Road Hole Tee - New Photos

[Robin_Hiseman]

Hot off the presses!

[Brian Phillips]

Ahem....nice shaping.  At least there is room all the way back to the driving range building if the R&A don't do something with the ball...

[Jud_T]

Just a smooth 4 iron for Tiger...

[Brett Hochstein]

Aw come on beat me to it!

I helped lay the final sod yesterday and thought I had the first photos of the new tee.  Oh well

So, what does everyone think? (Besides the ball is killing the game;" travesty"; etc.  Those are givens)

[Scott Warren]

can the TOC experts tell me - it seems the line is just left of the high-point on the roof? At least for a hooker of the ball?

[Brett Hochstein]

Scott,

The line is actually the same as before--right about above the word 'Old,' though this may encourage a less than aggressive play to the left.  The fairway and short rough have been widened, but not nearly enough in mine or Mr. Hawtree's opinion. The left rough is going to be scarified heavily to try and thin it out, and it might undergo total remediation in future years.

Some are even suggesting that with a two shot lead on Sunday, you could actually see players drive down the 2nd fairway and pitch back over.

 I will post pics when I get home later; the internet where I am won't allow me to upload anything.

[Robin_Hiseman]

Sorry for getting the jump on you Brett.  I have local sources   Please post your pics.  I'm sure they are better than these camera phone ones.

[PCCraig]

It looks like it's now a double road hole.

[Robin_Hiseman]

I guess they are going to have to dogleg the OOB line around the back of this tee, which will eliminate the out-of-bounds hazard to the right of Green 16.  I think that is regrettable.

[Alister Matheson]

Interesting pics Robin does anyone know how many yards have been added ?

The photos might be quite decieving but the actual area where you could set markers up looks very small is there enough space for 4 or 5 shifts ? It does not look like it.

[Adrian_Stiff]

Is this a classic case of the R & A not admitting they are having a ball probem and trying to make two wrongs a right !!! I just wonder if theres room to put a mat in just beyond the current 1st tee to get another 20 yards, 18 could be extended to 475 yards by a new tee abutting that litte corner by the Old Course hotel, why not try some landfill out into the eden, extending the 7th to 725 yards, 8th would be 450 yards, that way we could play the old lady at 8100 yards and get golf back to 7 hours.

[Brian_Ewen]

Scott,

The line is actually the same as before--right about above the word 'Old,'

Bollox , its was always the "O" in course , not in Old .

[Jon Wiggett]

Are they going to put a stile in or will Tiger and co have to hop over the fence?

[Melvyn Morrow]

Just who wanted that?

Where are we – China?

What does the R&A stand for?   Certainly not for golf but appears to be following the Royal Bank of Scotland  - bankrupt in mind and body.

Picasso did not die in 1973, he is alive and well and starting a design practice – first commission, The Road Hole (RIP)

Like the Labour Government, the R&A are overseeing the slow destruction of our National Institutions, How did these people get their jobs in the first place.

Leave well alone after all its not your F*’#%!? Course it’s ours, the Nations.

Feel better for that and not one club thrown either, see one can control oneself, its not that hard and I’m no Professional.

Melvyn

[Bill_McBride]

So now there are three tees outside the boundary of the course.....

#2 on the Himalayas putting green, #14 on the Eden course, #17 on the practice ground across the road.

This is a joke and a perversion and everybody at the R&A should be hanging their heads in shame.   

But instead they'll be looking for ways to add more new tees!

[Brian Phillips]

I have just measured on Google Earth and it is now only 340 metres to clear the Old Course Hotel wall from the tee if you play to the right side of the hotel.  How long before someone tries that in the wind at an Open...? Probably not this time but maybe in 6 years time?  

[Brett Hochstein]

I have been told that if there is any significant wind then the tee will not be used.  As as of now, the will only be used for The Open and not the Dunhill.  We are talking about something being used maybe only 2-3 for every 5 years. 

Only the front part will be used, adding about 30-35 yards; the rest in back is for elasticity, tv crew, Rolex clock, etc.

[Tony_Muldoon]

I guess they are going to have to dogleg the OOB line around the back of this tee, which will eliminate the out-of-bounds hazard to the right of Green 16.  I think that is regrettable.

Robin with tee's on the Eden and The Himalayas aren't they already palying shots from OOB?  Why would they have to run it round the back of the tee?  I'm just curious is that the convention?

[David Schofield]

Ally, I wondered the same thing.  If they sodded over the road it would be more of a proper tee...

Bill, I want to understand, would the two other tees be a "joke and perversion" on their own or does this tee push it over the cap?

[Bill_McBride]

Bill, I want to understand, would the two other tees be a "joke and perversion" on their own or does this tee push it over the cap?

I think it's all bad.  The Old Course should be respected; it may finally be justification for a competition ball.  Those new tees are used just every five years!

At the 2005 Open I spent a couple of hours in the bleachers by the 14th green, and another standing OB opposite the Hell Bunker, hoping to see someone run into a patch of bother with negotiating Hell.  No one did.  That was with the new tee in play.  I guess the R&A could pay to have Hell moved.  

[Mike_Clayton]

Robin,

How many different courses are now used when they play The Open on the Old Course?

[Alister Matheson]

The way things are going by 2020 they will be using the driving range bays ! Sort it out for the sake of our game! Its simple as most on here say limit the golf ball .

[Marty Bonnar]

So now there are three tees outside the boundary of the course.....

#2 on the Himalayas putting green, #14 on the Eden course, #17 on the practice ground across the road.

This is a joke and a perversion and everybody at the R&A should be hanging their heads in shame.   

But instead they'll be looking for ways to add more new tees!

Mike, Unka Bill,
+ the 9th tee on the New, that makes 4?...FFS.
cheers,
FBD.

[Bill_McBride]

So now there are three tees outside the boundary of the course.....

#2 on the Himalayas putting green, #14 on the Eden course, #17 on the practice ground across the road.

This is a joke and a perversion and everybody at the R&A should be hanging their heads in shame.   

But instead they'll be looking for ways to add more new tees!

Mike, Unka Bill,
+ the 9th tee on the New, that makes 4?...FFS.
cheers,
FBD.

Gadzooks, I didn't know about that one!  Hopefully it doesn't interfere with #8, my favorite hole on la New!

[Marty Bonnar]

Take a look at the aerial and see how LITTLE it is affected.....

http://www.standrews.org.uk/golf/the_courses/new_guide2004/new_course_hole_guide_8.html

best,
neffers Mart.