KenL
Tour Rookie
Just change (remove some of) the bunkers and it'll be fine and still a great hole.
Hoylake - The course
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- Start date
timd77
Assistant Pro
Am I right in thinking that once you’ve putted out you have to double back on yourself to go the the 18th tee, 100 yard walk or something? Could be why it’s causing a backlog. Shame though as it’s a cracking hole.
pendodave
Tour Rookie
I've heard the same about the routing.
Consequently that, given it's a pretty unpleasant hole to play on a regular basis if you're a handicap golfer, members just go straight from 16 to 18.
HeftyHacker
Well-known member
As a viewing spectacle it was quite good when you were there.
I personally prefer links that weave their way through the dunes (Silloth and Wallasey come to mind on this regard) but I can appreciate why that might not be possible at an Open venue with the level of infrastructure required for the event.
I was actually surprised at the rough when I was there yesterday, whether the wet weather had trampled it down or not I'm not sure but it wasn't overly long or thick, I saw some great lies when golfers had missed the fairways.
However the greens were what impressed me most - the actual landing zone on many of them was tiny with steep run offs and false fronts everywhere, so hitting them required a lot of accuracy and the reduced spin control that hitting out the rough offered did bite a lot of the players.
Much has been said about the internal OB but it did cause a lot of players problems, two players I saw both went OB with their second into 3. But it also meant that the shop and hospitality etc was I'm the middle of the course which i thought was really good.
That being said, without the grandstands up adding that theatre to the holes it's not a course I came away wanting to play. Just too flat and featureless really.
I personally prefer links that weave their way through the dunes (Silloth and Wallasey come to mind on this regard) but I can appreciate why that might not be possible at an Open venue with the level of infrastructure required for the event.
I was actually surprised at the rough when I was there yesterday, whether the wet weather had trampled it down or not I'm not sure but it wasn't overly long or thick, I saw some great lies when golfers had missed the fairways.
However the greens were what impressed me most - the actual landing zone on many of them was tiny with steep run offs and false fronts everywhere, so hitting them required a lot of accuracy and the reduced spin control that hitting out the rough offered did bite a lot of the players.
Much has been said about the internal OB but it did cause a lot of players problems, two players I saw both went OB with their second into 3. But it also meant that the shop and hospitality etc was I'm the middle of the course which i thought was really good.
That being said, without the grandstands up adding that theatre to the holes it's not a course I came away wanting to play. Just too flat and featureless really.
Bdill93
Undisputed King of FOMO
Pkenty of cameramen were doing their best to keep things clear, but the rate it was coming down I'm not surprised they struggled!
Springveldt
Well-known member
Much better a lottery of a lie (which the vast majority of the time was ok) compared to the automatic 1 shot penalty for going in the bunker with no chance of advancing the ball more than 50 yards and more than likely coming out sideways or even backwards.
If you believe that most of the field were pulling their drives into the left rough then ok but I choose to believe it was a strategy employed by most of them.
SyR
Challenge Tour Pro
I was there for Wed and Thu and thought the rough was really kind. It was long but not particularly thick. Some of the run-off's around the green were brutal and some of the bunkers were cavernousness.
Personally the 17 green location looked great, but it seemed to be lacking a safe-miss somewhere around the green. Although the walk from the green to the 18th tee has been lengthened, players were previously were walking along way from the previous hole to the 17th tee, so doesn't seem much has changed. If the Championship was closer on Sunday, then I believe the 17th would have been the decider.
Personally the 17 green location looked great, but it seemed to be lacking a safe-miss somewhere around the green. Although the walk from the green to the 18th tee has been lengthened, players were previously were walking along way from the previous hole to the 17th tee, so doesn't seem much has changed. If the Championship was closer on Sunday, then I believe the 17th would have been the decider.
tugglesf239
Journeyman Pro
Played both Hoylake and Wallasey. No contest. Hoylake is a cracker imo.
I loved Wallasey, but Hoylake is different level for me
I loved Wallasey, but Hoylake is different level for me
rulefan
Tour Winner
Matt Fitz said the same. Apparently, they are addressing it.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
They are raising the tee up and also raising the right hand side of the green a bit
The members aren’t fans of it
The members aren’t fans of it
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If you go back and fancy some company, let me know mate
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
I thought the 17th was a bit of a dud but mostly due to the weather. I was hoping for more carnage.
Certainly hasty to go digging up the green already. Plenty of time to host more elite amateur events before the next time the open returns and see how it fairs in differnt conditions.
Id move the tee back to 150-155 yards. The balls not in the air long enough to truly be affected than much.
Certainly hasty to go digging up the green already. Plenty of time to host more elite amateur events before the next time the open returns and see how it fairs in differnt conditions.
Id move the tee back to 150-155 yards. The balls not in the air long enough to truly be affected than much.
The lack of any holes involving a lake certainly left me feeling short changed.
Mel Smooth
Hacker
You'd think they'd put one in, with a fountain or something, especially given the name of the place..
KenL
Tour Rookie
Surely a camera can have a decent hood to keep the rain off? Even if it means restricting the field of view. There wasn't any wind to speak of.
BubbaP
Occasional Player of Golf
Can't recall where I saw it, but someone took an overhead view of course, joined up the internal OOB and photo-shopped a lake into them
rulefan
Tour Winner
The name Hoylake was derived from Hoyle Lake, a channel of water between Hilbre Island and Dove Point.
It's OOB now
BubbaP
Occasional Player of Golf
Watched a few groups go through on Friday. One player who was inside the cut line, missed left of the bunker then put it into the grandstand and racked up a double to miss out.
One group all 3 missed the green but all scrambled par. Another all 3 found the green but only 2 parred.
Best moment was Sami VÄLIMÄKI who looked dead as ball was close to back of bunker, but hit a worldy and scrambled par, and made the cut.
sunshine
Well-known member
Good assessment. It’s a very challenging course which tests the best golfers but is flat and largely featureless. Even more so without the grandstands.
I’ve played the course and I was struggling to remember the holes watching on TV. The new 17th got so much attention because it is one of the few holes with any character.
I can clearly remember every single hole at Birkdale, which I played the day before Hoylake. There is no comparison.
I think the R&A were worried about the pros ripping it apart in benign conditions, which is why they tricked up the bunkers, but the weather made sure the course was a test.
sunshine
Well-known member
Right, but maybe they should replace the internal OOB running down the 18th with a big lake and a nice fountain. Maybe some koi carp. That could be named Hoy Lake.
