Boring St Andrews ?

[Fyldewhite]

I've just watched for 4 hours and seen one bunker shot and two hooked tee shots into some gorse which caused a bit of interest (forgive me if I have missed some as I may well have nodded off for a while).

Am I just hacked off because nobody got back into it or is the course so easy for these pros (tee to green) that there was never any real chance of that happening? It just seemed like a (long) putting contest....... boring.

 

[colint]

It's a controversial view, but I'm leaning towards agreeing. The wind was blowing a bit today and still nobody had any real trouble, I was there on Thursday and Friday and couldn't help thinking "is this it ?". I'm sure it's different when you're actually playing, and the history is wonderful but I was really dissapointed with the course after seeing it "live"

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I tend to think that modern technology has made a lot of St Andrews main threats redundant. There is no need to take on the majority of the fairway bunkers anymore. It is still a test when the wind blows as I'd say 60% of the field didn't have the game to deal with the conditions (many would never have experiences links golf and wind). I still think it has a place on the Open rota but maybe in need of a Wentworth style review

 

[AuburnWarrior]

I watched pretty much all the play on Thursday and Friday and I must admit, I was disappointed that there wasn't more 'car crash golf'. I know that St Andrews isn't the hardest golf course when the conditions are calm but -16 to win a major??? Isn't that a bit easy??? The US Open was won on/around par - shouldn't that be a winning major score???

Please don't think I'm disparaging St Andrews. It's a wonderful course but is it a major course anymore??? Has the technology of the clubs/ball made it too easy??? Of course, I'd still hack my way around it but they were saying the McIlroy was -42 for his last nine rounds. He'd probably post a similar score around my track.

I don't know what the answer is - they lengthened the road hole and people were up in arms. The bunker point was a good one - I can only recall one person in the pot bunker by the 17th green and the guy came out with ease.

As I say, no problem with St Andrews but I just wonder whether it's a course of the past rather than a course for the future.

 

[JustOne]

I've just watched for 4 hours and seen one bunker shot and two hooked tee shots into some gorse which caused a bit of interest (forgive me if I have missed some as I may well have nodded off for a while).

Am I just hacked off because nobody got back into it or is the course so easy for these pros (tee to green) that there was never any real chance of that happening? It just seemed like a (long) putting contest....... boring.

I thought it was crap, the whole 4 days. Was nice to see Rory go low when it was calm, I definitely prefer to see 'target golf' and lots of birdies. They all played crap, boring golf, even Louis' final round was nothing short of a parade. If you were that wild around any 'normal' course you'd be lucky to break 150! Miss my greens by 6 feet and you'll be lucky to find your ball - 100 foot putts indeed!

St Andrews, the home of Yawn. It all just went to show just how crap links golf really is.... just lacks a few windmills.

 

[the_g_man]

I've got to admit the last day was a bit lackluster but i enjoyed watching the other 3 days. I think some people mite of thought that Louis would loose his bottle and give Casey a chance of the championship and maybe take it to the last( maybe somemthing on the van de velde scope of things). But like all of us would do in Louis situation he played safe and didnt take many risks, maybe thats why it was slightly "boring"

 

[AuburnWarrior]

Smiffy - this geezer's got nowt but a PING putter in his bag - you must have something to sell him!!!

 

[medwayjon]

Wide fairways, little in the way of penal rough. Does make it a bit boring.

Im going to play devils advocate and say perhaps it could only be tradition alone that keeps it on the roster???

Wait until they get to Royal St Georges next year, that place will sort them out.

Even qualifying at Princes and Cinque Ports will be a very stern test.

 

[birdieman]

I think any tournament where the leader is so far ahead that he can relax could be a bit boring.

It is a great course, they were hardly tearing it up today, think Quiros's 67 was the best of the lot of them and only 9 players under 70.

Said before any links course when wet and calm is a birdiefest for Pros such as the conditions Thursday and Friday mornings.

There was a lack of atmos today but it was no-ones fault or the course's, Oosthuizen was just too good on the week and certainly did get a big weather break on Friday along with Calcavecchia and a few others.

We were spoiled at Carnoustie in 07 and Turnberry last year for drama, can't be that way every time.

If you get the chance to play any of the 4 courses on that piece of land take it. You can't see the humps and hollows on tv properly.

