The Finish At Turnberry.......15..16..17..18

[Anthony Gray]

  The changes make for a nice finish.

  15 is a difficult putting hole.

  16 may determine the tournament because the burn is way more in play now. Don't be surprised to see some lay ups.

  17  has potential for a three stroke swing amoungst the leaders.

  18 is no sure par. It looks to me that the stands guard the green too much. A safe play may be into the bleachers.

  May be an exciting finish. Will it live up to the finish at Carnoustie? Can't wait to see.

   Anthony

[john_stiles]

Have played it a number of times when it was firm and the approach to the 16th is difficult under any conditions
Will be interesting and fun to watch the play to this hole,  especially any locations short of middle or on the right side.

Most of the time I have been deep into the green or just long.  Suspect any drive in the rough will be a layup.

The 18th is a bit of a yawner by comparison to the 18th at Carnoustie and even the TOC, Troon, Muirfield, Birkdale, Lytham, etc.

But it was a fanastic finishing hole in 1977 with Nicklaus/Watson.    Nicklaus' comment on the '77 replay was that the Scots tossed coins into his divot, after his second shot 8 iron to the green in the last round,  to wish him luck.  He then made a great birdie on the 18th.

[Doug Siebert]

What exactly did they change on the 16th?  It has been a while since I've been there but I don't recall the false front on that green being so large.

The first time I played there I drove so far right I was almost across the next fairway over, then drew a 7 iron to 15 feet to a left front pin position and made birdie.  When I got up on the green I realized if I had carried it about 10 feet shorter I probably would have rolled back in the burn.....maybe sometimes ignorance is bliss   From the angle I played from I'm not sure the shot I hit then would even be possible now.

[Brian Phillips]

Here are the changes as described by Mackenzie and Ebert.

[Garland Bayley]

  The changes make for a nice finish.

  15 is a difficult putting hole.

  16 may determine the tournament because the burn is way more in play now. Don't be surprised to see some lay ups.

  17  has potential for a three stroke swing amoungst the leaders.

  18 is no sure par. It looks to me that the stands guard the green too much. A safe play may be into the bleachers.

  May be an exciting finish. Will it live up to the finish at Carnoustie? Can't wait to see.

   Anthony

Prophetic?

[Tony_Muldoon]

Was 16th a dissapointment?  See aerial above.

The new angle into the green gives more depth, meaning the play was always to go long and putt back. I saw it when the changes were being made and it looked a scarier shot from the right.

[Sean_A]

The 16th is the exact thing I am talking about when it comes to willy nilly bunkering.  They left the old left bunker in place now as a right fairway bunker.  Why?  Anybody to the right is essentially short-sided.  I think there is a bunker up the left to make the player earn the best angle of attack.

I also dislike the two new bunkers on #8.  They could have moved the previous lone bunker to keep the hazard in play for pros. 

I am afraid one of the best aspects of Turnberry, the relatively light bunkering in favour of resort play, is slowing being eroded and the course is becoming just like most of the other Open venues - a bunkerfest.  Its a great pity to watch course after course fall to the sword of championship mentality. 

Ciao