In Praise of the golf course that belongs to Augusta National Golf Course

[Niall C]

Bob

You are correct, the changes to TOC is an old discussion and perhaps belongs on another thread so as not to sidetrack this one but it's hard to not respond to the all out attack on Dawson and the R&A regarding the changes. To characterise Dawson as having sole say on any changes is to totally mis-state the position.

With regards to doctoring championship courses, the main changes to most courses prior to Open's was to put in bunkers and put back tees. I take your point that after the Low changes there was perhaps limited work by way of new bunkers ( I hesitate to say none because I suspect that there may have been a few more added and some taken out after that date - time to reread Scott MacPherson's book) however there was plenty of discussion about it and reworking of existing bunkers as well as the new tees that were put in to show that there wasn't a no touching policy.

David

My suggestion that MacK had considerable experience of building on clay was based on the abundance of that type of soil in this country and the number of courses built on clay. Certainly MacK wrote about it in some of his articles and I think off the top of the head that he also wrote about it in Spirit of St Andrews.

In terms of actual examples, in Scotland you have Pitreave and Pollock and Erskine which are both redesigns.

Niall

[DMoriarty]

Niall, if not Dawson, then who is responsible for the decision to make the changes?   Can you provide some further insight as to how the process works? 

As for whether the was or wasn't a "no touching policy," the Eden green itself has always been controversial.  When was the last time it was modified before recently?

Thanks for the info on MacK and clay courses. 

[Niall C]

David

With regards to TOC and the management of it, I have no inside track and only know what I learned from going on the Links Trust website and from reading their Annual Reports that outlined the management structure. From what I recall the Committee dealing with the course management was made up of 7 members of which 2, perhaps more, were from R&A Greens Committee or whatever they call it. At the time when the TOC threads were going about I think I suggested that perhaps Dawson wasn't even one of those R&A reps on the Committee but I think I read since that he is definitely on the Committee.

The point however is that there is a clear management structure that decides these things and the suggestion that Dawson, or even the R&A dictate what happens or that changes are made on a whim just doesn't bear scrutiny.

I appreciate that Bob and others believe that TOC shouldn't be touched under any circumstances and I respect that, I don't agree with it, but I respect their view. What I think is wrong, and does them no favours, is personalising the issue and pretending its a dictatorship.

As an aside, I've never met Dawson but know those who have and have dealt with him in a professional capacity and they tell me he is a very effective manager/administrator who I suspect has got a strong influence in the direction of travel of the R&A. That said, given the calibre of people on the various committees in the R&A I doubt they are going to be dictated to, but thats just my take on it.

Niall

[DMoriarty]

Thanks Niall,  I don't know if the personalization of the discussion is appropriate and accurate or not, but I just assumed when Bob or someone is talking about Dawson it is a shorthand way of referring to the decision making process there, whether he is actually calling the shots or not.  Sometimes with committees one person is really calling the shots (CBM at NGLA is a possible example) and sometimes not.  It is hard to tell from the outside.

As to my second questiont, are you aware of any major (or minor) alterations to the contours of the Eden green before these.   If so, when were they? 

[Robert Kimball]

The fact that Augusta National gave us perhaps one of the coolest pictures in golf is reason enough to love it. It's Christmas in April starting next week.