Joel Tadman is tasked with going to play the most dramatic golf hole in the United Kingdom and in the 9th hole on the Ailsa course at Trump Turnberry, believes he has found the perfect candidate!
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00:00Interesting. So I've just got this very random text from Neil asking me to go and play the
00:13most dramatic hole in the UK. That sounds like a fascinating challenge, one I'm definitely
00:17excited to take on. The big question is, where do I go? There are a few that really spring
00:22to mind, but there's one that's definitely, I think, standing out head and shoulders above
00:27the rest. So I think it's time to pack the suitcase and get to the airport.
00:34Right, so in case you hadn't guessed it, I am at Trump Turnberry, and I think this golf
00:50course, or one of the golf courses here, has one of the most spectacular holes in the entire
00:55UK. I'm really excited to play it. I'm going to be doing that tomorrow. But it's worth
00:58just touching on Trump Turnberry as a resort. As you can see here, I do think this resort
01:02has a lot of wow factor. I've got the spectacular hotel behind me, which really takes your breath
01:06away when you see it for the first time, that slope going up to it. You've got the helipad
01:10there to take someone very important somewhere they need to go. And just underneath that,
01:15just over the road here, we've got this beautiful miniature pitch and putt course, which looks
01:19an awful lot of fun to play. And there is an awful lot of things to do at this kind
01:23of resort. Besides the actual golf courses, there's shooting activities, there's whiskey
01:28tasting, you can do all sorts of fun stuff off the golf course. But of course, it is
01:32the golf that draws people in. And there's three courses here at Trump Turnberry. You've
01:36got the Arran, which is a short, a really fun nine-hole golf course, really tests your
01:40short game, but there are some long holes on it as well. Then there's the King Robert
01:44the Bruce, which is definitely a championship golf course, looks quite tight, a lot of gorse
01:49lining those holes, so it could be quite tricky off the tee. I'm going to be playing that
01:52later on today. But of course, it's the Elsa course, the championship course that everyone
01:57wants to play when they come to Trump Turnberry. And I think one of those holes is the most
02:01dramatic in the UK. Morning. Today is the day I play the most dramatic hole in the UK,
02:23in my opinion. The sun is out, well it will be, it's very early at the moment. This should
02:27be a really exciting day. I just hope I can do it justice. What makes a hole dramatic?
02:35What's the criteria that I'm going for here? Well, I think it needs to be visually arresting.
02:40I think it really needs to metaphorically make you take a step back and really stir
02:44the senses, whether it's obviously what you see, but also maybe the sound of the waves
02:49crashing against the coast, a bit of wind. I think it needs to be challenging as well.
02:54I think it really needs to test all your skills. And that makes it more satisfying if you play it
02:59well, but also lets you off the hook if you play it badly. So yeah, kind of a win-win situation.
03:05But I think I've found the perfect candidate here at Trump Turnberry. Obviously there's a
03:10lot of different candidates I could have picked. Yes, the ninth hole at Royal County down,
03:15you've got the 18th hole at Trump Aberdeen, maybe the 16th hole at Royal Portrush. That
03:20Calamity Corner par 3 is an epic hole, but I think the one that ticks the most boxes
03:26for me is this one at Turnberry on the ninth hole, and I'm really excited to show it to you.
03:30So two holes in, two bogeys. I think it's always the case when you play these amazing
03:53courses, the occasion often gets the better of you. Very nervy stuff, but I've just hit
03:59it quite close in two on this par 4 third hole, so potential birdie upcoming.
04:18Well, just absolutely smoked one down the eighth fairway, alas. Made quite a few bogeys and lost a
04:25golf ball after that lovely birdie I made on the third, but the anticipation is really rising now.
04:33Walking up the eighth fairway, the lighthouse sweeps into view and the landscape becomes a
04:38bit more dramatic. Hopefully they'll let me hit a shot off the championship tee
04:44on this ninth hole, but if not, it will still be a very spectacular hole nonetheless. But
04:50let's see if we can make a par or even a birdie on the eighth and then even better on the ninth.
05:20Wow, a bit out of breath. Had to dash and hit that shot off that very back tee.
05:35Not technically open, but director of golf let me have a quick hit. Hit it alright, just slightly
05:40down the left. I think it went in the bunker. If it made the carry, it was touch and go, but yeah,
05:46that is a brute into this wind, 240. Spectacular view though, let me show you.
05:59What a hole, unbelievable.
06:10Right, spoiler alert, my tee shot with the driver off the championship tee
06:15did not make the carry, never to be seen again. And with my proper ball off the members' tees
06:21we're playing off today, managed to three putt from the front of the green for a four. So not
06:27covering myself in glory, but I did birdie the eighth hole before that and it doesn't really
06:33matter. It's hard not to enjoy your golf when you come into a hole like this. And we've obviously
06:37been blessed with the weather like this, it's unbelievable. There's not hardly a cloud in the
06:42sky, obviously it's very windy, but the sun is out. And after all that drama, I think it's about
06:47time we go and visit one of the most spectacular halfway huts in the world of golf, the Lighthouse.
06:54Got my beef pie.
07:14I'm all over you for it. Okay, so that concludes my playing of the most dramatic hole,
07:19big golf in the UK, but neither of the others are golfers. Turnberry,
07:24dropped Turnberry, unfortunately didn't quite make a putt, didn't quite make the carry with
07:27the driver, but it was a lot of fun, hopefully you've all been coming out with a lot of fun
07:31with me. But that's all for me, dropped Turnberry, see you next time.