On to Turnberry - your thoughts

[Jay Flemma]

People tell me that excepting Birkdale and Liverpool, no Rota Course relies more on wind for a defense.  The pictures of each hole also show the course to be particularly narrow.  There seems to be heather or deep rough all over the course.  Has anyone played it?  Any thoughts?

[Anthony Gray]

 It is not the most dificult but it is a challenge. The greens are a little flatter and lack some of the dramatic humps and bumps so you won't see many three putts. But it has to the most scenic on the rota.

  Anthony

[Jay Flemma]

I also found the great "Turnberry Booklet" from another thread.  What about the rough?  heather?  other hazards?

[Bob_Huntley]

People tell me that excepting Birkdale and Liverpool, no Rota Course relies more on wind for a defense.  The pictures of each hole also show the course to be particularly narrow.  There seems to be heather or deep rough all over the course.  Has anyone played it?  Any thoughts?

Jay,

Faldo won his second Open Championship at 18 under par beating, among others,  Payne Stewart by five strokes.

I would say that of them all, The Old Course surely requires wind to defend itself.

Bob

[Adrian_Stiff]

I think Turnberry this time round is more difficult, so it probably at 7200+ par 70 will be like the others much harder if the wind puffs. I agree TOC is most reliant on a windy defence, it is effectively the shortest of the courses on the rota

[Carl Johnson]

I played it five years ago, but, obviously, not as set up for an Open and also from shorter tees.  It is a beautiful course, and as we played it, an excellent resort course.  We played on a windless, cloudless day.  For us recreational golfers is was very playable.  Number 6 is tough par 3, but I'm not sure how it will show, if shown, on TV.  Holes 9 and 10 along the coast are spectacular.  Hole 10 has a new championship tee.  We did not play from the championship tee on any of the holes.  I hit my drives pretty far left, into the rough, on both 9 and 10 and still managed pars.  However, in both cases I lucked into pretty good lies.  I'm anxious to see how it works out for the Open this year.  Link to course guide, published on this site earlier, is below. 

http://www.opengolf.com/ChampionshipGolf/TheOpenChampionship/TheCourse.aspx

[Matt MacIver]

I think very few bunkers will be particularly troublesome for the pros.  I also don't think the rough will be all that problematic, certainly no worse than BPB where I saw far too many pros hitting the green from the weeds.  So I do think the wind, along with some uneven lies here and there and hopefully F&F will be the major obsticles. 

[Jay Flemma]

is it as narrow as it looks in pix?

[Jay Flemma]

People tell me that excepting Birkdale and Liverpool, no Rota Course relies more on wind for a defense.  The pictures of each hole also show the course to be particularly narrow.  There seems to be heather or deep rough all over the course.  Has anyone played it?  Any thoughts?

Jay,

Faldo won his second Open Championship at 18 under par beating, among others,  Payne Stewart by five strokes.

I would say that of them all, The Old Course surely requires wind to defend itself.

Bob

Bob:  was it -16? or -20? his winning score was 268...did they play that year as 71 or 72?  I'm also confused because faldo never won at turnberry...it was price...what open are you referring to?  1990 at the old course? That seems more likely...and it is par-72...

what about turnberry?  I tihnk its only par-70...winning scores -12, even, and -12...there's a broad range for you...

[Ash Towe]

If my memory is correct Turnberry has been closed to public play since the end of last season.  So it should be in excellent condition and tailored to the needs of the championship.

[Carl Johnson]

is it as narrow as it looks in pix?

Jay, could you post or post a link to the pictures you're speaking of?  When I played five years ago it did not seem narrow -- on the contrary, generous.  Of course, it may be cut much differently for the Open that it was then for resort course play.  In the meantime, I'm going to try to find photos (snapshots) of the course one of the guys in our group took when we played it.  Modification: I've found them and have them on my computer.  Now if I can just figure out how to post them here . . . .

[Jay Flemma]

The pictures I'm referring to were in a magazine, not on-line, so I'd have to dig it out and scan it...one looked really narrow...like jungle all the way on the left...

[Chip Gaskins]

Jay-

Turnberry was the first course in the UK I played so I have a soft spot for it.  I vividly remember hitting a decent tee shot on #1 and being so excited to land the ball 10 yards short of the green and watch it bounce on and run.  I hit two clubs less and sure enough....that was the point I feel in love with links golf.  Never in America had I been able to do that and after watching the British Open for years I was a kid in a candy store with my new way to play golf.  We teed off for the first round at 3PM and after playing an empty course we spent another $70 to play again at 6PM.  After making the turn toward the club/hotel around 15 the sky was turning orange and bagpiper started to play on the lawn of the majestic hotel.  I turned to my buddy and was like we have died and landed in heaven.  We played the last three holes with the course to ourselves and the bagpiper playing.  Something I will never forget.

Oh, the course is pretty good too

Chip

[Chris Wirthwein]

I've played it inthe middle of summer in 40 degree temp and howling wind. I well remember walking up to my ball in the fairway and watching in horror as a gust of wind kicked my stationery pill into a deep fairway pot bunker a few yards away. Nothing to do but hit out sideways and try to salvage par or bogey.

I've also played in much tamer conditions. Very hard course in the wind and cold; a very pleasant one in mild conditions.

In a scenic sense, I think it's the most prototypically Scottish golf course there is. The setting is spectacular. It's got it all -- the lighthouse, the cliffs, the sea, the Ailsa Craig, the stately clubhouse standing guard from the hillside -- even a "wee" course situated between the hotel and the champioinship course that plays like a true Scottish links. What I'd give to have that beauty in my back yard!!

The whole place seems like a Hollywood version of what Scottish golf is all about -- but it's real!

