Open Championship 2006

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Will this be the first time the Open Championship course is played in a different order from the normal?  What precedents are there?

[JohnV]

I can't think of any other Open sites where they did this, but the USGA did it at the US Open at Olympia Fields where they switched the 9th and 18th holes.

They also did this at the US Senior Open at NCR last year.  This was done to shorten some walks and because #9 was a better hole for crowds and grandstands.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

The nearest I can think of is Turnberry where (I hope I am correct in saying) they played the 18th Ailsa from the 18th Arran (as it was then) tee.  And, of course, some tees at St Andrews (the 2nd for instance) were not on the normal course, but that's not the same thing as playing holes in a different order.  I think the Ryder Cup Course at the K-Club will not be played in the same order as visitors normally play it.

[Bill_McBride]

Other championships are occasionally played on composite courses at Brookline and Royal Melbourne.

From what I see of the routing plan of Hoylake, it appears the 16th green, to be played as the 18th, is at the clubhouse area, right?

I'm already nervous about all the OB at Hoylake and it's 8 months away!

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Is there a story accompaning this topic?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Yes, Bill, the 16th is near enough to the clubhouse and I suppose they can more easily accommodate a big stand on what is normally the practice ground.  I don't suppose the 17th will hold any fear for them when played as the 1st since the green has been moved away from the roadside.  

I don't know what to think of the OOB.  The OOB to the right of the 18th on TOC last summer was a major factor in whether players went for the sucker pins or not - I imagine that almost everyone was capable of driving the last green, but the risk was huge if the pin was on the right of the green.  There is OOB on the right all the way in from the 13th or 14th on TOC and I haven't a cry for its abolition.  Is OOB unfair, an anachronism, or a perfectly ligitmate defence weapon?

[peter_mcknight]

When the USGA held the US Senior Open at Saucon Valley, the 13th hole became the 10th so the closing three holes would be the 10th, 11th and 12th.  This had to be done because, as I have written in my home course section, you can't place more than 500 people behind the 18th green because there is no room between it and the west patio.  I would believe the same will hold true when Saucon hosts the 2009 US Women's Open.

The 1998 US Women's Open at Blackwolf Run used the original 18 holes designed by Dye on the property, but took the original 1st hole (the 37th on the property) plus 9 others on the River and 8 on the Meadows to create the women's open rotation.

I believe the final par 3 at Congressional has been played in different parts of the rotation (see the 1995 US Senior Open rotation compared to the 1997 US Open rotation).

Another point of interest is Southern Hills.  In 1977, the 13th played as the par 4 on the back, while 16 played as the par 5.  In 2001, the 13th reverted back to the par 5, while the 16th became the par 4.

Lastly, for the USPGA and US Open, it isn't as if people are playing the courses in their normal order because of the two tee starts because golf refuses to tackle the slow play issue.  At Bethpage (e.g.), what a start if one has to open on Thursday on the 10th--495, 435 and 515 (now) right out of the gate!

[Jerry Kluger]

When they played the Senior Open at Congressional they played the par 3 18th as the 10th.  When they came back for the Open they chose to play the holes in the regular order claiming that they did not want to change the course for the Open to which the question that the USGA failed to answer was: If that's the case, then why are you playing two of the par 5s as par 4s.  Incidentally, I'm sure you're aware that they are turning the 18th around so it will play as a par 3 but in the opposite direction and this was done in conjunction with their being awarded the Open again.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Turboe, The question was asked genuinely to pick the brains of the learned on GCA on whether this had happened before.  At the back of my mind was the question of 'Does it matter if a course is played out of its normal sequence?'  I don't suppose many of this year's competititors will have played Royal Liverpool before - I don't think it hasn't been used for a professional tournament since 1981 (the European Open won by Graham Marsh).  Correct me if I am wrong.  So I don't imagine that many of the competitors will feel as disorientated as members might if asked to play the course in this order.  

[Tony_Muldoon]

I think the Ryder Cup Course at the K-Club will not be played in the same order as visitors normally play it.

Thats right Mark, the order of play of the normal holes will be.

10-17, 9, 1-8, 18

[Paul_Turner]

Mark

How do you think the R&A will set up the course?  I suspect knee high rough lining all fairways similar to Muirfield rather than a Lytham or TOC set up with less penal rough.

[Evan_Green]

But in many pro tourneys dont they often start players both on the "1st" and "10th" tees in the first 2 rounds?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Paul,  

I have no clue how the R&A might set up the course.  I suppose they will always have their nasty experience at Carnoustie in the back of their minds and Hoylake is supposed to be one of the tougher tests whatever the state of the rough.  

Sean,

You are right about the way the wind affects the 17th and I can imagine that in a strong wind there will be many concerned players when they get to the 6th tee.  

Do we know what holes will be used if there is a play-off?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

You bet!  It's a great experience.  I'm also hoping to see a bit of the Tilman Trophy at Alwoodley which I think coincides with the practice days.  I'd like to see final qualifying at Conwy to see whether they tear it apart or not.

[peter_mcknight]

Mr Rowlinson...

I read somewhere that there are new back tees at Hoylake that stretch the course to somewhere in the low 7500 range.  I have a course card somewhere in the low 7200 range.  What holes have had additional length added to them from the 7200 tees?

If the card of the course isn't maxed out at 7500, could you provide some confirmation of that?  Thanks.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Peter,  I don't know the answer to that.  The official Open Championship website states that the course guide will be published shortly.  Normally they embargo the publication of the yardages until about this time of year, so I imagine they will let us know soon.

[Sébastien Dhaussy]

I've found an explanation on the order changes on the club's website. Interesting.

"HOYLAKE HOLES TO BE RE-NUMBERED FOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Peter Alliss has described the 1st hole at Hoylake as “the most intimidating first hole in championship golf” with the out of bounds practice ground looming large all the way down the right from tee to green it has always been a daunting prospect in benign as well as bad weather conditions. But following discussions with the R&A and careful consideration by the Club the decision has been made to change the order of play for the 2006 Open. The 17th and 18th holes will become the 1st and 2nd, so that the 16th becomes the final hole. While the 1st – arguably Hoylake’s most famous hole – becomes the 3rd.

The decision was not taken lightly and was influenced by three key considerations.
- The Championship Committee of the R&A concluded that the 558 yard par 5 16th will be a far more challenging and dramatic hole to complete what they believe will be a great Open. Again featuring out of bounds all the way down the right, it invites a death or glory second shot; in fact, one of the lasting memories of the last time the Open was staged at Hoylake – in 1967 - is Roberto De Vicenzo’s second shot to the 16th green during the Championship’s closing stages.

- The scope for making the present 18th a worthy final hole is limited and therefore, in order to finish with drama and style, it makes sense to transform the 16th into the 18th.

- In addition, the 16th is more suited to the kind of “stadium finish” for which British Open Championships are well known and will maximise spectator viewing.
There will be some who believe that altering the layout of the Hoylake links is at best, unnecessary, and, at worst, heresy. However, the Club believes that the new sequence will create the best possible Championship and present a challenging test to the greatest players in the world."