[Bryan Izatt]

Play the gender neutral (according to the starter) red tees 6144 yards and a par of 70, although truth be told I moved back to the yellow tees on the 10th and 14th holes, so it was more like 6275 yards.  Still a stern test especially in the 20 mph (seemed like more to me) wee breeze.  The three guys I was playing with still got destroyed, but I broke 80.  Should I be embarrassed to have played the red tees?  

[Mark Chaplin]

You pay your money and should play off the tees that give you the maximum enjoyment for your cash. Sensible play in my opinion.

[Ken Moum]

There's no shame in playing tees that measure over 6,000 yards... period.

To this day I regret playing the whites on my one trip around Torrey Pines South.  The reds were ~6,000 yards and plenty of golf course for me.  

I made the same mistake on my first play of Royal Dornoch in 2006, playing the white tees.  This year I played the yellows and managed to break 90.

K

[Jeff Johnston]

Brings to mind Pat Ruddy's quote re The European - if you choose to play it off too-macho tees, "please call it suicide rather than murder!"

[Kyle Casella]

The best way to beat Carnoustie is to stay in the bar...All kidding aside, in my college golf days I was always determined to play the tips on trips abroad. Now that I don't feel the need to do so, I enjoy it so much more.

[Brent Hutto]

I always play the Ocean Course at Kiawah from up around 6,000 yards and I find it a very tough but very, very fun golf course. Never had any desire to try it out from 400+ yards longer just to see how many balls I can lose.

Not sure I'd be particularly interested in playing Carnoustie but if I did I would surely follow your lead. Although in a 20mph wind maybe it would still be a bit of a slog for this 17-handicapper.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Bryan,
You must have some guilt, putting it out here where you may be called a moron? Personally I played from the yellows, yacked up my 86, and offered it up for the poor souls in puregtory. I hope they got something out of it, I got a monster hangover from the bar down the street. Still a damn good day.

[Bryan Izatt]

Brent,

I'm sure you could handle Carnoustie.  You just need to play it smart.  In the wind it helps to have a knock down and bump and run shot.  The poor 9 handicap guy I played with couldn't play the ball down and every time he tried he stuck his club in the ground, and links turf really doesn't give much.


Ed,

No guilt.  With the wind in our faces on the first tee, it seemed like a prudent move.  As for the moron guy, he can play as far back as he wants to prove something to somebody.  I'm trying to come to grips with the inverse relationship between age and ability.

If the starter wasn't promoting the red tees and if the guys I was paired with had wanted to play the yellows, I would have played the yellows.  That's where I've played before and it's doable although a bit more of a slog.  Mind you, if I had been on the yellows I probably wouldn't have driven into Jockie's Burn on the downwind 3rd and 5th - but then I don't usually hit 240 yard 4 hybrids.  Talk about firm and fast.  Can you feel good about taking a penalty stroke because you hit a really good shot?

[Sean_A]

More and more I find myself pushing playing partners to choose whichever set of tees they fancy once they win the honour.  I can't see much point in sticking to one colour if for any reason guys don't want to.  Usually, most golfers don't even think about shifting colours during the round, but I bet more would enjoy their golf if they did.  I wish I had that opportunity at Carnoustie.  I was on the tee of the day (only one set out) and they were way back - I am guessing we played a 6800-6900 yard course with wind that day.  Stupid stuff for handicap players.  I am glad to see they now offer a choice of colours, but I am afraid I am tainted for life where Carnoustie is concerned - not much desire to return.

Ciao

[Ed Brzezowski]

Bryan , regardless of what tees you play it is a great track. The day we played it was really fast and firm, plus the machine gun fire was unusual. The only downside was the caddy, mis clubbed and cost me a few strokes. 17 I was going to hit a hybrid , he talked me into a four wood, splash.
Cannot wait to get back. Did you try Crail yet?

[jeffwarne]

I' a big fan of playing various tees.
I often used to play the reds with my son, and try to hit the ball with a similar clubhead speed, and similar clubs so I had to run it in rather than fly it.

