The finisher is one of the few holes at Royal Sydney that could be classed as a dogleg although there are a number of straight holes that are best not played in a straight line.
This one turns left around a copse of paperbarks that guard the corner of the dogleg and obviously the closer one drives to the inside of the hole the shorter the approach – and the best angle in the flag.
The green is angled from left to right clearly favouring a shot turning that way and there is no good place to miss the green.
In the 1988 Open Mark Calcavecchia put on an extraordinary performance and this green perfectly suited the shape of his irons but the shape of the hole did not favour a player who almost always moved his longest club from left to right. On Saturday afternoon he had flared a drive much further right than was necessary but then stunningly lashed at a six iron that stuck a foot from the hole. Those contemplating winning the next day had their hopes dashed with one brilliant shot.
The shot up to the green is one made more special by the backdrop of the most imposing clubhouse in the country and it is a memory all who play at Royal Sydney take with them.