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.

[Simon Barrington]

...Opposing such ideas were John Low, Herb Fowler and other R&A members (I suspect, but without clear evidence, the Colt was involved. He was Low's classmate from Cambridge days and a friend.) who had very different ideas about how hazards ought to function. They liked the how the old hazards on TOC affected play. Better yet, they were in a position to preserve them and that's just what they did.

At different points over the first years of the 20th century, Low and Fowler served on the R&A Green Committee. They, Colt, Alison, Hutchings, Hutchinson, Hall Blyth and others involved in golf design also served on the powerful R&A Committee on the Rules. Low was the most prominent voice on both committees. He pushed back against the kinds of criticisms noted above.  Thank goodness.

Low and Fowler did add about 13 bunkers to TOC from about 1899 to 1904, most at the sides of holes 2 through 7. (The why and wherefore of those new bunkers is a longer, interesting story.) They were not the kind of bunkers that Taylor, Hilton et al. wanted to see added. For that reason they created a firestorm when built. The arguments they triggered gave rise, I think, to some of the earliest articulations of the basics of strategic golf architecture. Low was at the center of that back and forth. A remarkable moment...

Bob   

Bob,

I have recently been researching more on James Braid (a life's work) and also coincidentally digging into Augusta's design and connection to TOC, hence looking at these old posts

(BTW, Bobby Jones invited James Braid to play in the 1938 Masters, but of course Braid's well published sea-sickness precluded that).


I found the following, which you may already be aware of, but perhaps may be of interest to the wider group?

Regarding the new bunkering on TOC for the Open in 1905 signficant criticism came from several professionals (led by JH Taylor of course as "shop-steward") including;

Willie Anderson (2x US Open Champion)
“In my opinion they have ruined St Andrews…it is only possible to ‘shoot’ on the line on two of the eighteen holes…a drive a few yards off the intended line being penalised a deal worse than a bad pull or slice”

&

Alex Smith (Carnoustie born but US resident)
“Bunkers have been added in bunches recently, all in the line of the cups.”

One notable quiet/absent voice ahead of the Championship was James Braid, who IMHO was the facilitator or "Bridge" between the Penal group ("Professionals" & Hilton) and the Strategic group (Low et al.)

Braid was of course crowned Champion Golfer that year and after receiving the trophy in front of the R&A he was asked about the changes to the course, he replied
“In my opinion the new bunkers put in greatly improved the course, and the only fault with them is being too small.
You certainly have to use more thought than before as to the direction of your drive,
but this is surely as it should be on a course when playing for a championship"

Thus it is clear that Braid was both wholly understanding of strategic principles in design and embraced these changes as being appropriate.
He clearly explained his belief in these in "Advanced Golf" (1908)

This of course is interesting as he has by some been mistaken for being in the penal school (by dint of being a Professional) that is not so.

He did like a penal individual hazard (or many) but he placed these, strategically.

Subsequently he went on to successfully remodel Prestwick, Royal Cinque Ports (Deal), Troon (then Old now Royal) and Carnoustie for subsequent Opens. He was the original "Open Doctor".

Cheers