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David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
The merits of Castle Stuart have been discussed here in the past. There is no denying the course has more width than just about any venue on any pro tour. Hopefully, the breeze will be up and the course will test the field.

It will be televised on the Golf Channel Thursday & Friday and on NBC on the weekend. 

Jon Wiggett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2013, 02:01:14 AM »
Hi David,

I am working for Nike for the four days giving free 10 minutes lessons in the tented village. Any GCAers are welcome to drop by and say hello.

Jon

Jud_T

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2013, 06:39:56 AM »
The place looks fantastic.  Hopefully they'll get a bit of wind in the coming days.
Golf is a game. We play it. Somewhere along the way we took the fun out of it and charged a premium to be punished.- - Ron Sirak

BHoover

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2013, 07:50:52 AM »
It does look spectacular, and it seems to have a beautifully brownish color.

Scotland appears to be having a better summer weather-wise than we here in the Midwest are havin.

Mac Plumart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2013, 08:24:55 AM »
What a great way to start the day.  Coffee and Castle Stuart!
Sportsman/Adventure loving golfer.

Joe Bausch

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2013, 08:31:36 AM »
What a great way to start the day.  Coffee and Castle Stuart!

And puffs of 'smoke' when irons are hit!
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #6 on: July 11, 2013, 08:39:34 AM »
Good to see Castle Stuart coloured beige/brown and playing firm and fast when the width factor becomes diminished. Love Joes's 'puffs of smoke' description. Very apt. Like to play CS one day, but not at £175 for 18-holes. Hope the wind gets up a bit more sometime over the four days.

Nice to see Phil Mick' playing. Shame so many of the others near the top of the world rankings are not there. Never mind, see them next week at Muirfield.

ATB

Jim Nelson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2013, 10:32:54 AM »
The announcers keep talking about the conditions being tougher in the afternoon.  Looks like a gentle breeze to me, barely flapping the exposed flags.  I played there last year and totally melted down in a wind that increased as my ability to navigate the course and play this infernal game collapsed.  I had my head so far up my a.. that I can hardly remember the course.  The conditions today are a cake walk.

Btw, I have been meaning to address the advertising signs on the course.  I understand the need for revenue, but egad, they sure muck up the look.
I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world.  This makes it hard to plan the day.  E. B. White


Jon Wiggett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #9 on: July 11, 2013, 05:34:53 PM »
Jim,

it was probably a 2 club wind this afternoon and playing a fair bit tougher than in the morning. The course looked to be in great nick and certainly the fairways were very firm though I was surprised how easily the ball stopped on the green

Jon

Adam Clayman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2013, 11:17:49 AM »
Looks amazingly great after having to wait sooo looong for the Lads to finally play links golf.

What's even more telling are the chuckles and giggles being overheard from the players after they play some imaginative touch shot around those cool greens.

Plus, what a hoot. Doak leading on a Hanse.
« Last Edit: July 12, 2013, 11:27:07 AM by Adam Clayman »
"It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing your whole life." - Mickey Mantle

Brent Hutto

Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2013, 11:25:33 AM »
Watching a bit of today's Scottish Open after seeing an hour or so of the John Deere tournament at dinner time yesterday, the contrasts are striking. Wide open waterfront vistas versus narrow tree-lined corridors. Hitting errant balls from knee high fescue grass versus searching through chest high swamp undergrowth. Dry, fresh Highlands breezes versus Illinois mosquitoes.

Man if I were a Tour player I know where I'd be this week...

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +3/-1
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2013, 10:42:27 PM »
Plus, what a hoot. Doak leading on a Hanse.

You can bet that won't be the lead on Geoff Shackelford's site.  :) 

Go Chris Doak!  [We are not relatives.]

Niall C

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #13 on: July 13, 2013, 08:47:19 AM »
I recall Chris Doak a couple of years back trying to qualify for the Open at Glasgow Gailes. That was prior to his flat cap look. I seem to recall also he was pulling his own trolley and didn't have a caddy. Seemed a very friendly fellow and a fine golfer, hope he continues to do well.

Niall 

Jud_T

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #14 on: July 13, 2013, 09:37:21 AM »
If only they'd hired as good of an architect to design the clubhouse....
Golf is a game. We play it. Somewhere along the way we took the fun out of it and charged a premium to be punished.- - Ron Sirak

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #15 on: July 13, 2013, 11:15:16 AM »
"I recall Chris Doak a couple of years back trying to qualify for the Open at Glasgow Gailes. That was prior to his flat cap look. I seem to recall also he was pulling his own trolley and didn't have a caddy. Seemed a very friendly fellow and a fine golfer, hope he continues to do well."

