North Berwick - Open Qualifying

[Brian Freeman]

I read a while back in the lead-up to Local Final Qualifying for the Open Championship at North Berwick that certain measures, such as longer temporary tees, were being considered in setting up the course for the event.

In light of the event today, I was curious what means the club had taken in order to stage the event. I couldn't find anything online about it today but I thought there was a good chance someone on the GCA board might possess some knowledge regarding this.

Much like Merion, the course appears to have stood up relatively well as -6 was the low score for 36 holes and -5 was needed to make top 3 and qualify for Muirfield.  Would love to have some insights on the course setup/conditions today...

[David_Tepper]

The Open Qualifying scores from North Berwick:

http://scoring.theopen.com/scores_qual.sps?pageid=10&iTourNo=2013008&iTourId=7&optsel=pos

[Brian Freeman]

Thanks David.  Somehow I missed this. 

There is a "Hole Averages" link, if the posted yardages are correct, the course played to 6592 yards.

16 played toughest, to a stroke average of 4.56! 

1, 5, 7, 13, and 14 all played over par despite playing under 400 yards.  I'm assuming a very tricky pin on #1 given the lack of birdies and something tight to the burn on #7 given the high # of others.

3, 4, and 8 appeared to have most of the added length versus my trusty 2010 yardage book.  Nothing appears to be too extraordinary like #3 at Merion playing 275 yards.

[Tom Culley]

My cousin competed at North Berwick today, playing in LFQ for the first time. He didn't have a very good day but seems to have really loved the experience.

If there are any specifics you would like to know, i will be happy to ask him and reply.

[Mark Chaplin]

Interesting to see 4/12 places went to amateurs.

[ward peyronnin]

Of interest

After earning a spot in a 3-for-2 playoff at the North Berwick qualifier for this month's Open Championship, David Higgins suffered a two-stroke penalty on the first hole – for carrying 15 clubs in his bag – that ended his quest.

R&A officials relayed the news via its official Twitter account for the British Open, @The_Open: "Update on the play-off at North Berwick, David Higgins discovered he had 15 clubs in his bag & was penalised two shots thereby missing out."

Higgins, an Irishman on the European Tour, missed the cut at the Irish Open and finished T-29 the previous week at the BMW International Open.

Apparently Higgins' caddie placed his bag in his car after the round, and stored an extra fairway wood in it, Irish Golf Desk reported; when Higgins made it into the playoff, the club was not removed when the bag was taken back out.

[David_Tepper]

This will take you to the Final Qualifying scores at Gullane #1, Dunbar, Musselburgh and Nroth Berwick:

http://www.theopen.com/en/Qualification/LocalFinalQualifying.aspx   

[Mark Chaplin]

Ward shame for him but tickle for the other two!

[john_stiles]

Was it a windy day, just a breeze, or calm ?

[David_Tepper]

Good article in The Herald on Final Qualifying day ("day of drama"):

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/golf/montgomeries-bid-falters-after-bright-start-on-a-day-of-drama.21511693

[Simon Holt]

I watched a little of it and then played first time out this morning.

There were only 3 pins that I thought were verging on sadistic.  18 was really tough, 13 was hard and 11 was in a nasty spot too.  None of the others really stood out other than perhaps 14.

Hardly any wind at all at North Berwick but rain on and off.

3 (15 yards) and 8 (35 yards) had new tees but 4 was just pulled back and the measurement was taken to the middle of the back section, whereas usually it would be measured to the middle of the green.  Sneaky one to increase the yardage me thinks.

To answer Brian, 1 pin was not that difficult but was on the upper section, 5 was fine, 7 was upfront but not that close (stupid to be short), 13 was nasty as it was right at the front and the hole was playing downwind (not much of it though), 14 is a tough hole and the pin was tucked away.  I hit my tee shot in the left semi today to try and get a good angle to the back-right pin but still couldn't get close.

