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Tilly on TOC...

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Phil_the_Author:
In June, 1934, A.W. Tillinghast wrote this observation about the Old Course at St. Andrews:

“We know that there are many who will listen to no word of criticism of the Old Course at St. Andrews. Indeed, no course in the world is so rich in tradition, but we assert (and we know the old course well) that as a collection of holes it has too many weaknesses to be regarded as truly championship. This seems almost like speaking disrespectfully about one's grandparent. Frank, we know of no place on earth where we would rather spend a golf holiday, and harking back forty years we appreciated its greatness as we followed a "guttie" ball around a magnificent course of that period. But conditions have changed in forty years. Old St. Andrews has not. We can pick out fifty better championship tests in our own country.”

Accepting the validity of that statement, how do we account for TOC to be viewed by many as being among the finest courses in the world today?

Tom Huckaby:
Easy - because we don't make the sole criterion "championship test."

If we did, I'd agree with Tillie.

But there is a LOT more to what makes up golf course greatness.

TH

Bob_Huntley:
Phillip,

What did he know.  ;)

Bob

Jeff_Mingay:
Phil,

Just because A.W. Tillinghast wrote that, it doesn't mean it's true  :D

Phil_the_Author:
Jeff,

I am not commenting on the validity of the statement, rather I asked that if we accept it as a valid viewpoint, what may have occurred during the 70+ years since that would resurrect the status of the course and that does include viewing it as a championship test?

During these same years, many another course considered both great and to be a true championship test (e.g. - Augusta, Baltusrol...), have undergone major changes, whereas TOC has had little done to it.

Yet many today consider it what Tilly, and obviously others, did not, a championship venue and great course.

Part of my reason for bringing this up is that we discuss necessary changes to courses in order to keep up with time and technology, yet maybe TOC is actually teaching us something?

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