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Most Famous Golf Hole Names

By: Golfshake Editor | Thu 22 Mar 2018


Masters Champion, Sergio Garcia and his wife Angela recently welcomed their first child into the world, naming their baby daughter ‘Azalea’ after Augusta National’s iconic 13th hole. Students of the game will be aware that each hole of the legendary course has a floral theme to its name, including Magnolia (5th) and Flowering Crab Apple (4th). So, it could certainly be worse for the new arrival.

But it’s a reminder of an understated tradition that many layouts and venues have maintained through the decades, name holes for a variety of reasons. The par five 14th at the Old Course at St. Andrews is ‘Long’ – which makes sense – whereas other names are more obscure and rather surreal, in place without a generally understandable explanation. We have looked at some popular favourites.

Brampton Park’s 16th is known as ‘Badger Alley’ since the hole borders one of the UK’s largest colonies of badgers. Historic courses in Scotland have wonderfully simple, engaging names, including ‘Postage Stamp’ (8th) at Royal Troon and ‘Himalayas’ (5th at Prestwick). St. Andrews has ‘Tom Morris’ (18th) and ‘Bobby Jones’ (10th) in tribute to a pair of legendary figures who left an impact on the Home of Golf. It also has ‘Ginger Beer’ (4th). North Berwick’s scorecard is full of character, including ‘Eastward Ho!’ (10th) and ‘Redan’ (15th). Moving away from those historic links courses, to the more hard to explain section, the Waterfall Course at Mannings Heath notably has holes named ‘Sodom’ and ‘Gomorrah’, among other inexplicable choices. Further afield in the United States, ‘Dyeabolical’ (referencing the designer) is the 18th at Whistling Straits, a former PGA Championship and future Ryder Cup venue.

2019 Open Championship venue Royal Portrush boasts the famous and aptly named ‘Calamity Corner’ (16th) – renowned as being a treacherous hole – and Turnberry’s Ailsa House has ‘Dinna Fouter’, which essentially translates to ‘Don’t Mess About’. Carnoustie’s Championship Course has several notable holes, including ‘Jockie’s Burn’, ‘Hogan’s Alley’, ‘Spectacles’, and ‘Lucky Slap’. The King’s at Gleneagles has ‘Het Girdle’ (Hot Pan) and the 4th at Musselburgh Links is ‘Mrs Forman’. Royal Liverpool’s par three 11th is known as the ‘Alps’.

Each of these holes have a story behind them. If you have a favourite at your local course, a name that is amusing or possesses a bit of history, then please share them with us. But what is becoming clear, is that most of these wouldn’t be suitable for a child name. When it comes to Baby Garcia, Azalea is likely about as good as you could possibly get.


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