I think you should change the thread title though.
I'd say you figured out a way to ENJOY Carnoustie.
Hard to use the word BEAT from the red tees

[Bryan Izatt]

Sean,

You should give it another try, although the price point has gotten up there.  From the reds or yellows it can be enjoyable as well as a challenge.


Ed,

I played Crail a few years ago.  There are so many wonderful "secondary" courses to try and so little time.  The guys I played with at Carnoustie were going to Elie before they headed home the day after.  Elie is another place the average golf tourist doesn't usually get to.  It'd probably be a more suitable challenge and experience for them than the "championship" rota.

[Bill_McBride]

I' a big fan of playing various tees.
I often used to play the reds with my son, and try to hit the ball with a similar clubhead speed, and similar clubs so I had to run it in rather than fly it.

I think you should change the thread title though.
I'd say you figured out a way to ENJOY Carnoustie.
Hard to use the word BEAT from the red tees

When I'm walking a late afternoon nine with my wife, I will usually avoid our walk back tees by hitting a mid iron off the red tees.  

She still kicks my ass.  

[Bryan Izatt]

Jeff,

Aw c'mon, I've still got a little ego.    How's Gary See doing?  I really enjoyed Buda matches with him last year.

[jeffwarne]

Jeff,

Aw c'mon, I've still got a little ego.    How's Gary See doing?  I really enjoyed Buda matches with him last year.

Gary's good.
He's off to visit home in Portsmouth in November.

I actually made it to Southport area in July, which was great after missing you guys in September.
Stayed at Formby dormy.

And no, I don't now what color Julie's eyes are

[Sean_A]

Bryan

Carnoustie had its chance to impress.  At those prices, not many courses get a second chance to impress.

Jeff

What did you think of Formby?  Its my acid test to decide if I bother reading what folks have to say .

Did you play the Ladies?

Ciao

[Colin Macqueen]

Bryan,
Your "confession" drove me to re-read Patric Dickinson's wonderful description of Carnoustie's eighteen holes.  As he says ….. "Carnoustie is a really fascinating and attractive giant  "wot don't know 'is own strengf", not a malignant monster."

So it seems to me that you have, quite cleverly and sensibly,  drawn the teeth of this beast. I have found that, as a medium to short hitter, playing from forward tees brings the hazards and thus the architecture to the fore. The strategies required to circumvent such then have to be devised by me on a much more frequent basis making for a more interesting game.

Cheers Colin

[Tony_Muldoon]

Been a while since anyone posted this link

Patric Dikenson had a second look at Carnoustie.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jckcYq6b8L8



Surprised Sean didn't suggest the way to play Carnoustie at just over 6000 yards and a keen price, is to play the Burnside course.
Great fun. Same tight turf and land forms.

Pics here, second half of post 66, page 3
(not the best format for promoting course discussion I would say )
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,56097.50.html   

PS The only courses that are Must Plays in my eyes are ALL the ones that The Open has been played on.  Just Carnoustie and Troon to do.  Therefore I will go there with a sense of obligation and it's good to have a reminder to not be too ambitious about the distance I play it at if I want to have fun.

[Bryan Izatt]

Colin,

I found myself thinking the same thing.  How to play Hogan's Alley when the bunkering was actually reachable and maybe carryable, or should I try to carry the burn on 17, for instance.


Tony,

You could combine a day pass to the Championship course and Burnside, and then divide by two and feel that the Championship course was a

[Thomas Dai]

..... playing from forward tees brings the hazards and thus the architecture to the fore. The strategies required to circumvent such then have to be devised by me on a much more frequent basis making for a more interesting game.

This is an excellent point made by Colin. Better to appreciate the nuances of the design and construction when played from an appropriate tee. Too often original hazards etc are no longer in play once age catches up with you and your distance diminishes as a result. Conversely however, some of my ever best scores relative to par, including one surprisingly at Carnoustie, have been scored on courses playing so long I couldn't reach the hazards from the tee nor reach the greenside hazards with my second shots but from somewhere I managed a round of Seve-esque up-n-downs. Not many Seve-esque shortgame rounds in a career though.

All the best

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