The Old Course...

[slugger]

Another day of the pros ripping it up seems to be on the cards.

Obviously it's a beautiful course, but...

would it be used for a major if it didn't have the history?

 

[Aztecs27]

Yes, I think so. You can never predict the weather up there. The fact they've had relatively tame conditions can't be helped (and really, who expected it, they are in Scotchland after all ). Had they had the type of wind we had down south last night, I'm sure we wouldn't see as much domination. And there's still world class players who can't tame it (see Phil Mickelson, he's hardly "ripping it up" thus far).

There's still two days it to bare all it's teeth.

 

[RGDave]

Another day of the pros ripping it up seems to be on the cards.

Obviously it's a beautiful course, but...

would it be used for a major if it didn't have the history?

Interesting thought. Regardless of how it's playing, I think it's great to be the "rock" in the Open rota. Not having played it (other than on PC ), I find it seemingly Atypical of Open courses. Having played and attended a few, St. Andrews seems so unlike the rest. The course could be altered in many ways but is the attraction not in it's quirkiness?
I guess if we forget "par" and "easy this" and "hard that" and "putting competition" and let what happens happen and best man wins....that's OK.

 

[Aztecs27]

Another day of the pros ripping it up seems to be on the cards.

Obviously it's a beautiful course, but...

would it be used for a major if it didn't have the history?

Interesting thought. Regardless of how it's playing, I think it's great to be the "rock" in the Open rota. Not having played it (other than on PC ), I find it seemingly Atypical of Open courses. Having played and attended a few, St. Andrews seems so unlike the rest. The course could be altered in many ways but is the attraction not in it's quirkiness?
I guess if we forget "par" and "easy this" and "hard that" and "putting competition" and let what happens happen and best man wins....that's OK.

That's actually a great way of looking at it.

I'm sure if they played Carnousie every year, they'd stop turning up for fear of "doing a JvdV".

I know they get paid alot to play the game, but I'm sure they still get as frustrated as us mere mortals when things don't go right (as entertaining as it is to watch ), and probably relish the chance of taming such a historical course from time to time.

Whether he ends up winning or not, Rory McIlroy will forever remember his -9 at St. Andrews in 2010.

I'm rambling now. Sorry

 

[slugger]

ramble away... it's a forum!

 

[StuartD]

Another day of the pros ripping it up seems to be on the cards.

Obviously it's a beautiful course, but...

would it be used for a major if it didn't have the history?

In my opinion No.

There are other better links courses out there. Take all the history away and your left with not much else.

 

[Tommo21]

One commentator just said "that’s why I love this place, there's challenges here you get no where else in the world"

 

[patricks148]

Probably not the hardest course on the open rota, but it is the home of golf so should be held there.

Wind can make a fair bit of difference and the course is set up very differently for the pro’s.

I played the Old ,New and Jubilee a few years ago and there was a marked difference in how they played when the wind got up.

 

[golfcitydweller]

maybe u`ve changed ur mind after today slugger ! have u ever played the old - and on a similar day as today !what other course would u have on the rota instead of the old ...

 

[Snelly]

Dead easy today eh? Of course The Open should be played at the home of golf. The old girl has really showed her teeth today and I have really enjoyed watching the best think and plot their way around in incredibly difficult conditions....

Shame they are so slow mind......

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Not sure McIlroy will agree it was an easy course today. It just shows that when conditions turn it can be a brute and for that I think it deserves a place on the rota. Add in its iconic charm as well and its a definite. I do think there are better links courses but not many would have the infrastructure to hold such an event which is why they are never looked at

 

[birdieman]

Tiger doesn't call it his favourite course for nothing. Any seaside course is rendered easy when there's no wind and the rain has softened greens.
I've played a good few links and the Old is a great course, history or not.

 

[Ken_A]

I have NEVER played it but, I dont understand how peop.e can say its a different beast when the wind gets up - well so is my parkland course. I dont really understand how they can say this in defence- all coursed especially links courses are very different in the wind.

I love the idea of the course for the history - but as a course well I thonk its pretty good (Thursday was a bit of a shame tho)

 

[John_Findlay]

I think it is a great Open course even though it may statistically be the easiest to score on.

I agree with Mickelson when he said that part of the challenge is that the ball IS always in play (although Rose's OB today suggests otherwise). So many of the holes offer such variety simply from the fact that you can be playing into the green one day from 120 yards wide of the day before. Not too many courses offer that choice because if you hit a bad one off the tee on another course you're in trees or bushes and playing a chip out or a second ball. Add that to the size of the greens and it's a different course and a varied challenge every time you play.

I'm betting some caddies today didn't have a clue because they'd never had their man play from a similar position before.

On a day like Thursday it may be easy. I've only played it once (luckily in similar conditions) and it was. On other days it's nigh on unplayable. But it'll never be boring.

 

[viscount17]

I think Mark James called it when he said that they were trying to play modern golf when conditions demanded otherwise.

 

[Ken_A]

I think Mark James called it when he said that they were trying to play modern golf when conditions demanded otherwise.

Have to say its great to see the need for people to hit real golf shots - the 'darts' of modern golf is a bit dull - but people like to see low scoring.

 

[John_Findlay]

Darren Clarke's putt from 70 yards short of the green to a couple of feet! Sums it up. How many pros have forgotten that shot?

 

[Sneds]

I have NEVER played it but, I dont understand how people can say its a different beast when the wind gets up

With all due respect Ken, I think you've answered your own question.

 

[Smiffy]

Watching it last night with the wind howling around?
Even with all those people watching and a caddie by my side I would still feel like it's the loneliest place on earth.

 

[freddielong]

I think the course has proved again to be one of the best Open venues, she is pure golf, technique over technology.