The course is in fabulous condition.  Browny/yellow fairways that are fiery, brilliant putting surfaces and rough that you can find a bal in but costs you about .5 of a shot.  The rough is nowhere near as bad as last year and the same can be said at Muirfield.

Mark Chaplin- apologies for no reply to the PM, just noticed that.

[Simon Holt]

FYI and just for comparison, these are the stats for our club Spring meeting at North Berwick.  CSS was 74, 71 won the best scratch.  2 club wind but the most brutal set of pins I have seen at NB.  As you can see, no hole played easier than par that day, which I put solely down to the pin positions.

Hole  S.I.   Eag.   Bird. Par    Bog   DB+  Players Av.Score Par  Av Score over par.
18   (16)   1   18   50   29   18   116   4.49   4   0.49
10   (18)   0   7   57   34   18   116   3.66   3   0.66
6   (17)   0   6   38   47   25   116   3.86   3   0.86
9   ( 7)   0   3   43   47   23   116   5.91   5   0.91
8   (13)   0   7   40   41   28   116   5.92   5   0.92
4   (15)   0   1   41   46   28   116   4.01   3   1.01
1   ( 9)   0   2   39   44   31   116   5.03   4   1.03
11   ( 2)   0   1   38   47   30   116   6.04   5   1.04
14   ( 6)   0   7   37   37   35   116   5.04   4   1.04
15   (14)   0   4   33   43   36   116   4.10   3   1.10
13   (12)   0   1   30   46   39   116   5.22   4   1.22
5   ( 5)   0   0   28   46   42   116   5.27   4   1.27
17   (10)   0   2   30   38   46   116   5.33   4   1.33
12   (    0   1   21   51   43   116   5.37   4   1.37
7   ( 3)   0   3   21   39   53   116   5.58   4   1.58
16   ( 4)   0   1   17   42   56   116   5.61   4   1.61
3   ( 1)   0   0   13   54   49   116   5.67   4   1.67
2   (11)   0   0   9   48   59   116   5.70   4   1.70 

[Brian Freeman]

Simon - This is great stuff, thanks for sharing.  Exactly what I was looking for.

It's great to see that the course held up so well to the modern game, especially at very close to the normal medal yardage (the extra length on 3 and 8 sounds reasonable and a good move for the competition), and with a relatively benign setup and conditions.  I think that just speaks volumes about the quality of the course and how firm conditions will always be the great equalizer.  I am very glad to hear NB was able to pull off the event with a reasonable setup.

The first may just be a tougher hole than I remember, and I would have expected no less than the toughest pins on 13 and 14.

I've only been able to play the course once, but it was my first round ever in Scotland and one of the best memories of our trip.  Look forward to playing it again someday.  Enjoy the summer - I am truly jealous.

[Paul Dolton]

A few years ago i played in a practice round at Purdis Heath with someone who had played in final qualifying at North Berwick. He was playing with a pro from Sweden, the name escapes me, who teed it up on the first and proceeded to drive it on to the edge of the green.
If my memory serves me correct that would be all carry?

[Bill_McBride]

A few years ago i played in a practice round at Purdis Heath with someone who had played in final qualifying at North Berwick. He was playing with a pro from Sweden, the name escapes me, who teed it up on the first and proceeded to drive it on to the edge of the green.
If my memory serves me correct that would be all carry?

Not all carry but after about 180 it's uphill rough and broken ground and beachgoers.  A lay up is much more sensible.

[Doug Siebert]

A few years ago i played in a practice round at Purdis Heath with someone who had played in final qualifying at North Berwick. He was playing with a pro from Sweden, the name escapes me, who teed it up on the first and proceeded to drive it on to the edge of the green.
If my memory serves me correct that would be all carry?

Was his name Jon Daly?

I remember thinking it would be about a 280 yard carry for that shot, with very little margin for error in any direction.  The only thing trying to drive the green there has going for it is that the approach after a layup is no picnic.