Open back to Hoylake in 2014 - do they need course revisions?

[Jamie Barber]

I see Hoylake has been selected to host the Open in 2014. I've not played the course, but do you think it requires changes to host the Open again? Of course, you can argue that the winner in 2006 was the best player in the world at the time, but on the other hand as a spectacle I thought it lacked something, maybe because Woods was able to play irons off almost every tee. Good course management on his part but shouldn't winning an Open require the use of every shot and every club in the bag (or, at least, more than he employed last time)?

[Gary Slatter]

Love to see it played in the correct order.  The fact that Tiger played irons and won is a reflection of his brilliance and the course should not be changed IMHO. 

[Bill_McBride]

Love to see it played in the correct order.  The fact that Tiger played irons and won is a reflection of his brilliance and the course should not be changed IMHO. 

I'm with Gary.  I played there three months later and I still have to add 2 to every hole number to figure out what hole Ran is talking about in his excellent profile.

Tiger's play there was a third example of how his superior play sets him apart (Pebble 2000, St Andrews 2000).  No need to change that great course at all IMO.

[David_Tepper]

Remember, Hoylake was very dry and baked out when Tiger won the Open there, so the fairways were running very fast. If the summer of 2014 is a wet one, I don't think Tiger will be teeing off exclusively with irons. 

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Ditto to playing it the way everybody else does with the tight out of bounds on the right of the first hole.
It will not be that baked out again either, so they will e playing a different course next time.

[Jonathan Davison]

I think Mackenzie and Ebert are currently working at Hoylake, I am not sure what is been done ?? But i am sure something is changing.

[Phil_the_Author]

I think this question illustrates just how far out of control todays game has gotten,

First, I am NOT against "twaeking" a course to host a championship, especially a major. My problem with it is a simple one. The awarding of a championship of this stature is supposedly done AFTER all variables, including and especially considering the ability of the course chosen to test and challenge the best players... so WHY should the first question be about "course revisions?"

It is time we accept our championship courses to challenge players to "play it as it lies" and recognize that if the governing bodies do not want to reign in the equipment advantages enjoyed by the best players in the world, then winning scores that challenge the concept of "par" should be both expected and desired...

Leave the course alone and let it be what it is... Maybe if this is done often enough the equipment problem will be finally dealt with...

Stepping off my soapbaox now... 

[Bill_McBride]

I think Mackenzie and Ebert are currently working at Hoylake, I am not sure what is been done ?? But i am sure something is changing.

Alister?   

[Matthew Hunt]

I think Mackenzie and Ebert are currently working at Hoylake, I am not sure what is been done ?? But i am sure something is changing.

Alister?   

Afraid not Bill I believe they both used to work for Donald Steel.

[Tom_Doak]

It's Tom Mackenzie.

Even before I saw his name mentioned, however, I was positive that somehow the R & A would find it necessary to move or add at least ten bunkers and four new tees to the course since the last Open ... even though they swear that equipment technology has reached its limit and nothing is changing anymore.

[Tim Nugent]

Phil, stay on that soapbox.  Whatever happened to "Low score wins"?

[Kevin Pallier]

Ditto to playing it the way everybody else does with the tight out of bounds on the right of the first hole.

I'm another in that camp  

Hoylake places a premium on driving - Tiger did it better than anyone else using an iron. I loved the event there last time and will be interested to see how the event is played in 2014.

Mind you there isn't much room to take some tees back further than they already are.

[Jamie Barber]

Hoylake places a premium on driving - Tiger did it better than anyone else using an iron. I loved the event there last time and will be interested to see how the event is played in 2014.

In some ways this was my point; you say the course places a premium on driving and yet Tiger hit driver once in 72 holes. Mind you, I suppose if he's hitting 2iron 250yds+ than driver becomes irrelevant.

[Kevin Markham]

My initial reaction to the news was: 'Wow, after what Tiger did to the place with an iron I'm surprised to see it back there so soon.'

As a spectacle, Hoylake is not nearly as appealing as most of the other courses on the Open circuit. I played it before Tiger won there, and was distinctly underwhelmed - as were my three playing partners. I imagine that tactical revisions will be made, but from a viewing public point of view it's hard to grasp each hole's individuality, and that's unlikely to change. I remember only a few holes.

As for Tiger's brilliance at the 2006 Open - he hadn't won since March the 5th, and the betting odds reflected this 'poor' form, at 3/1. After our round, I predicted that Tiger would win without stretching himself. Playing an iron off the tee is smart course management, but it's not exactly stretching yourself, is it? Unless the wind blows - and assuming he's playing - Tiger will be at it again

[Sean_A]

I doubt if Hoylake needs any revisions to hold an Open.  I personally don't mind courses being touched up here and there.  However, it can eventually
become a problem because I think tweeks slowly eliminate odd/quirky features with more a more modern idealism.  Roughly speaking, I would say the last 30-40 years, or more, have produced the same sort of style for links "renovations".  In fact, we may be able to go all the way back to Colt's work at Muirfield to see a blueprint for links design today.  It isn't in the least bad architecture, but it can be repetitive if one gets around to many of the bigger name links.  Lets face it, nobody these days tweeks in funk - which is part and parcel of what is alluring about links and why I am not overly thrilled by Muirfield.  It is a very straight forward challenge and what you see is what you get - in other words - modern design - little if anything left to chance.  This is more or less how I distinguish Colt from Fowler or Park Jr.  Fowler and Park Jr were much more willing to leave the land to determine the holes even if it meant blind and awkward shots.  Colt was less willing to do this and one reason why his courses often seem more accomplished than the other two.     

Ciao

[Tony_Muldoon]

Another reason why it won't be so firm and fast.

they are currenlty installing a new Rain Bird ICS irrigation system. Apparently the old one was 30 years old.

the consultant is Robin Hume Associates(?).

I guess they have to do something with the money the Open brings.

"We are confident that the already good playing surfaces will become even better over the next few years"


This is the same system that was installed at Dornoch a year before Rich cried foul.  RCD recently installed it.

[Tom_Doak]

There is nothing wrong with having a new irrigation system as long as you don't turn it on more than once or twice a month.

[Bill_McBride]

A new irrigation system at Hoylake means never seeing a puff of dust again when a tee shot lands in the fairway.     If it gets that dry, someone will make the decison to turn on the sprinklers "before the grass dies."

[Jim McCann]

I played Hoylake two days ago and can confirm there's PLENTY of work
being done on the course - and not just in relation to the new irrigation
system.

A number of the holes (5 and 16 in particular) are having fairways
substantially pinched as they approach greensites with what looks like
off-fairway rough implanted over areas that used to be closely mown
grass.

Other holes are having largely cosmetic makeovers with what appear
to be small moundings of rough replacing flat, featureless grassy areas
to the side of greensites.

If I was of a cynical dispostion, I might think - though perish the thought -
that the club were trying to make the course look more like a links on
the opening and closing 6 holes.

Maybe a correspondent from Hawtree, who I believe are making the changes,
would be able to explain what the thought process is behind these
modifications?               

[Jason Topp]

I did not find the last open lacking in the least.  I thought Tiger's strategic decision to leave over 200 yards for his approaches showed incredible cunning and his ability to win with such a strategy was a strong testament to his skill.  I doubt any other player would have done well using such a strategy.

[Jamie Barber]

RCD recently installed it.

That brought a smile to my face. An irrigation system ... in Northern Ireland ... where it rains every day!