The Open 2023

[Orikoru]

Revolutionary content on Golf Monthly - they are suggesting Rory needs a new caddie!

 

[garyinderry]

The internal OOB was there for a reason and it’s the same anytime there is one and it’s mainly there for safety only , not to make a course tougher

The course was tough enough without needing it to be tricked or manufactured- let a course be natural especially a links course , it will defend itself.

Leave all that nonsense to the US bomb and gouge parkland courses

There hasn't been a horse at hoylake for over 100years. The oob is there to stop people hitting directly at the greens. It's still there indeed to trick up the course and isn't one bit natural.
The course could have been redesigned but the oob was left in as its a fantastic feature to toughen up generally featureless land.
It's historic and throw back to making do with what you have.

 

[D-S]

The internal OOB was there for a reason and it’s the same anytime there is one and it’s mainly there for safety only , not to make a course tougher

If there was anywhere on that course that required internal OB for safety reasons, it was the left of the 1st - seemingly about half of the Pros either pull hooked it there into the crowd or deliberately aimed at them to avoid the penal fairway bunkers. After seeing the players on day 1, I wouldn't have dreamt of standing there.

 

[Deleted member 15717]

Wasn't the OOB at Hoylake there because it's also there for the members? to the right of 18 (16 in normal play) is the 'normal' driving range (and to the left of 3 as the pros play it). They may have tightened it slightly, but the OOB is always there anyway.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

If there was anywhere on that course that required internal OB for safety reasons, it was the left of the 1st - seemingly about half of the Pros either pull hooked it there into the crowd or deliberately aimed at them to avoid the penal fairway bunkers. After seeing the players on day 1, I wouldn't have dreamt of standing there.

You will always have dangers of balls going into spectators - comps aren’t going to make all spectator areas OB , the risk for all is known

The area of internal OB at Hoylake is there 365 days of the year for the members hence why it’s there for the Open - they don’t create OB areas just to toughen up the Open

I think it’d be good if they looked at penalising players somehow for hitting it in the crowd. Was crazy how often they hit it off the planet only to get a near perfect lie in the trampled grass. After watching him in the featured group I dont think Adam Scott (only picking on him since I watched most of his rounds) would have broken 80 either day if he played like that outside of a major championship. He’d have had lost balls, penalty drops, hack out sideways - just like the rest of us!

Is that not the same anytime there is a pro event though - it’s still very much luck of the draw , you could get a nice lie but you could also get a sodden muddy lie like a few of the players got on Sunday

 

[sunshine]

A bit tough on the winner playing boring golf.....
when Tigger only hit 2 irons all week I don't recall anyone saying boring, smart golf was the normal quote.

It’s not meant as a criticism. He played himself into a winning position on the first 2 days, and had the mental fortitude and tactical awareness to play “boring” golf and coast to a win over the weekend. It’s not his fault that nobody got close to him and put his game plan to the test. Fair play to him.

The difference between him and Tiger 2006 is that Tiger had the ability to smash it with the driver but chose to hit iron off the tee. Harmon wasn’t reining it in. Also, Tiger came under more pressure from challengers. I still clearly remember the final round where Garcia (dressed as a banana) was driving the ball beautifully and firing wedges into the green, whilst Tiger was laying it 50 yards back from Garcia and backing himself to find the green with a mid iron. Garcia didn’t hole enough putts and like Rory his challenge faded.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

It’s not meant as a criticism. He played himself into a winning position on the first 2 days, and had the mental fortitude and tactical awareness to play “boring” golf and coast to a win over the weekend. It’s not his fault that nobody got close to him and put his game plan to the test. Fair play to him.

The difference between him and Tiger 2006 is that Tiger had the ability to smash it with the driver but chose to hit iron off the tee. Harmon wasn’t reining it in. Also, Tiger came under more pressure from challengers. I still clearly remember the final round where Garcia (dressed as a banana) was driving the ball beautifully and firing wedges into the green, whilst Tiger was laying it 50 yards back from Garcia and backing himself to find the green with a mid iron. Garcia didn’t hole enough putts and like Rory his challenge faded.

Exactly this.

Harman played the most one dimensional golf of anyone all weekend. Because he wasn’t long enough to reach much of the trouble off the tee. After Friday he just needed to be somewhere near the green and not in trouble which he did perfectly.

The course was a very different proposition when Tiger won there.

If they had the same conditions last week as 2006, Rory, Brooks and the like would have just gone over most of the fairway bunkers.

 

[Jason.H]

Someone at my club said I play “boring golf” tee to green 2 putts next hole. At club level what is exciting golf? Because I see mostly duff, fat , thins, slices and hooks from most.

 

[ntommo]

Someone at my club said I play “boring golf” tee to green 2 putts next hole. At club level what is exciting golf? Because I see mostly duff, fat , thins, slices and hooks from most.

Wish I played boring golf, didnt do Brian Harmon any harm did it

 

[Orikoru]

Someone at my club said I play “boring golf” tee to green 2 putts next hole. At club level what is exciting golf? Because I see mostly duff, fat , thins, slices and hooks from most.

