Walker Cup

[muttleee]

I can't believe we've made it to Monday morning without a mention of the weekend's play in the Walker Cup! Great viewing yesterday afternoon - just a shame the guys couldn't quite do it. There seemed to be just too many loose shots into greens and so on - although that often meant some inspired recovery play. I suppose they left themselves with too much to do after a disappointing performance in the morning foursomes.

Couldn't help laughing when one of the commentators was discussing some aspect of Willets' game (I think it was) and called him, "a real pro".

 

[MikeH]

I agree muttleee

a great match - think we were always up against it going into the singles but we pushed them all the way

couldn't get over the number of long range putts that were drained - great greens and good putters!

 

[chipin1]

The Walker Cup is an under-rated event. I'd far rather watch the best Ams in the world fight it out passionately for a prize that offers them nothing more than pride, rather than watching the over-paid (and often less impressive) players on the US Tour play for bucket loads of cash in the Fed Ex Cup.

Ams like Gary Wolstenholme and Nigel Edwards should be commended for maintaining their amateur status and not turning pro just for the cash. This is their yearly chance to shine and they dis us proud.

 

[birdieman]

I reckon the outfits did for us, whilst the US team seemed to be in colour co-ordinated uniforms our lads had to wear those insipid lime green shirts on at least 2 occasions. Come on GB&I sort out those wardrobes!

 

[viscount17]

I only got to see the early foursomes (sometimes you get committed against your will and just have to go with it).
Can't say I agree about the wardrobe from those games. I thought our guys looked smart and the colonials were wearing lounging pyjamas!

 

[Trueblue]

What a brilliant course RCD looked - wow wow wow!!

 

[John_Findlay]

Brilliant and exciting. There's nothing better than matchplay for drama. Gutted that we lost but we gave ourselves too much to do in the afternoon singles.

I have to say I thought the Americans dressed in the dark, too.

Very disappointed not to see "proper " links shots. There were very few long bump and runs or knock downs. Have we all lost the art? It's all through the air with the modern golf swing and ball.

 

[silliwilli]

The wind was never blowing enough for links type shots to be required and although the course was very hard the greens seemed to hold approach shots from mid irons and wedges pretty well!

Johnny Caldwell is a mate of mine so I'll enjoy hearing what he has to say!

 

[swingstar1]

can I just say...how fat was that Colt Knost yank. Looked like he'd put away a few supersized family buckets in his time

 

[Shooter_McGavin]

The big man certainly lived up to the Texas stereotype!!

 

[John_Findlay]

.....And didn't the commentators let us know it! They forgot to mention that he looked the most confident and mature player amongst both teams by a country mile.

 

[BillyBigTime]

Muttleee, I started a thread on this about a week ago!

Was there on Sunday, and it was a great day. The course was in absolutely tremedous condition, I was in awe of how well the greenkeepers had looked after it. There wasn't a single blade of grass out of place on the fairways and greens, impeccable.

We arrived in time to see the first foursomes tee off at 8.30 and the crowd was already huge, mainly due to the two local lads being first off. We had planned to follow them for the 18 but the crowd was too much for me to take for that long so we watched until McIlroy and Caldwell were 3 up then went to get a place in the stand behind the par 3 7th, thinking that particular match was as good as over as they were playing some outstanding golf. How wrong we were!

From there we witnessed some wonderful and not so wonderful golf shots being played, both from the tee and when trying to rescue the hole.

We then progressed onto the 13th hole after the four matches had gone through the 7th, finding ourselves a wonderful spot beside the green, no more than 10 yards from the pin at the back of the green. Here we again watched some wonderful shots attacking the pin. Almost got brained a few times by slightly wayward shots!

In the afternoon singles, we decided not to even attempt to follow McIlroy as it was almost impossible to get a good vantage point unless you are running between shots, not something I was going to even contemplate.

Followed the second match around and was very impressed by both Fowler of the US and Davies of Wales. We got to 13 with them and decided to stay and watch the rest of the matches come through. Moul of the GB&I team lost the plot on this hole, three-putting from about 15 feet to halve the hole with Lovemark who hit his 3rd shot just off the back of the green and both walked away with a 5. He could have got back to 1 down with a bit of a chance to get some momentum but failed. Lost the next 2 holes to lose 4&3 when he could have go back in the game with a chance to halve or win the match. I was slightly disappointed with his attitude and reaction.

I really enjoyed the experience of the whole day and there was a great atmosphere everywhere on the course. The player I most enjoyed watching was Colt Knost. As the esteemed Mr Findlay says, so confident and mature! He played some beautiful shots around the green with a lot of thought and imagination. Seemed to really be enjoying and revelling in the situation which was good to see too. He's a name I will definitely keep an eye out for if and when he turns pro. Only downside was he had a mouth like a sewer!!!
Fowler of the US, Saltman and obviously McIroy look like players too, hopefully they can continue their progress and we continue to see their names across leaderboards for years to come.

Just my long-winded views on the day, hopefully it didn't hurt anyone's brain reading it!

 

[John_Findlay]

Yeah. Peter Alliss was giving Knost a hard time for his manners...particularly his pacing about and fidgeting whilst his opponent was putting. Not very sportmans-like. But he definitely has the right attitude. He looks a winner.

Glad you thought Saltman is a good player. He's a member at my home club and his older brother, Elliot, just won his first Europro Tour event today!

 

[muttleee]

Muttleee, I started a thread on this about a week ago!

Yes I know that but no one had said anything about the actual play during the event..!

 

[MacMachattie]

Has anyone ever played RCD? It looked absolutely fantastic... does anyone know how easy it is to get a game?

 

[BillyBigTime]

I was talking to a marshal on the course who is a member and he said it was easy enough to get a round as a visitor, except at weekends. He informed us that he can take visitors out for £18, as opposed to over £100 otherwise!

 

[Dodger]

Played there 2 years ago when 8 of us went over to celebrate my pals fathers 60th. Luckily one of the party knew the secretary and so we had 2 days golf on the links for 50quid!! It is undoubtly the best front 9 holes I have and reckon will ever play but the back 9 let it down a bit although overall up there in the top 5 with carnoustie st andrews murfield and turnberry.Some of the holes on the back 9 are poor tho, 16 a nothing hole with a poorly designed green and 17 has a pond in middle of fairway which is so out of keeping with the place.