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Tilly on TOC...

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wsmorrison:
Phil,

Did Tillinghast specify what the weaknesses were in his mind?  

I've played the course many times, with persimmon/balata and titanium/proV1-x and I don't see weaknesses as it relates to my game.  As for the pros, except during calm or damp conditions, it remains an excellent test of golf.  Not bad for 500+ years old  ;)

I don't agree with Tillinghast.  What did he know?  He probably was hanging out with Joshua Crane too much.

JBergan:
I think that may have been written by a guy named Burbeck, but erroneously attributed to Tillie.   :P

Jeff_Mingay:
Phil,

I understand. But it's hard for me to consider Tillinghast's point valid. In turn, it's difficult for me to answer your question as well.

BCrosby:
By every objective criteria, Tillie has a point. Look at the scorecard, look at pictures, watch TOC on TV. Listen to Rich. You'd think world class players would slice and dice the place.

But they don't. In fact, TOC has held up remarkably well. With far fewer changes over the years than most venues that regularly host majors.

At the last two Opens, played in the most benign conditions imaginable, no one tore the place up (well, maybe Tiger did in '00, but he tears up a lot of courses nobody else does).

So Philip has a point. Maybe, just maybe, TOC has something to teach architects. Even in 2006.

Bob

P.S. Tillie was dead wrong, of course. I suspect he knew he was wrong as soon as he said it. The more interesting question is his hidden agenda. What was he really trying to say? What services was he trying to sell?

Jeff_Mingay:
The contour in and around the greens at TOC will always challenge the best players, no matter how far they're driving the ball off the tees. That's undoubtedly TOC's greatest strength.

Think of holes cut short left at 2, behind the mounds; immediately behind the single mound at 4; front at 6, just over the swale; far right at 7; front at 8, just over the junk; front at 11; anywhere at 12 (!); short right at 14, behind that great contour there; front right at 16, just over the rise; of course, behind Road bunker at 17; and, front left at 18, just over the Valley of Sin.

Man, those are some tough places to hole your ball! Especially when TOC's running fast.  

Moreover, TOC's greens (the entire course for that matter) is covered by a beautiful hodge podge of grasses. When putted, the ball will occasionally hop and change direction unexpectedly; even during an Open I presume.  

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