Par doesn't matter at all, Old Course plays hard when windy and easy when wet.

 

[RGDave]

I gave up once Casey messed up.

On reflection (and reading your post) I have to say, having watched FAR too much for 4 days, it (the course) seems to be fast losing a little of it's credibility. I only saw 2 bunker shots. i.i.r.c. I only saw a very few shots played from the rough.
I think it has to stay on the rota etc.etc. and is and will always be the home but I did find myself wondering if the old course is just too old now in design.

It would be a very hard decision to make major alterations.

 

[Swinger]

Louis got lucky with the first couple of days (weather) but held it together great and deserved to be our open champion. Sorry he didn't go +8 for the back nine to make it interesting for you guys but I think the open as always was great from start to finish.

It was nice to see Rory blow the course away on day one but the course got him back on day two. If he ran away with it from day 1 it would have been boring.

 

[USER1999]

I don't have an issue with the course, but any comp where the weather decides the winner is less than good. The winner had a huge slice of luck with his tee times, and ground out an unspectacular result. Fair play to him, but anyone out on Friday pm might as well have jacked it in. It says it all that Rory Mc came third, with an 8 over second round.
If it was tough all day, then it is interesting, but the variable conditions ruined it as a spectacle.
No, you can't control the weather, but in this instance, it wrecked the tournament.

 

[Grumps]

I got bored when almost every player was driving the 18th it was ment to be a par 4 afterall

maybe they should redo the par and make it a par 3 for the pro s

 

[brendy]

I got bored when almost every player was driving the 18th it was ment to be a par 4 afterall

maybe they should redo the par and make it a par 3 for the pro s

Or more swales as defence at the front of the green, the valley of sin just doesnt seem to strike fear into their hearts any more.

 

[birdieman]

We all got bored because there was no contest, not because of the course.
Sticking a swale round 18th green wouldn't have prevented Oosthuizen winning by miles.
It was a poor open because the home challenge fell away, nothing else. If Casey had holed out and played better and shot 67 instead of 75 things could have been much different.

 

[RGDave]

I got bored when almost every player was driving the 18th it was meant to be a par 4 after all

This is the sort of thing that could be thought through.
Some bunkers (short left and right) wouldn't go amiss if you ask me.
Then again, it could equally be argued that just leave it be and let the best man win regardless. Everyone thought Tiger's -19 was something at the time, but with a lucky draw with the weather it'll soon happen again.
It's just a different game around the course compared to other majors as putting (from long range) becomes ever-increasingly important.

 

[stevek1969]

Sorry guys but totally disagree St Andrews is what it is a special place ,Homer the comment about a revamp like Wentworth will never happen.
They may make 1 or 2 small changes but nothing major will happen.
Seaside golf is the best form of golf IMO.

 

[kid2]

I agree slightly with a few of the boring comments....BUT i would have like to see them struggle a little more today and yesterday like they did with the wind on friday....It would have made things alot more interesting....One thing i really loved was the fact that very few of them were not able to hit the wedges close from short range....They had to use some imagination with a putter like us mere mortals every weekend
Still even though alot of the par 4's were reachable with a driver there were many just about walkin off with there dignity intact with average pars for all there power!

 

[kid2]

We all got bored because there was no contest, not because of the course.
Sticking a swale round 18th green wouldn't have prevented Oosthuizen winning by miles.
It was a poor open because the home challenge fell away, nothing else. If Casey had holed out and played better and shot 67 instead of 75 things could have been much different.

For me Casey was the only man capable of catching him with the golf he was playing until he drove into the gorse....Because the iron shot after that was also terrible....The door closed after that!

 

[Deleted member 1418]

Sorry guys but totally disagree St Andrews is what it is a special place ,Homer the comment about a revamp like Wentworth will never happen.
They may make 1 or 2 small changes but nothing major will happen.
Seaside golf is the best form of golf IMO.

Got to agree. Apart from Rory, no-one really ripped it up. Yes scoring is low on the Old Course when there's no wind, but look at the last three of four groups this afternoon - not one of the guys out there made a birdie in something like 6 or 7 holes. Just goes to show that if you put the pins in some interesting places then scoring is difficult and the course becomes a test of the players ability to put the ball in the right place and think their way round the course.

I would play links golf everyday if I could.