A caddie's guide round the home of golf

Wednesday 19 July 2000 23:00 BST
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Jim Corstophine, 63, has been caddieing at St Andrews for 50 years. This year, he is carrying Bill Rogers' bag in the Past Champions' four-hole event. Corstophine, who plays off a handicap of seven, says: "St Andrews may not have the beauty of some courses but there's something really special about the place."

Jim Corstophine, 63, has been caddieing at St Andrews for 50 years. This year, he is carrying Bill Rogers' bag in the Past Champions' four-hole event. Corstophine, who plays off a handicap of seven, says: "St Andrews may not have the beauty of some courses but there's something really special about the place."

1st: Burn Picture Par 4, 376 yards

If the wind blows, some players could be laying up in front of the burn with their second shot. If the pin is close to the front, it is better to aim at the middle of the green instead of trying to be too cheeky.

2nd: Dyke Picture Par 4, 413 yards

It's 265 yards to carry Cheape's bunker on the left. The best line is right of the bunker leaving about 140 to the pin. The green slopes away but these players can put enough bite on the ball to stop it.

3rd: Cartgate-out Picture Par 4, 397 yards

There's a new tee about 20 yards back, but this is a pretty straightforward hole. Cartgate bunker can be a problem but if you play down the right-hand side you have an easy approach.

4th: Ginger Beer Picture Par 4, 464 yards

The Cottage bunker is 260 yards from the tee and will pose no problem for the big boys. The alley on the right-hand side is theline - if you are too far down the left, the greenside bunker comes into play.

5th: Hole O'Cross-out Picture Par 5, 568 yards

Easy to get up in two if the wind is with you. The green is the biggest on the course and I've seen players having a 95-yard putt and they don't know what to do with it.

6th: Heathery-out Picture Par 4, 412 yards

You have to go right of the Coffin bunkers and there is a new tee that gives a different angle on the approach shot. Nick's bunker on the left is no longer a problem.

7th: High-out Picture Par 4, 388 yards

You won't see many drivers taken out here and the hole plays totally differently depending on the wind. The Cockleshell bunker in front of the green is very steep and most players will be laying up.

8th: Short Picture Par 3, 175 yards

Another hole that depends on the wind. YUou could be hitting a wedge or as much as a seven-iron depending on where the breeze is coming from. You've go to know your yardages here.

9th: End Picture Par 4, 352 yards

The big hitters can get up to the green if the wind is behind them, but there are two greenside bunkers. You'll probably see them hitting three or four-irons off the tee and then pitching up.

10th: Bobby Jones Picture Par 4, 379 yards

Another new tee, but for the really big boys the green is driveable. You've got to keep out of the bunkers and the shorter hitters might be hitting irons off the tee.

11th: High-in Picture Par 3, 174 yards

I've seen people hit a seven-iron here in the morning and a three-wood in the afternoon. Strath bunker is very deep and the green slopes severely. It's a very tough hole.

12th: Heathery-in Picture Par 4, 314 yards

This is a very tricky hole. If the wind is with you, you can go for the green but most players will be taking irons off the tee to leave themselves short of the bunkers at 235 yards.

13th: Hole O'cross-in Picture Par 4, 430 yards

A very difficult hole, and on the Sunday the pin will be behind the greenside bunker. There is a mound which can make your second shot blind so you have to avoid that off the tee.

14th: Long Picture Par 5, 581 yards

You have to keep your drive to the right hand side of the Beardies. There are swales at the front of the green that catch your ball so the players will have to make the ball really bite on the ground.

15th: Cartgate-in Picture Par 4, 456 yards

The new tee is about 40 yards back from the old one and Sutherlands bunker should come into play. With a good drive you should have 150 to the front of the green and a fairly easy shot.

16th: Corner of the Dyke Picture Par 4, 424 yards

Another hole with a new tee, sp the Principal's Nose (a cluster of four bunkers about 260 yards from the tee) will catch a few out. If the second shot has too much backspin, the ball will roll back off the front of the green.

17th: Road Picture Par 4, 455 yards

Everyone talks about this hole. You can drive to the left and play to the back of the green. there's grass over the road at the back where Tom Watson ended up in 1984 and there's the famous bunker where Nakajima had his nightmare in 1978.

18th: Tom Morris Picture Par 4, 357 yards

The green is driveable and if you go up the right-hand side you can take the Valley of Sin out of play. If you go into the Valley of Sin you can be three feet below the hole. God knows how Rocca sunk that putt last time.

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