Is Darius' wife that bad of a writer, Mark, or does she too specialize in mindless drivel?
Actually, Rich, after reading this again -
"the 2nd on the Old Course is one of the best greens in golf, and it won’t be the same after this work is done. It just won’t." - I may have been unfair to Darius' wife. Clearly a three year-old kid came up with that one.
Wow, Misogynistic Mark...way to attribute hysteria to women alone. I'm told the 21st century has docked at port, if you're interested.
Clearly homosexuals are also hysterical Stan, I just didn't want to appear both misogynistic and homophobic at the same time in a public internet cafe.
His piece seemed rather well researched to me, but I really don't know enough about TOC to confirm that.
Rather than make a vague slam, please point out a few specific points where you disagree with Darius and explain why.
Okay Bill.
"The question needs to be asked, do we really want Martin Hawtree building bunkers on the Old Course and will every hole eventually have bunkers on both sides of the green?"Pure hysterical conjecture. And Darius must not have played RM West much lately - the majority of the greens there are bunkered on both sides.
"Dr. MacKenzie described the 11th at St Andrews as one of the world’s ‘ideal holes’ saying that no hole has been copied more frequently, but that none of the replicas has ‘the charm, the interest, or the thrills of the original.’"He and the good Doctor may have a point if the 11th was the best par three in the world. But it isn't. Not even close.
And hasn't the Redan been copied more frequently? But copying a hole has no bearing on whether it is any good. The Eden is a simplistic hole that could be adapted almost anywhere.
Mark,
What specifically is hysterical about it?
Jud, to add to various quotes I have also used above:
"Its reduction flies in the face of 600 years of tradition"
"To add insult to injury"
"Volumes have been written on the Road Hole, and one suspects that in future year’s volumes will be written on the desecration of this golfing monument."
"There are more modifications proposed than analyzed here, and one suspects that had these changes not prompted such global outrage perhaps even more slated for the years ahead. The Royal & Ancient have clearly lost control of golf, and the fact that after adding hundreds of yards to The Old Course over the years they feel the need to further stiffen its defences proves beyond doubt that they have been asleep at the wheel where technology is concerned.""No matter how successful the 2015 Open Championship is, we will not forget what they have done to The Old Course. And we cannot forgive."
With stuff like that, Darius could have made a million as George W. Bush's speechwriter -it's a pity he isn't in office anymore.
And if he thinks the Road Hole is the nastiest green site in the world he needs to get out more. The 6th at County Louth makes TOC 17 look like you are hitting into the middle of the MCG.
You make a really good point. Comments like those of Mark Ferguson really don't add much to the discussion.
Ferguson disappoints not just because his comment comes across as a personal slam rather than an actual discussion of the architecture. Of course, that happens a lot here.
A few visits just didn't do that for me. Ferguson's comments don't help at all.
Don't know Mark, but thought he was a well traveled student of golf architecture. Still, writing about the subject is pretty tough as his post on this thread demonstrates.
Finally, for what it's worth I see no need to change either 11 or 17 and hate the whole idea of changing golf courses to compensate for the failure to regulate the golf ball.
Hey Weiman!! You can call me Mark you know.
The Old Course isn't the same now as it was in the beginning. Perhaps you would like the railway sheds restored too? Why are people so upset it is being changed? Because they don't like the architect involved. If Doak was doing the work, all of you would all be flying to St Andrews to mop his forehead whilst he posed for photos in front of his horse and drag pan.
It isn't the failure of the regulating authorities who have caused the problem - it's everyone who bought a Pro V to help their game, thus providing the manufacturers with a profit they would vigorously defend. It's everyone who has a wedge greater than 56 degrees, who clamors for the banning of long putters whilst spending $600 every year on the latest high tech driver.
No one, not you, or Bill, or Mac and least of all Darius knows whether Hawtree's work will enhance TOC or not.