A postage stamp in golf refers to a deceptively small green, usually on a par-3, that demands the utmost precision from the tee. The name perfectly captures the visual: from a hundred yards or more, the putting surface can look as tiny and isolated as a postage stamp on a massive envelope. This article will break down what makes these holes so challenging, look at some of the world's most famous examples, and give you a rock-solid game plan for conquering them.
While the term isn't a formal one you'll find in the official rules of golf, it's universally understood among golfers. A classic postage stamp green has a few distinct characteristics that combine to make a short hole feel like the toughest on the course.
In essence, a postage stamp hole is a test of accuracy and nerve. The designer is challenging you with a simple question: can you hit your yardage with a specific ball flight to a precise location? There is no room for error. It's a true do-or-die shot that gets your palms sweating no matter your handicap.
You can't talk about postage stamp greens without paying homage to the original: the 8th hole at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. It is, quite simply, one of the most iconic par-3s in golf and the hole that literally gave the design its name. When famous course designer Willie Park Jr. described it, he said, "a pitching surface skimmed down to the size of a postage stamp," and the name stuck forever.
At just 123 yards on the official scorecard, it seems innocuous. A mere flick with a sand wedge or pitching wedge for most good players. But on that breezy stretch of Scottish coastline, it's a monster in disguise.
The green itself is extremely narrow and built into the side of a large sand dune. It's only about 10-12 paces wide in some spots. Anything to the left finds the infamous "Coffin Bunker," a deep, narrow pit from which bogey is a fantastic score. Miss right, and your ball plummets down a steep, grassy escarpment, leaving a blind pitch back up to the tiny surface. Go long, and you're in another bunker. Come up short, and you're in... you guessed it, more bunkers.
The hole has tormented the world's best for decades. Even the great Tiger Woods put up a triple-bogey 6 in the 1997 Open Championship after finding the Coffin Bunker. He wasn't the first, and he won't be the last. However, it’s not all tales of woe. In 1973, at the ripe age of 71, Gene "The Squire" Sarazen made an ace on the Postage Stamp during the Open, creating one of golf's most enduring moments.
The concept of a small, challenging par-3 that demands precision has been replicated across the globe. While not all are officially called "postage stamps," they share the same strategic spirit.
The "Island Green" is perhaps the most famous par-3 in modern golf and the ultimate extension of the postage stamp idea. At around 137 yards, it asks a simple question: can you land your ball on a small patch of grass completely surrounded by water? There is no Coffin Bunker or grassy slope, the penalty for missing is an immediate splash and a re-load from the drop zone. The pressure on the 71st hole of The Players Championship is immense, proving that a small target and severe consequence can reduce the world's best to nervous wrecks.
At just 106 yards, the 7th at Pebble Beach is one of the shortest holes in major championship golf, but it's pure terror. Perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the green is tiny and exposed to ferocious, swirling winds. On a calm day, it's a lob wedge. When the wind is up, players have been known to hit a 6-iron or more to travel the same distance. Club selection is a wicked guessing game. Miss short or right, and you're on the beach. Miss long or left, and you're in one of several bunkers with an impossible shot back towards the ocean. It’s a perfect example of how mother nature can make a postage stamp feel even smaller.
Stepping onto the tee of a postage stamp can feel overwhelming. Your eyes grow wide seeing all the trouble, and the green looks like it's a mile away, even when it’s not. But a smart strategy can calm your nerves and give you the best chance for success. Don't think about "not missing," think about your plan for success.
The number on the scorecard is just a suggestion. You need to calculate the "playing" yardage. Is the shot uphill or downhill? An elevated green might play 5-10 yards longer, while a downhill shot will play shorter. What is the wind doing? Take a look at the flag, but also throw a little grass in the air to see what's happening at your level. Is a helping wind making the shot play a full club shorter? Is a hurting wind making it two clubs longer? Getting the right number is the foundation of your entire plan.
This is a classic piece of advice for a reason. Let's say your "playing" yardage is 125 yards, which for you is a full-throttle, go-for-broke gap wedge. The risk of even a slight miss with a full swing is very high - a pull, a push, a heavy strike. A much safer play is to take a pitching wedge, grip down an inch, and make a smooth, controlled 80-85% swing. A smoother tempo almost always leads to a much more centered strike and better distance control. You're trying to hit a precision shot, not a power shot. Swing smooth to hit it solid.
This is not the time to be a hero and go pin-hunting. If the flag is tucked in a corner just a few paces from a deep bunker, ignore it. Your target should be the dead center of the green. Always. Give yourself the widest margin for error on all sides. A 20-foot putt from the middle of the green is a fantastic result on a postage stamp hole. Hitting it to five feet is wonderful, but trying to do so often brings bogey, or far worse, into play.
Before you even pull a club, identify the absolute worst place you could miss. On Troon's 8th, that's the Coffin Bunker. On Pebble's 7th, it might be the front bunker. Your entire shot plan should be built around avoiding that one spot. Maybe this means aiming for the right-center of the green to take the left-side pot bunker out of play. Knowing your "safe miss" (even if it's just the lesser of two evils) can free you up mentally to make a more aggressive, confident swing at a safer target.
Once you have a plan - your number is calculated, you've chosen your club, you've picked your target in the middle of the green, and you know your safe miss - the job is almost done. The final step is to trust your plan entirely. Second-guessing yourself as you stand over the ball is a recipe for disaster. Take a deep breath, visualize the controlled, smooth swing you're about to make, and commit 100% to that vision. Walk in, set up, and execute the plan without hesitation.
A "postage stamp" green is a brilliant piece of golf course architecture designed to test intellect and nerve over raw power. Beating one doesn't mean you have to stick it next to the pin, it means making a smart, committed swing to the correct target and giving yourself a chance to walk away with a par.
Developing this kind of strategic thinking is what turns stressful situations into scoring opportunities. It’s why we created Caddie AI. When you're standing on the tee facing a daunting par-3, that little bit of doubt about the best play can sabotage your swing. We take that guesswork away, giving you an immediate, professional analysis of the real yardage, the smartest club to hit, and the most intelligent target, so you can stand over the ball with total confidence and commit to your shot.
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