Bryson DeChambeau and Tiger Woods prepare for ‘devilish’ Open Championship hole

If there is one feature of Royal Troon that you should familiarise yourself with prior to the Open Championship, it is undoubtedly the small, telegenic and tricky par-3 8th hole, better known as “The Postage Stamp”.

In the age of power, the 123-yard hole offers a critical accuracy test at the end of a relatively benign front nine. From No. 9, Royal Troon circles, making for a much windier ride back to the clubhouse. Depending on conditions, the tee shot on No. 8 will be the first upwind shot of the round for many players.

In other words, Open rounds can hit the Stamp.

The 123-yard hole is the shortest par-3 in the British Open rotation. The elevated teeing ground requires impeccable wind judgment to avoid the four extremely tough greenside bunkers. The hole takes its name from the small, long and narrow green.

“If I miss the green on No. 8, chances are it’s going to be a bogey unless you’re in the front of the green,” Scottie Scheffler said. “If you miss it in the right or left bunker — if you hit it in the left bunker, you’re going to be glad you made bogey because it’s probably going to plug and you’re going to be up and down for your bogey.

Here’s what Tiger Woods, Bryson DeChambeau and some of the world’s best golfers revealed about how they might tackle Royal Troon’s most iconic hole in preparation for the 152nd Open Championship.

Open Championship shines at the Postage Stamp

Bryson DeChambeau

DeChambeau, the player with the longest stroke in the field, improvises.

“Well, it can definitely be devilish,” the U.S. Open champion said Tuesday. “I don’t know much about it other than I have to hit the middle of the green and then I’m good. That’s going to be the goal every day this week.”

Xander Schauffele

The 2024 PGA Championship winner, currently ranked No. 3 in the world, is a fan of the Stamp’s unique character.

“It’s refreshing,” Schauffele said. “It’s really tough. … Most of the holes we play are 255 yards. It’s pretty cool to have a hole that’s super scary and that short, and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun when that wind comes from the left.”

Schauffele enjoys the finesse test, but he didn’t dare call the hole ‘fun’ under the pressure of an Open.

“It’s fun when you’re just playing with the guys, I guess,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s for a tournament. Trying to win a major championship, and you have this little hole that can ruin your whole week.

“It’s more fun than playing a 230-yard hole with no wind, but it’s probably harder.”

Scotsman Scheffler

Scheffler — in search of his seventh 2024 PGA Tour Trophy — Praised the timelessness of No. 8.

“I love the No. 8. The Postage Stamp. Sometimes I get frustrated when the solution to distance is to just keep making holes bigger and bigger, and it just encourages guys to hit the ball further and not worry so much about controlling your ball. The No. 8 is a great way to almost step back in time and control your ball a little bit more.”

The world’s best ball player dropped the ‘f’ word and compared the par-3 to the more famous par-3s in golf.

“I think holes like 12 at Augusta and 17 at Sawgrass, the best par 3s in the world, are short par 3s… Great little short holes like that are fun. I think it’s an underrated skill for guys these days to be able to control your ball, and I think it’s something we need to encourage in our game, not just by building courses longer and longer. You can make a short hole with a small green, and it’s pretty tough.”

Tiger Woods

Like DeChambeau, the crux of Tiger Woods’ strategy is simplicity. In theory, at least.

“The last two times I played, I hit a 9-iron and a pitching wedge. I even hit a 7-iron. But it’s a very simple hole; just hit the green. That’s it. Green good, miss green bad. It doesn’t get any simpler than that.

Hopefully Tiger can repeat his practice round four times this week:

“You don’t have to have a 220-yard par-3 to make it difficult,” added the three-time Open champion.