[Bob_Huntley]

Jay,

The 18 under was at St. Andrews 1990.

Bob

[Rob Rigg]

Turnberry looks like the type of course that the treehouse would love to play - but I am worried that the pros will destroy it if the winds are down.

Most of the mags had decent spreads on the "changes" that were made - but 7200 yards or whatever is not a big deal for these guys.

If there is no wind - the US Open and British Open could be the worst back to back Open championships to watch in a long time.

Why? The great thing about these championships is seeing the pros really work for a great score.

[Stewart Abramson]

I was the first one out on the Ailsa course during the first week of March 2007. It was very chilly and windy. The fairways were not particularly narrow and there was no heather that I recall. There was high grass in the rough, but you had to be very wild off the tee to find the tall stuff. The course set up was not difficult, but for the wind. The course super and architect were out on the course that morning perusing some new and/or reworked bunkers, (I had a brief chat with them on #8 at those bunkers) In addition to bunkers on #8 there are a number of other new bunkers and a few new teeing grounds  since the last Open Chamiponship there. There were also crews out doing work on the 16th hole which was set up as a short par 3 at the time as there was no useable fairway. Attached is a link to my photos of the course that day. http://community.webshots.com/slideshow/558380032gZHwdf?mediaPosition=19

[Philippe Binette]

I felt it was a good course, better than what most people here think. It might be a little more 'American in design'. By that I mean the green are more receptive, mostly back to front and the surrounds are fairly smooth. Outside bunkers, I didn't feel that there was some spots where if you miss right on a back left pin for example, the contours would almost guarantee a bogey... It is a fair track...

[Shane Wright]

Jay-

Turnberry was the first course in the UK I played so I have a soft spot for it.  I vividly remember hitting a decent tee shot on #1 and being so excited to land the ball 10 yards short of the green and watch it bounce on and run.  I hit two clubs less and sure enough....that was the point I feel in love with links golf.  Never in America had I been able to do that and after watching the British Open for years I was a kid in a candy store with my new way to play golf.  We teed off for the first round at 3PM and after playing an empty course we spent another $70 to play again at 6PM.  After making the turn toward the club/hotel around 15 the sky was turning orange and bagpiper started to play on the lawn of the majestic hotel.  I turned to my buddy and was like we have died and landed in heaven.  We played the last three holes with the course to ourselves and the bagpiper playing.  Something I will never forget.

Oh, the course is pretty good too

Chip

Chip - GREAT story. 

As for Turnberry, my best friend played in the British Am there last year.  He thinks it may play a little more difficult than what people are expecting.  But then again, they lit it up for the Dual in the Sun and didn't seem to mess up history too badly.   

[Matthew Runde]

I've played it inthe middle of summer in 40 degree temp and howling wind. I well remember walking up to my ball in the fairway and watching in horror as a gust of wind kicked my stationery pill into a deep fairway pot bunker a few yards away. Nothing to do but hit out sideways and try to salvage par or bogey...

Fun story, though not so funny at the time, I'm sure.  I love watching golf being played in those types of conditions.  I hope it's like that for the pros.  Not knowing where the ball will go - and how the players cope - is a fascinating way of studying the course's architecture.

[Tim_Weiman]

Jay,

Probably the best round of golf I ever played was at Turnberry.  50 on the front, 41 on the back for a 91.

Nothing to brag about, you might be thinking.

Well, of the twelve guys I was traveling with (almost all single digit players), the second best score was 135!

I loved my score, but will probably best remember my friend who ripped into a three wood only to see the ball finsh about fifty yards behind him.

The winds that day were report at 75-80 MPH.

Believe me, it was like a war!

[Sean_A]

I have never been keen on Turnberry.  For sure its a good course and holding the Open is fair enough as I think it will make for good tv.  However, its reputation far exceeds its quality of design.  It ain't one of the top courses in the world so far as I am concerned.   The course is too straight forward and the lack of undulations virtually eliminate awkward lies and hence the skill of ball/flight control is reduced.  The greens are pretty straight forward as well.  Most of the excitement of Turnberry comes from its location and the stretch of 4-9 taking full advantage of that location rather than the quality of holes throughout the course.  Much of Turnberry is only as good as many second tier courses in the GB&I.  I highly suspect that if there were blah views Turnberry would be a second tier course.   

Ciao   

 

[Mark Pearce]

If there is no wind - the US Open and British Open could be the worst back to back Open championships to watch in a long time.

Why? The great thing about these championships is seeing the pros really work for a great score.

No.  That might be the great thing about the US Open but the Open has never needed to be a slog to be great.  Was the Duel in the Sun a slogfest?  Was it a great Open?

The Open is about the best golfers in the world adopting to and working with the conditions and the course and that's what makes it, for me, the best of the Majors, because you can see 63s and not have a problem with it or see 18 pars win the tournament on the last day.

[Brian_Ewen]

I think Jay may be talking about the stunning McKenzie & Ebert booklet on the changes at Turnberry ?

http://www.mackenzieandebert.co.uk/Downloads/TurnberryBooklet.pdf

I have been offered accomodation for the Open week in Ayr , and I cant make up my mind if I want to go or not ?

The reason ? , each and every time I have laid eyes on Ailsa it pisses doon with rain .

Ailsa either doesnt like me , or I am jinxed 

[Jay Flemma]

great stuff everybody...Normans 63 was in a windstorm too, which made it extra special...he could have had 61 or 62, but three putted the last from 30 feet.

chip great story.  when are we playing again?  we should reprise the beechtree crew and play together...hey alex, you too! are you guyss going to Innescrone?

by the way, it was the 2d hole, not the first that had what looked like scary heather down the left.