‘Blow it up’: Robert MacIntyre has harsh words for ‘Road Hole’ at Old Course

The par-4 17th at St. Andrews’ Old Course is one of the most famous holes in the world.

“Blow it up,” said Robert MacIntyre.

Yeah, he’s not fan.

Scotland’s top-ranked player expressed his distaste for the “Road Hole” to The Scotsman after Sunday’s final round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

MacIntyre played the hole in double bogey-bogey over the weekend on his way to a tie for 25th.

“I don’t think there are many worse holes in world golf,” he said.

“I think it’s a terrible hole off the back tee. It doesn’t need to be modernized; to bring excitement it needs to be a hole you are able to hit a golf shot into and not one where you just hit it onto the green and try to get up and down.”

The hole was lengthened to 495 yards in 2010 and played as the most difficult at this week’s event, which also included a rotation of Kingsbarns and Carnoustie over the first three rounds.

The 17th averaged 4.57 strokes, giving up seven birdies compared to 21 double bogeys or worse.

“It almost plays like a par 5,” MacIntyre said. “They try to do things to this golf course that don’t need to be done. Today I rifled a drive off the tee and then a 4-iron and I was the furthest up the hole.”

Carnoustie’s notoriously difficult par-4 18th was the second toughest hole this week, playing to an average of 4.31 strokes.