The Open: Royal Troon’s bunkers are nasty. Pros are doing this to prepare

Generally, links golf courses have two main barriers of defence. The weather and the bunkers.

While we still don’t quite know what we’re getting from the weather this week in the west of Scotland, players certainly know what they’re going to be faced with when it comes to the fearsome bunkers at this year’s Open venue.

In PGA Tour events, it might be that bunkers are less of a hazard and more of an addition to a course. In some cases, players might even aim for the sand to ensure they can get control from around the greens.

Do not expect that to be the case this week. Royal Troon’s bunkers are nasty, unforgiving and can ruin a good score in the blink of an eye. Trust me, I know this all too well, after I made an eight on the par-3 fifth in my round in the media day for this very event. No prizes for guessing that quintuple bogey was made via the bunker.

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So, how do the best players in the world go about preparing for such a test? Well, I noticed one thing in particular that almost every player in the field was doing on Tuesday at Royal Troon.

During their practice round, pros will work on a variety of shots around the greens. When they’re putting, they’re probably going to be pretty particular about where they place their ball.

When it comes to bunkers, however, the opposite is true. Most pros this week will stand behind the bunker, and throw the ball into the sand as hard as they can. That’s to simulate what the ball is likely to do if they hit their approach there.

This is going to throw up a variety of lies, and not just the perfect, fluffed-up lie that amateurs are often guilty of working on their bunker game from.

It might lead to some ugly situations, but that’s what practice rounds are for. On the 13th green, I watched Justin Rose stand behind this gaping bunker and throw three balls at the lip. For his final ball, which nestled against the face, he took three attempts to find the putting surface.

It’s a small thing, but it can go a long way in preparing players for the shots they’re going to face. Whether that’s a ball up against the front lip, or worse, the back lip, where they might not be able to make a backswing.

Of course, the first objective is to stay away from Royal Troon’s bunkers, but if you find yourself there, you had better be ready to get creative.

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Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor