CliveW
Tour Winner
Carnoustie is the only course where I've seen the rough being cut and baled.
Carnoustie?
- Thread starter Carpfather1
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IanM
Journeyman Pro
- Joined
- May 18, 2009
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- Monmouthshire, UK via Guildford!
Only played it once and played quite well... but that was in decent weather and not oodles of rough....butas others have said, there's OB in places, great bunkering and terrain. Add narrow tourament fairways, high rough and some wind.... hang on to your hat!!
Lets have a British Winner eh? ...or Irish!
Lets have a British Winner eh? ...or Irish!
Jacko_G
Blackballed
I still think that Royal Troon back 9 is harder in any sort of wind. There are no holes at Carnoustie where you are struggling to reach the fairway or see the fairway from the tee.
What Carnoustie is though is an absolute brut of a track. Miss the fairways at your peril.
Someone said it was an ugly duckling, I would agree it has very little that makes it an attractive round of golf. Its not in a stunning location, its hasn't got great views but it is a great test of golf.
I'm sad to hear that they've been watering the fairways for weeks leading up to the Open. Links should be baked, it should be brown and yellow, it should offer tight bare lies, it should throw up the odd frustrating bounce and it should be fiery! The R&A are never gonna cock up an Open like they have done for the last five years at the US Open but watering fairways!!!!!!!
Pampered pro's once again.
What Carnoustie is though is an absolute brut of a track. Miss the fairways at your peril.
Someone said it was an ugly duckling, I would agree it has very little that makes it an attractive round of golf. Its not in a stunning location, its hasn't got great views but it is a great test of golf.
I'm sad to hear that they've been watering the fairways for weeks leading up to the Open. Links should be baked, it should be brown and yellow, it should offer tight bare lies, it should throw up the odd frustrating bounce and it should be fiery! The R&A are never gonna cock up an Open like they have done for the last five years at the US Open but watering fairways!!!!!!!
Pampered pro's once again.
My young lad finished up there yesterday and is off to St Andrews next week building for the Senior Open, then on to Paris for the Ryder Cup in August, not much glory in building all the units and hospitality but he has been told by his boss that whatever is left, he can have and apparently, there is usually loads of stuff left behind.
louise_a
Money List Winner
I played it a couple of years ago in a ladies open, the wind was quite benign but I got done mostly by the bunkers
Grant85
Head Pro
Like many links courses, there will need to be a bit of breeze to really test the pros. Also, with so many Championship links courses, if it is damp and benign - the course will have very little protection. So they really have to keep things relatively tight and let the rough grow.
Saw that in 1975 Tom Watson won it after a playoff. 2 guys tied at -9 and a host of others at -8.
Also Harrington won it, and he and Garcia were tied at -7 after 72 holes.
So maybe it's not as hard as people make out. Everyone remembers 1999 because it was so dramatic and the fact that 3 guys were tied at +6 - which must be the highest winning score for a top level pro golf event in living memory.
The last twice it has been there (1999 & 2007) the conditions were damp. This week it will (hopefully) be firm and fast.
In 1999 - we had the combination of wind, rain and thick wet rough and guys just couldn't play from there. A lot of players were very critical of the course and set up. Obviously they hadn't heard of Paul Lawrie, but fortunately he went on to have a very accomplished career and was not a one hit major winner such as Todd Hamilton, Ben Curtis, Shawn Micheel etc.
Personally Carnoustie is my favourite venue. It always seems to produce a thrilling tournament and I hope this is the case again.
I also really like to see the pros playing a difficult set up. All too often (especially in the US) the tournaments turn into a birdie fest. These guys are good - far too good for even tricky courses that amateurs play every week and they should be tested in pro events.
Usually the difficult set up finds the best golfer. Many people thought this wasn't the case in 1999 - but I don't think people would argue about 1975 or 2007. And as I said, Lawrie went on to play in 2 Ryder Cups and win many other European tour events. And he also beat Justin Leonard in a 4 hole play-off (at the time a recent Open champion).
Saw that in 1975 Tom Watson won it after a playoff. 2 guys tied at -9 and a host of others at -8.
Also Harrington won it, and he and Garcia were tied at -7 after 72 holes.
So maybe it's not as hard as people make out. Everyone remembers 1999 because it was so dramatic and the fact that 3 guys were tied at +6 - which must be the highest winning score for a top level pro golf event in living memory.
The last twice it has been there (1999 & 2007) the conditions were damp. This week it will (hopefully) be firm and fast.
In 1999 - we had the combination of wind, rain and thick wet rough and guys just couldn't play from there. A lot of players were very critical of the course and set up. Obviously they hadn't heard of Paul Lawrie, but fortunately he went on to have a very accomplished career and was not a one hit major winner such as Todd Hamilton, Ben Curtis, Shawn Micheel etc.
Personally Carnoustie is my favourite venue. It always seems to produce a thrilling tournament and I hope this is the case again.
I also really like to see the pros playing a difficult set up. All too often (especially in the US) the tournaments turn into a birdie fest. These guys are good - far too good for even tricky courses that amateurs play every week and they should be tested in pro events.
Usually the difficult set up finds the best golfer. Many people thought this wasn't the case in 1999 - but I don't think people would argue about 1975 or 2007. And as I said, Lawrie went on to play in 2 Ryder Cups and win many other European tour events. And he also beat Justin Leonard in a 4 hole play-off (at the time a recent Open champion).
