Tiger Woods knows the shortest way around the Old Course at St. Andrews having set a 19-under par scoring record in capturing the 2000 Open Championship.

But when Woods returns to the famed Home of Golf in 2015 he’ll find a slightly different Old Course and the 14-time Major Champion is not all that in favour of the changes being undertaken by legendary designer, Martin Hawtree and under the direction of the St. Andrews Links Trust.

The changes being proposed will be the first in some 70 years with the first stage of the changes already underway that includes the widening of the infamous 17th Road Hole.

Here is the changes proposed:-

Changes to the Old Course already underway. (Photo – www.golfglobeatlas.com)

Phase 1

On the 2nd hole, the two bunkers right and short of the green will be moved closer to the right edge of the green. The ground to the right of the green will also be recontoured to create more undulations and the width of 3rd tee will be reduced to accommodate this. Two bunkers on the right side of the fairway, near the 3rd Championship tee, will be removed.

On the 7th, the large depression in the landing area of the fairway will be filled in and a slight mound created. The area to the right of the green will be remodelled to create more undulations.

On the 11th, the back left portion of the green will be lowered to create more hole location options.

On the 17th, the Road Bunker will be widened by half a metre at the right hand side and a small portion of the front of the green will be recontoured to enable it to gather more approach shots landing in that area.

Phase 2

On the 3rd hole, the first fairway bunker on the right will be removed. A new fairway bunker will be added into the bank on the right hand side about 275 yards from the Championship tee.

On the 4th, the acute spur formation on the left hand side of the fairway will be reduced and the bunker on the right hand side of the green will be moved closer to its edge. The ground to the back right of the green will be recontoured.

On the 6th, the ground to the right of the green will be recontoured.

On the 9th, a fairway bunker will be added short and left of the green, about 25 yards to the left and diagonally towards the green from the last bunker on the right of the fairway.                     

On the 15th, the ground to the back right of the green will be recontoured to create more undulations.

The changes will take two years to implement and in time for the staging of the 144th Open Championship in 2015.

And while Woods agrees with some of the changes he cannot see the reasoning for changes to the 17th hole and in particular, the Road Hole bunker.

“I can understand a couple of the changes, one being at nine and the other at the second hole,” he said.

“I believe, moving the bunkers more in where they’re more playable.  We do use the pin over there on the back right, and if we get a left‑to‑right wind those bunkers really aren’t in play because they’re too close to the third tee.

“But I can see by moving those closer to the green that if we get an in left‑to‑right wind, those bunkers now are in play, which is good, because that’s our miss anyways is that back pin over that bowl, over that big hump to give yourself an angle at that putt.  I believe that’s a positive change.

“Same thing at nine; that’s a good change.

“But I think 17 is hard enough as it is.  I don’t think we need to make that bunker any deeper or bigger.

“I know they experimented in 2000, I believe, they made the bunker deeper, then I think it was in ’10 they made it more expansive so it was not as deep but more balls would collect into it.

“They seem to keep changing 17 a lot.  It’s a pretty hard hole.  I think it’s probably one of the‑‑ it’s the hardest one on that whole property. I don’t know, I’m not real keen on that one, but it is a hard hole, period, either way, whether they make changes or not.

“It’s going to be a hard hole, a pivotal hole.  I know over the years they’ve changed the rough lines on that hole quite a bit and given us fairway to the right which we’ve never had.

“Granted, now we’ve got to take it more towards the hotel, but at least it gives us an angle to play down the green, which is nice.”