Carnoustie 25th October

[Hobbit]

My favourite links course. Enjoy guys!!

 

[richart]

YES!

(will need to see if JO is free to carry my bag though)

PM sent Dave.

 

[Smiffy]

My favourite links course. Enjoy guys!!

Mine too!
Rack up a score on the front 9 because you'll need a buffer when you turn for home

 

[CliveW]

Off to play the Championship course in the morning. I'll let you know how it was when I get back.

 

[richart]

Off to play the Championship course in the morning. I'll let you know how it was when I get back.

Thanks Clive.:thup:

 

[CliveW]

Well, The Championship Course was the most benign I have ever played it. We arrived early, as we had a member's tee time of 08.40, and the mist was just fading away leaving a gorgeous dew soaked course in front of us. The wind was a mere zephyr from the east so not the usual westery wind that I'm used to at Carnoustie, so it was jumpers to start, but shirt sleeves from the third on. Fairways are still firm so plenty of roll and the greens have had some work on them, although they were fast and true but holding the ball well if coming in from a height. I did experience both fairway and greenside bunkers, but they have plenty of soft sand and didn't pose any great problems apart from being penal. The biggest surprise was the rough, it has been cut down so there wasn't the usual scrabbling about looking for lost balls, (apparently to make it easy for the Dunhill Cup), although there were one or two places where it had been left to grow.
All in all a fantastic day, so hopefully you will have the same experience I had today. Whatever it is, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

 

[richart]

Well, The Championship Course was the most benign I have ever played it. We arrived early, as we had a member's tee time of 08.40, and the mist was just fading away leaving a gorgeous dew soaked course in front of us. The wind was a mere zephyr from the east so not the usual westery wind that I'm used to at Carnoustie, so it was jumpers to start, but shirt sleeves from the third on. Fairways are still firm so plenty of roll and the greens have had some work on them, although they were fast and true but holding the ball well if coming in from a height. I did experience both fairway and greenside bunkers, but they have plenty of soft sand and didn't pose any great problems apart from being penal. The biggest surprise was the rough, it has been cut down so there wasn't the usual scrabbling about looking for lost balls, (apparently to make it easy for the Dunhill Cup), although there were one or two places where it had been left to grow.
All in all a fantastic day, so hopefully you will have the same experience I had today. Whatever it is, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Thanks Clive it sounds great, and the rough being cut back is a bonus ! Hope we get the same weather as you, but expecting a gale.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Rich, I hope you are going to take the proper line up the 6th (Hogan's alley) and go left of the bunkers

Find out if you are a man or a mouse :ears:

 

[richart]

Rich, I hope you are going to take the proper line up the 6th (Hogan's alley) and go left of the bunkers

Find out if you are a man or a mouse :ears:

squeek squeek.

 

[CliveW]

Just fly your drive straight over them.

 

[richart]

Finally dried off all me gear, so time to write a review. The four previous days at St Andrews were just about perfect, but the forecast for Friday was always dire, and boy did the weathermen get it right.

First impressions driving into the car park were not great, although we did get a space as near to the clubhouse as possible. We sat in the car for at least ten minutes before we plucked up courage to get the clubs out. The rain was coming in sideways, and it was head down and a quick sprint to the Clubhouse. A fairly bleak place, and not what we expected. Everyone was very friendly though, but I think they were taking pity on us. Dave (virtuocity) was not there and we assumed he had seen sense and had returned to Glasgow. Amazingly a few minutes later he turned up, and we were set to go.

The attractive young lady in the pro shop told us to let her know when we were going to start. Seemed strange until we found out she was also the starter, and she had to brave the weather to see us off.

Apart from a two ball that we let through at the half way hut, we didn't see another person on the course. Mind you they could have been twenty yards away and we wouldn't have seen them.

What of the course. From what I saw (I had to play without my glasses due the the driving rain) it was simply stunning. Not scenic, no great views, but just great hole after great hole. The condition was amazing, and the greens despite the rain were still quick and so smooth. Bunkers beautifully shaped, cut and raked. The first two holes were just tough straight into the wind and rain, but once we turned down wind we could really see the course at last, and the holes just got better. Favourite hole on the front nine was the 6th, Hogan's Alley. I did aim down the Alley but the left to right wind sent my ball over the first two bunkers and into the third one. If I had been able to get the course planner out I would have probably hit a shorter club to stay short, but by then the planner was a soggy mess in my pocket. To be honest it was not a day for plotting your way around the course, just smacking it and hoping for the best.

We did laugh when we reached the 10th tee, and found the hole to be called South America. More like South Antarctica. Despite all the rain this hole had the only green that was flooded. The back nine was even tougher than the front, and every hole seemed to play into the wind. Some of the greens were very narrow, and if you got into a greenside bunker there was very little room to land the ball. The par threes were very difficult and the 16th is just a brute of a hole. Amazingly one of our group very nearly got a hole in one. A full driver to just behind the hole. it would have been the cheapest hole in one in history with no one to buy for even if the bar had been open.

We did try and play a four ball better ball match, but our hearts were not in it. We finished with a half, with Dave and myself losing the last to a 7 !!!! Don't ask. Think I managed 4 pars, and about 25 points but survival was the name of the game. Really enjoyed Dave's company as my partner. He hits a good long ball, if sometimes a bit right. We all thought he would play below his handicap the next day in his Club competition, and he didn't let us down. Would be happier playing him off about 15,and I am sure after his session with JustOne his handicap will tumble.

Difficult to compare Carnoustie with the Old Course at St Andrews. Carnoustie has the better holes, but the setting is nothing like St Andrews, and even if it had been a nice day, I doubt it would have the same atmosphere, the same excitement as you tee up on the first hole. Would I play Carnoustie again ? Definitely but it would have to be a calm summers day for me to have any chance of playing to my handicap, and even then I very much doubt I would. Probably the toughest course I have played, and in just about the toughest conditions.

 

[CliveW]

I felt really sorry for you on Friday as it was the only really bad week weather wise for the past month. It's a pity you didn't get the best conditions, but at least you have the satisfaction of playing Carnoustie in difficult conditions. When I played it the previous week, the conditions couldn't have been better which in fact was a disappointment as the challenge of the wind wasn't there, so much so that I went round in a nett 66 off the yellows (Par 70, SSS 74) albeit with gimmies. As you say, not the bonniest of courses, but possibly one of the toughest in the conditions you had.