That kind of 'boring golf' is exactly what I aspire towards playing! I would personally never get bored of making pars. I'd actually say 'boring golf' at club level would be more laying up and making easy bogeys when you have a shot, rather than making pars.

 

[HeftyHacker]

Someone at my club said I play “boring golf” tee to green 2 putts next hole. At club level what is exciting golf? Because I see mostly duff, fat , thins, slices and hooks from most.

From reading your posts you're around scratch aren't you?

F-i-L is the same, you kind of play with him and nothing remotely exciting happens until you're stood on the 18th tee and he informs you he's 1 or 2 under.

Metronomic golf - fairway. Green. 1 or 2 putts.

Boring from a viewing perspective but I'd love to be able to do it.

I guess the boring is that nothing particularly stands out - no massive drives, no hero shots required etc.

 

[Deleted member 21445]

Good to see a bit more personalty from our Champion Golfer Of The Year here

 

[Jason.H]

That kind of 'boring golf' is exactly what I aspire towards playing! I would personally never get bored of making pars. I'd actually say 'boring golf' at club level would be more laying up and making easy bogeys when you have a shot, rather than making pars.

A bit like boring Steve Davis after winning a few world championships

 

[Jason.H]

From reading your posts you're around scratch aren't you?

2 handicap which I’m pleased with after starting up again 20 months ago.

 

[Curls]

Good to see a bit more personalty from our Champion Golfer Of The Year here

He seems a good lad in fairness.

I thought the crowd was hostile all right, Laura Davies said they were supportive and I wondered what tournament she was watching??? I don’t for a minute expect people to cheer him on Saturday in a grouping with Tommy but absolutely no need to be jeering mistakes or shouting he’d choke. Uncalled for. And as much as it spurred him on I’d be interested to know if it didn’t help Tommy as well. I think the weight of the world was on him Saturday and if I heard people shouting that at my opponent I’d be mortified for my home support. It’s not football, we should be above that in sportsmanship imo. Backfired big style - possibly on both counts but definitely spurred Harman on by the sounds of it.

 

[HeftyHacker]

He seems a good lad in fairness.

I thought the crowd was hostile all right, Laura Davies said they were supportive and I wondered what tournament she was watching??? I don’t for a minute expect people to cheer him on Saturday in a grouping with Tommy but absolutely no need to be jeering mistakes or shouting he’d choke. Uncalled for. And as much as it spurred him on I’d be interested to know if it didn’t help Tommy as well. I think the weight of the world was on him Saturday and if I heard people shouting that at my opponent I’d be mortified for my home support. It’s not football, we should be above that in sportsmanship imo. Backfired big style - possibly on both counts but definitely spurred Harman on by the sounds of it.

Indeed ,the loudest cheer I heard all day was when he pulled it into the gorse on the 5th!

 

[Redtraveller]

He seems a good lad in fairness.

I thought the crowd was hostile all right, Laura Davies said they were supportive and I wondered what tournament she was watching??? I don’t for a minute expect people to cheer him on Saturday in a grouping with Tommy but absolutely no need to be jeering mistakes or shouting he’d choke. Uncalled for. And as much as it spurred him on I’d be interested to know if it didn’t help Tommy as well. I think the weight of the world was on him Saturday and if I heard people shouting that at my opponent I’d be mortified for my home support. It’s not football, we should be above that in sportsmanship imo. Backfired big style - possibly on both counts but definitely spurred Harman on by the sounds of it.

There was some terrible shouts. We were on the 15th tee on the Friday and some groups were waiting ages. One group of lads shouted “Leeds, Leeds, Leeds” at Speith (apparently he’s invested in them). Plus sung a line from another song. Weird behaviour

 

[DamonG]

I attended this years open at Royal Liverpool with my brother and we both agreed it was an awesome tournament. The weather less so but such as life. The course looks much better in real life, it was worth the journey up north. Harman was a deserved winner. The standard of golf from him was exceptional. We were rooting for Rory but it just wasn't to be. He is undoubtedly the biggest name in golf. Seeing fans flock to follow him was mesmerising.

 

[Griffsters]

I attended this years open at Royal Liverpool with my brother and we both agreed it was an awesome tournament. The weather less so but such as life. The course looks much better in real life, it was worth the journey up north. Harman was a deserved winner. The standard of golf from him was exceptional. We were rooting for Rory but it just wasn't to be. He is undoubtedly the biggest name in golf. Seeing fans flock to follow him was mesmerising.

Its kinda weird how surreal it is watching these players in the flesh rather than on the TV screen. Final day on the 2nd, Rory pulls his tee shot and it wizzed passed us - before I know it i'm stood at the front of a melle looking at Rorys's ball.

A few minutes later the man himself saunters up, cool as you like - picks his ball up, drops off the path and plays his shot right in front of me. I'm 50 odd year old and should be a bit beyond being starstruck...but..but it was RORY right in front of me

Enjoyed it, even tho i got absolutely soaked.

 

[Deleted member 21445]

Had first look at new 17th this evening…and not convinced by the sand between the tee and apron, and the sand behind the green. As much as they’ve clearly put great effort into giving it all a natural ‘look’, it still looks contrived, to my eyes anyway.

There is no good place to miss.
I did a 360 degree video so viewers can look where they want and see the severity of the slopes