ST ANDREWS, Scotland (AFP) - Golfers aiming for success at next year's British Open will have to take a longer road than before after St Andrews bosses decided to extend their famous 17th hole.

The 17th at St Andrews is known as the "road hole" and is renowned for its huge bunker and the number of times drives hit the Old Course Hotel that lines the course.

It is already a stern examination of any golfer's skill but the hole will now be 35 yards longer as plans were agreed to lengthen it from 465 yards to 490 in an attempt to make it an even tougher challenge.

A new tee is to be constructed on the practice range across the disused railway line and a statement from the Royal and Ancient Club on Friday said: "It has long been suggested that the 17th hole would benefit from additional length to restore the original challenge of the hole.

"In advance of the 1964 Open three-time Open champion Henry Cotton recommended the alteration stating: 'I would make a tee just beyond the railway line on the other course (the Eden Course is now the practice range). It would restore this drive to its former value.'

"An increased premium will be placed on an accurate drive of sufficient length over the (railway) sheds, encouraging players to take driver from the tee.

"The fairway will be widened slightly on the left-hand side to ensure that the tee shot remains fair.

"Crucially, the difficulty of the second shot will be re-established, making it more difficult to hold the approach on the putting surface and increasing the threat posed by both the road behind the green and the Road Bunker."

Peter Dawson, the R&A's chief executive, added: "The 17th was played at the same yardage in 1900 as it was in 2005 and this fuelled our belief that the formidable challenge of this iconic hole should be returned for the Open Championship.

"Over the years we have seen the threat from the road behind the green, and to a lesser extent the Road Bunker, diminished as players have been hitting shorter irons for their approach shots allowing them to avoid these hazards more easily.

"This change will ensure that the hole plays as it was originally intended."