Date: August 02, 2016
Author: Mike Clayton

Hole 17 – Royal Sydney Golf Club – Par 3

This long par three is the most difficult of the short holes and the previous green was even more difficult to hit than the newer version. When Aaron Baddeley won here in 1999 his last test came at the 17th and he flew a perfect two iron right into the centre of a green. His coach, Dale Lynch likened it to flying a two iron onto the bonnet of a Volkswagen and those who saw that shot would find it hard to believe that seven years later Baddeley is almost at the bottom of the list measuring greens hit in regulation figures on the American Tour.

That he won this year in America is testament to his talent and his putting stroke but there is some evidence that he is on the right path with his swing after too long in the wilderness.

If he came to this hole in contention it the shot he hit would be some measure of his progress because it may be the single most difficult shot at Royal Sydney.