The final major of the year is here, as the 153rd edition of The Open Championship is returning to one of the world's great venues: Royal Portrush.
Located on the northern coast of Northern Ireland, the Dunluce Links provide some of the most beautiful and thrilling golf to be found anywhere in the world.
There is not a single boring hole at Royal Portrush, and some of them are truly special. As such, we're here to rank the five greatest holes on the Dunluce Links. As an appetizer, we begin with a few honorable mentions before moving on to the top-five ranking.
Honorable Mentions
Sixth Hole - Harry Colt's - Par 3, 193 yards
The second of four spectacular par-3s, the sixth is a majestic hole with a tee box backed up against a cliff and the North Atlantic Ocean. The hole is without bunkers, but the green sits on a plateau with steep drop-offs on all sides and a severe false front.
The green itself is deep with a narrow back section guarded by sharp runoff areas on both sides.
Eighth Hole - Dunluce - Par 4, 434 yards
The eighth is one of two new holes that were created ahead of the 148th Open in 2019, and it is a gem.
Golfers must decide how aggressive to be off the tee on this dogleg left, either laying up short of the two fairway bunkers with less than driver or taking a daring line to take on the dunes and cut off the dogleg.
The green is elevated with a bunker to the right, a significant falloff short, and a perilous drop just off the left side.
13th Hole - Feather Bed - Par 3, 199 yards
The 13th is a downhill par-3 with an elevated green that is large and deep. The green slopes from front to back and is guarded by five bunkers: two on the left, two on the right, and a prominent large one in front.
Top 5 holes at Royal Portrush
5. 11th Hole - PG Stevenson's - Par 4, 475 yards
The 11th is an extremely difficult hole that played as the ninth before the changes made in 2019. It also plays as a par-5 for members but is converted to a par-4 for The Open.
The fairway is surrounded on both sides by bumps and mounds covered in fescue, so it takes some bravery for a player to cut the corner on this slight dogleg right. The fairway does widen slightly as it turns to the right, encouraging players to get aggressive.
The green is guarded by one bunker at the front-left side, and it is elevated with a false front. Shots that come up even slightly short will be rejected back down the huge slope to come to rest far below the green.
4. 10th Hole - Himalayas - Par 4, 450 yards
Formerly the eighth hole, this gorgeous, bunker-free par-4 is a model of outstanding links golf. The hard dogleg right dares golfers to cut the corner, a feat that requires a carry over an intimidating swath of sand dunes.
Most golfers will not attempt this, as the fairway becomes extremely narrow on this line. Clubbing down off the tee results in a longer approach shot to a very deep and narrow green that slopes severely from back to front and carries significant undulation.
The back half of the green is extraordinarily narrow and is surrounded by more mounding. This hole can wreak havoc if the wind is up.
3. Fifth Hole - White Rocks - Par 4, 372 yards
The fifth hole is a stunningly beautiful strategic par-4 and perhaps the most photographed hole at Portrush.
A sharp dogleg right, golfers can either lay back with an iron off the tee to find the fairway and leave a wedge shot to the green, or they can take a direct line toward the green with a driver and set up a great birdie or even eagle opportunity.
A large mound in the fairway about 30 yards short of the green complicates things and can hide the flagstick on the approach. There is also a huge rise to the left of the green that crests and falls back down on the other side, and pitch shots from the wrong side of this hump are totally blind and difficult to judge, as the ball will likely land on a downslope.
Those who opt for the aggressive play off the tee could be rewarded, but just one short step beyond the green lies the cliff that plunges to the beach and the Atlantic Ocean. Any shot that runs barely too far will trundle out of bounds and lead to a big number.
2. 14th Hole - Causeway - Par 4, 466 yards
The 14th hole is another incredibly difficult par-4 that played as the 12th hole prior to the changes made ahead of the 2019 Open. The bumpy fairway tilts severely to the left so that any tee ball landing on the left half will kick hard toward the bunker and fescue on the left side.
The defining characteristic of this hole is the green, which is absolutely diabolical. It is narrow and severely domed, falling off sharply on the front, back, and left sides. Balls that miss left will either run far down the hill away from the green or be caught by an extremely deep bunker that sits a good 10 to 15 feet below the putting surface.
1. 16th Hole - Calamity Corner - Par 3, 236 yards
Calamity Corner is Royal Portrush's signature hole and one of the most famous golf holes in the world. It didn't earn its name for nothing.
This brutally long par-3 plays straight uphill to a green that isn't very big considering the length of the hole. The putting surface is perched against a gargantuan chasm that borders the entire right side of the hole. All shots that miss to the right will tumble 50 feet down to the bottom of this pit.
There is also a smaller but still unnerving drop-off beyond the green. It's no wonder that a huge number of shots will end up in the bailout area left of the green.
The changes made leading up to the 2019 Open shifted this hole from No. 14 to No. 16, placing it closer to the end of the round and resulting in a terrifying and dramatic finish when the Claret Jug is at stake on Sunday.