Three fairways widened for 2011 Open at RSG

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Some interesting comments in today's Irish Independent:

Dawson was unveiling a course set-up that sees more than 100 yards added since Ben Curtis' shock win in 2003 and the par reduced from 71 to 70, the fourth hole becoming a par four again even though it will be only two yards shorter at 495 yards.

However, three fairways - the first, 17th and 18th - have been widened after it was found that less than a third of all drives finished on them eight years ago.

The opening hole is where Woods lost his opening shot and ran up a triple-bogey seven - three days later he finished two shots behind Curtis - and where fellow American Jerry Kelly took an 11.

Tom Watson, so nearly the winner at Turnberry just short of his 60th birthday in 2009, will be much relieved that the 17th has been changed.

Asked at Augusta for one comment on St George's the five-time champion, who has already sent in his entry form, said: "How do you keep the ball on the 17th fairway?"

Dawson stated: "On all three holes we don't want it to be controversial - we've tried to take that out of it.

"But Tiger's lost ball was not an influence - it was the overall statistics."

[JNC Lyon]

I always thought it was funny that the 4th played as a par five in that championship.  Did a member of the championship committee play it and deem it to difficult as a par four?

Widening the fairways is certainly not a bad idea.  In the case of 17 and 18, the defense is around the greens, and wider fairways should make those holes interesting from tee to green.  I was struck by how wild and fascinating that ground is on 17, and I really hope that is more visible on television this year.

As for the first hole, I don't quite get the appeal of this hole as it is now.  The greensite is well done, but the fairway is too narrow to encourage decision-making from the tee.  I hope they can reposition the hazards and fairway cuts on this hole so that the golfer can challenge the right side of the fairway off the tee to get the best angle into the green.  For now, the approach seems straightforward for the longer hitter and a hit-and-hope proposition for the shorter hitter.

[Scott Warren]

They've also built a new tee at 13 that eliminates the blind drive, which is a shame.

[Tony_Muldoon]

At 13 you now have a real target to aim at. Two bloody great Dormy houses on Princes to the South of the old clubhouse.

Intersting to see how it plays.  Been dry al lwinter and ther's zero rough at  the moment.

[Mark Chaplin]

Jon - Sandwich gets plenty of play from the R&A types, they have plenty of members and the Hewitt was a couple of weeks ago as well.

I played there last week and the lack of rough due to the dry weather was really noticable, I'm sure a few damp days and it will spring up but currently it's tough to lose a ball there. The 4th was always a tough par 4 and was ruined last time around as a par 5.

Tony/Scott - I've played the new back tee a few times on 13 and it's not to my taste. Tony is right with the new accommodation going in at Princes the line off the regular tee is easier to pick up.

The widening of 17 and 18 didn't really notice. 17 is a far harder hole than it's given credit for especially as it playing into the prevailling wind, the back left bunker is a horror. Two new bunkers down the left of 18 will make the tee shot harder even if the fairway is wider.