Adam,
Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
I would love to see an Open at Porthcawl. Funny thing is that at Buda some years back I was a little underwhelmed by the place, but since then I keep thinking about it. Might be because a certain Welshman who has already contributed to this thread had built the course up to be something spectacular? With hindsight, I'd love to go back and give it another few rounds.
I've always thought that if the R&A want an Open at a certain venue, they will make it happen, no matter the logistical obsticles, as most of the current venues prove. The possibility of switching the 17th to the last hole would certainly help for grandstands etc. But my biggest concern would be the area around the 13th green, 14th tee, 16th green and 17th tee? I recall it as very crowded around there to be getting players and especially spectators to move around, or to put up smaller grandstands etc?
Very nice, Ben.... How many of these "just for fun" master plans have you got lying around the place - you seem to come up with a new one almost every month?
Ally, don't encourage him...
Afterall, he does want to get rid of the short 7th?
Cheers,
James