The Open Venues

[viscount17]

Links or Parkland?

I can only quote from a book I reviewed for GM on Irish Golf Courses, which was written by an American for Americans -

"What's the point of going to the UK or Ireland to play a parkland course. The US does parkland better but it cannot do links."

(and Jezz, if you're there - I'm still waiting for disposal instructions for the two books I've got!)

 

[Herbie]

Lincs courses are marginally tougher than the toughest inland courses because of their design and weather.

But I must say there are a number of courses that with minor alterations would make as tough a challenge for a major but of different golf to Lincs.


I personally prefer Lincs courses simply because we have the best ones in the world and I love playing them, of any standard .

 

[thecraw]

I enjoy all nice courses however if pushed I would play links just because they dont get soggy and churned up as much during the winter months offering a more realistic chance of year round golf.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

"THEE" Open is traditionally a Links event, not to mention not enough links events are played on the European Tour. And Links golf must be the purest form of golf there is. In my book the only real Major in the world is THE OPEN. And its nice that the Links courses used are rotated from year to year.

If I had my way There would be an entire Diary of Links events on the Tour or even a Links Tour. Just imagine the copy & paste SS2 posted as a starter, what a Tour that would be.

St Andrews
Carnoustie
Muirfield
Turnberry
Royal Troon
Royal St George's
Royal Birkdale
Royal Lytham & St Annes
Royal Liverpool ( "Hoylake" )
Prestwick
Musselburgh
Royal Cinque Ports
Prince's
Royal Portrush

You could probably add others like
Royal St Davids
Conwy
Royal Porthcawl

Now what a tour that would be.

Sounds great Cernunnos, but no doubt after a while you would start to get a bit bored of that too and yearn for some inland courses with some features.
I think they've got it spot on myself.
Links for The Open and The Dunhill Links.
Any more than that and I would hardly get a game myself

 

[madandra]

Do you think the Masters would consider moving to Saw Grass because Augusta is too easy ????


HELL NO !!!!!!!!!


Lets leave The Open at the seaside ....


And for the first time in its history it will be played in England 2 years in a row in 2011/2012.

 

[Mike_j_golf]

Hi,
I think i read somewhere that the open shall always be played on a traditional links course within sight of the sea.

 

[heronsghyll]

Hi,
I think i read somewhere that the open shall always be played on a traditional links course within sight of the sea.

For me it should be. Whats wrong with having THE Open at a venue that is different to all other Majors? The yanks have to learn a different game to win, it is a true golfer who can master all types of golf - Parkland, Heathland and Links.

The R&A have it spot on - THE Open should always be a Links test.

BTW, I agree St Andrews Old could be dropped from the THE Open ROTA. These days it is not the difficulty of course that the others are, but at the end of the day the winner still has to get the ball in the hole in less shots that anyone else.

Also I suggest to you all that our "game" is as much about tradition and history as anything else so if it's not broken why fix it?

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I think that when rating the difficulty of a links course you have to take into account the weather.
I've never played a links course, YET, although I'm desperate to do so.
But when I've seen the Open on TV the weather seems to be the defining aspect of the competition in many years.
As we all know when it blows & rains by the sea it generally seems worse than when you're inland.
As such when conditions are benign the Open doesn't seem as exciting and some scores over the years have been very low ie Tiger & Faldo at St Andrews or Tiger at Hoylake.
Personally I want them to keep the Open on links.

 

[mono217]

Well I learned something new today.