Troon #8 Par 3.
Inspiration: This par 3 was inspired by the 8th hole at Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, Scotland, the shortest hole on any of the 9 British Open courses.
Details: The 8th hole at Troon is known best for its extremely small, downhill green guarded by two bunkers on each side. In 1923, Willie Park, Jr. commented that the hole had “a pitching surface skimmed down to the size of a postage stamp”.
History: The most memorable shot ever hit at the ‘Postage Stamp’ hole was by the late, great Gene Sarazen at the 1973 British Open. The Squire hit a 5-iron into the breeze, landed short of the flag, and rolled in for a hole-in-one on the 50th anniversary of his debut in the championship. The next day he holed out from a bunker for a birdie and presented the 5-iron to the Royal & Ancient.