[Mark Chaplin]

So a drivable par four (the fifth) played the hardest hole today and the drive and pitch ninth second hardest. The first playing short but with a tough pin came in as the forth hardest hole. Only three back nine holes were in the top nine toughest holes.

10, 12, 14, 16 & 17 all played under par only the 7th on the front nine did so.

With prevailing breezes due today it should all change with 4 & 8 likely to be the toughest holes followed by 1,15, 17 & 18

[Scott Warren]

Should be a fair few eagles on the 7th with the wind behind.

[Brian_Ewen]

The 5th, a driveable par 4 ?

Pushing it a bit there Mark ?

[Craig Disher]

I sat behind the 9th green for a while. The hole location was borderline ridiculous and the stiff wind was was pushing drives well off the narrow and very bumpy fairway. 4-5 groups came through at one point and no one had better than 5. As soon as the wind dropped off around 5PM, almost everyone was parring the hole.

By the end of the day there was no wind at all - pity the poor fellows who when off early, faced a good breeze, then had it worsen throughout mid-day. The weather report says the weather will be fine through mid-day today and then turn windy again. Such is links golf. The tee time draw can easily determine who survives the cut - the groups who drew the early/late slots will have a much tougher time.

Hats off to Lewis, the amateur. He qualified with 63/65 at Rye and looks solid.

[Kevin Pallier]

No surprises to see the 11th play as the hardest P3. For such an innocuous looking hole it plays much harder than it seems at first glance.

[Adrian_Stiff]

No surprises to see the 11th play as the hardest P3. For such an innocuous looking hole it plays much harder than it seems at first glance.

Great opportunity to play this as it used to be, a 380 yard par 4. They would probably knock it on or close as its a bit downhill, would be a nice respite perhaps.

[Mark Chaplin]

Brian - surprisingly it is on for the pros who take a line over the left dune, with the prevailing wind. There were players putting on 10 yesterday and it's similar length but up hill.

[Matthew Rose]

Curious to see what those familiar with the par-three incarnation of #8 and the par-four #11 think of the new holes vs. the old holes... the earliest Open at Sandwich that I recall is 1985, so I do not know anything about the old holes.

[Kevin Pallier]

The 11th was the 3rd hardest hole v Par in the second round....sits at 4th thus far in the Tournament.

[Adrian_Stiff]

Curious to see what those familiar with the par-three incarnation of #8 and the par-four #11 think of the new holes vs. the old holes... the earliest Open at Sandwich that I recall is 1985, so I do not know anything about the old holes.

The big changes were 50-60 years ago Matthew, there were some other changes too, 3 is a new hole too, it was always a short hole but blind. The Open moved away from RSG in 1949 (last open 8 & 11 were a 3 and 4), one of the reasons was the pro's did not like the blindness, when it returned in 1981 a lot had been done to minimise the blindness.

8 looks like it was a great short hole, I think it was played from slighty left of what is now the fairway, I think it was getting close to 200 yards, slightly downhill. 11 is still there to see, chop down that hay and you would still see the tee pads, it was 380 yards and is just a 140 yards longer than todays with the same alignment. Reg Whitcombe popped it on the green en-route to winning his 1938 Open and holed the putt.

[Mark Chaplin]

The 14th today is averaging over 6!!

[Scott Warren]

6.67, they just said.

Havret's 10 will have helped that!

[Mark Chaplin]

Brian - McIlroy and Fowler both just had a pop at 5, in this wind it maybe the percentage shot. I told you 5 was on!!

[BCrosby]

"The big changes were 50-60 years ago Matthew, there were some other changes too, 3 is a new hole too, it was always a short hole but blind. The Open moved away from RSG in 1949 (last open 8 & 11 were a 3 and 4), one of the reasons was the pro's did not like the blindness, when it returned in 1981 a lot had been done to minimise the blindness."

Adrian - Who was the architect used for those changes?

Bob

[Scott Warren]

Bob,

I believe the changes were overseen by Frank Pennink.

[Mark Chaplin]

Now only 7 and 12  (by a whisker) averaging under par.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Interesting today that nobody birdied 18. The 1st was not birdied until Darren did it, last player out. What a round by Fowler in the worst of the weather and what a round by Tom Watson in the same conditions!

[Mark Chaplin]

Brian - believe me now??

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