Duckster
Tour Rookie
As Tiger has asked, here's a review of our day at Hoylake:
Nerves. Much can be said about a person by how he can control his nerves on a round of golf. However how do you control getting a severe case of the shakes when you've only just stepped out of the car? This is what one of my playing partners faced once we'd parked up at Royal Liverpool the day after Rory's magnificent win at The Open. Here we were ready to take on a course that had been home to the world's best players for the past week. Glorious sunshine, only a breath of wind and one of the friendliest clubhouses I've ever had the fortune to step foot in.
After our official photo on the 1st we took our place on the tee. The course was set up as "The Open Championship Yellows". All the pin's in the same spot as they were for Rory et al. Playing in the members 17th as our 1st , the same as the pro's. Let battle commence.
1st tee. Nervous….. Straight into the right hand fairway bunker. Immediately you find out how penal these pot hole traps can be. Anywhere near the revetted face leaves you only a sideways exit. 1st hole done nerves now settled.
The 2nd is a straight forward par 4, with a tough green but the two holes make for a great opener to the course.
Then the 3rd, dogleg right. Tight drive where you can't be too long otherwise you're in the rough again, OOB all down the right side. Safe long iron away from the tee and you get to see the magnificent club house on your left as you walk down the fairway.
It was strange playing into the grandstands, you can almost hear the echo of the weekends cheers reverberating round the course. Hitting into all the par 3's we had the workmen who were taking the seats out of the stands giving us a limited applause (or laugh) at our shots.
The greens were pristine and were among the best I've ever played on. Quick and true. The bunkers had a light, soft sand which seemed in keeping with the course. And the fairways were cut to sublime perfection.
Royal Liverpool is a links course that gives you a bit of time to warm up to the tighter section between the 10th and 14th holes where you can really do some damage to your scorecard. The holes here head out through the dunes and next to the Dee Estuary and views out to Hilbre Island . Precision is required both from the tee and with your approach to the greens.
A slight respite with the short 15th (birdie, thank you very much) leads then to a great set of closing holes. The 16th par 5 has an intimidating tee shot, whispy fescue grass almost blocking your view of the fairway and surrounding it on either side . Stay down the middle to position yourself for a safe lay up, or try to skirt down the right hand side and go for it.
Oh too soon the 18th arrives. Again, like the 3rd, OOB lines the right hand side (this is normally the internal border for the clubs range, however it was holding the "Tented Village" required by such a large event) with the stands looming in the background.
2nd shot lay up to leave a view I doubt I'll get to see again, playing in to the 18th grandstand. The crowd cheers in my head as I make the greenside fringe. Up and down for a finishing par and the inevitable Rory fist pump and grin.
Royal Liverpool. A tremendous course which hosted, not only the world’s best, but also 4 lads from Chorley.
Nerves. Much can be said about a person by how he can control his nerves on a round of golf. However how do you control getting a severe case of the shakes when you've only just stepped out of the car? This is what one of my playing partners faced once we'd parked up at Royal Liverpool the day after Rory's magnificent win at The Open. Here we were ready to take on a course that had been home to the world's best players for the past week. Glorious sunshine, only a breath of wind and one of the friendliest clubhouses I've ever had the fortune to step foot in.
After our official photo on the 1st we took our place on the tee. The course was set up as "The Open Championship Yellows". All the pin's in the same spot as they were for Rory et al. Playing in the members 17th as our 1st , the same as the pro's. Let battle commence.
1st tee. Nervous….. Straight into the right hand fairway bunker. Immediately you find out how penal these pot hole traps can be. Anywhere near the revetted face leaves you only a sideways exit. 1st hole done nerves now settled.
The 2nd is a straight forward par 4, with a tough green but the two holes make for a great opener to the course.
Then the 3rd, dogleg right. Tight drive where you can't be too long otherwise you're in the rough again, OOB all down the right side. Safe long iron away from the tee and you get to see the magnificent club house on your left as you walk down the fairway.
It was strange playing into the grandstands, you can almost hear the echo of the weekends cheers reverberating round the course. Hitting into all the par 3's we had the workmen who were taking the seats out of the stands giving us a limited applause (or laugh) at our shots.
The greens were pristine and were among the best I've ever played on. Quick and true. The bunkers had a light, soft sand which seemed in keeping with the course. And the fairways were cut to sublime perfection.
Royal Liverpool is a links course that gives you a bit of time to warm up to the tighter section between the 10th and 14th holes where you can really do some damage to your scorecard. The holes here head out through the dunes and next to the Dee Estuary and views out to Hilbre Island . Precision is required both from the tee and with your approach to the greens.
A slight respite with the short 15th (birdie, thank you very much) leads then to a great set of closing holes. The 16th par 5 has an intimidating tee shot, whispy fescue grass almost blocking your view of the fairway and surrounding it on either side . Stay down the middle to position yourself for a safe lay up, or try to skirt down the right hand side and go for it.
Oh too soon the 18th arrives. Again, like the 3rd, OOB lines the right hand side (this is normally the internal border for the clubs range, however it was holding the "Tented Village" required by such a large event) with the stands looming in the background.
2nd shot lay up to leave a view I doubt I'll get to see again, playing in to the 18th grandstand. The crowd cheers in my head as I make the greenside fringe. Up and down for a finishing par and the inevitable Rory fist pump and grin.
Royal Liverpool. A tremendous course which hosted, not only the world’s best, but also 4 lads from Chorley.