Niall -

I recall Chris Doak winning the Northern Open, an event on the Tartan Tour, when it was played at the Carnegie Club/Skibo Castle 5-6 years ago.

DT

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #16 on: July 13, 2013, 11:22:05 AM »
"If only they'd hired as good of an architect to design the clubhouse...."

Jud T. -

In fact, they did. The design of the Castle Stuart clubhouse is brilliant. It is almost worth paying the green fee just to sit in the clubhouse and enjoy the 180 degree views up and down the Moray Firth.

You can read about the genesis of the design here:

http://www.castlestuartgolf.com/facilities.php

DT   

Jud_T

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #17 on: July 13, 2013, 11:27:34 AM »
David,

I'm sure the views FROM the clubhouse are wonderful.  The views OF it however leave much to be desired IMNSHO.
Golf is a game. We play it. Somewhere along the way we took the fun out of it and charged a premium to be punished.- - Ron Sirak

Mac Plumart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #18 on: July 13, 2013, 11:28:21 AM »
Here in the U.S., they are going to air this event on NBC at noon. First time the Scottish Open has aired in The States on one of the three major networks, they are saying.

Pretty exciting. Links golf on a great looking course on the t.v. for all of Americans to see a week before The Open Championship.
Sportsman/Adventure loving golfer.

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #19 on: July 13, 2013, 01:33:18 PM »
"I'm sure the views FROM the clubhouse are wonderful.  The views OF it however leave much to be desired IMNSHO."

Jud T. -

It is a shame you cannot recognize the design genius of the building. Should you be fortunate enough to visit Castle Stuart some day, my guess is your NSHO will likely change. ;)

DT 

Jon Wiggett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #20 on: July 13, 2013, 04:32:31 PM »
Your spot on with the clubhouse David. I was very sceptical first time I saw a photo of it but after seeing it in the flesh I have to say it is perfect. The best modern clubhouse I have seen.

It was really interesting watching the players come through 14. Lots of variations on how to play it with some driving the green and on even laying up a good 150 yards short.

Adam,

having talked with a few of the players they all were very excited about the course and the fact it made them think about strategy and decisions of what shot to play. All of them said they hoped the Scottish would return to CS soon.

Jon

Jonathan Mallard

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #21 on: July 13, 2013, 05:12:22 PM »


having talked with a few of the players they all were very excited about the course and the fact it made them think about strategy and decisions of what shot to play. All of them said they hoped the Scottish would return to CS soon.

Jon

Sponsorship secured thru 2017 with a likely return to Castle Stuart in 2016.

I hope that they bring the tournament to some other courses that are not part of the Open Championship Rota.

Dornoch?

Macrihanish Dunes? I think Macrihanish Old would be too short.

Prestwick?

And, I'll go ahead and say it: Trump International?


http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/sport/golf/scottish-open-sponsors-secured-to-2017-1-3000729

Jon Wiggett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #22 on: July 13, 2013, 05:19:15 PM »
Good to hear Jonathan.

Dornoch is too far from the airport and I am not sure they would even want such an event. Macriharnish is also too remote I would imagine but it would be interesting to see how the pros dealt with Prestwick. I do not think it will end up at Trump's either but I could imagine the Ryder Cup going there.

Jon

Mark Chaplin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #23 on: July 13, 2013, 05:24:44 PM »
Anyone know how much Castle Stuart pay to host the event? I can't see Prestwick hosting the Scottish Open for less than £100k and don't believe many events pay the club to host an event anymore.
Cave Nil Vino

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Fans of width, the Scottish Open is at Castle Stuart this week!
« Reply #24 on: July 13, 2013, 11:12:36 PM »
"Anyone know how much Castle Stuart pay to host the event?"

Mark C. -

I have no idea how much Castle Stuart gets paid for hosting the event. Given that CS is a commercial venture, the CS ownership may feel that hosting the event is the best possible way to generate publicity and "buzz" for the course. Having the course on TV in the U.S. for about 20 hours this week (and getting very favorable comments broadcast about the course) is advertising and promotion for the course that is simply priceless. That is on top of the publicity the course is getting in print and on the web.

Given all of the above, CS might be willing to host the event for a very modest fee.

DT