A Look At The Centenary/Ryder Cup Course

[David_Tepper]

John Huggan takes a look:

http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2014/09/a-sneak-peek-at-gleneagles-rev.html

[Peter Pallotta]

David, thanks -- but I sure hope the course doesn't play as hard as that piece was to read! Yikes: what a wordy, convoluted jangle that was. 
Peter

[jeffwarne]

David, thanks -- but I sure hope the course doesn't play as hard as that piece was to read! Yikes: what a wordy, convoluted jangle that was. 
Peter

and horribly predictable and tired

[Tim Leahy]

Will this course help the USA at all? Because I get the feeling that the Euro's are set up to dominate. USA is going to need divine intervention to keep it close.

[David_Tepper]

"Will this course help the USA at all?"

Tim L. -

I doubt it. The Centenary course has hosted Euro Tour events a number of times in past years. My guess is many of the members of the Euro team have already played the course a good number of times under tournament conditions. Collectively, their local knowledge of the course is much greater.

DT

[Mark_Rowlinson]

All the Ryder Cups that the Europeans have won on home soil since Lindrick have been on modern-style courses. That's what they play every day on the European Tour, with the exception of the Open and the Dutch Open and, depending on venue, the Scottish Open.

[Thomas Dai]

Any GCAer's planning to be at Gleneagles either on the practice or competition days?

atb

[Ulrich Mayring]

Wow, what a travesty! Was there ever a course more artificially imposed on the land than this one? At least in Scotland?

[Dean Stokes]

I was there yesterday and thankfully won't be there at the weekend. We stayed in Edinburgh and had an hour and 15 train ride in. There were only 13,000 in attendance and there will be 45,000 for the three tournament days - the trains were busy yesterday so I can't imagine how they will be at the weekend.
As for the course.....I have always been told if you haven't anything good to say don't say anything at all. I thinks that says it all but then I was spoiled the day before at Gullane!

[Josh Stevens]

I suppose in defence, the Ryder cup is the one event where the venue is really not that relevant.  they could play it at the local public track and it would still be exciting.

Having said that, it is a pity that not only do they not choose the best course in Perthshire (that's Blairgowrie) but not even the best course at Gleneagles.

Still, its a long and noble tradition for the European tour to hold the event on something ghastly so I guess we should not expect anything different

[David_Tepper]

Anyone else think the Centenary Course is providing a good test?

[Rick Shefchik]

Anyone else think the Centenary Course is providing a good test?

I do. I've never been there, but I find many of the holes to be memorable from viewing it for two days on television. Several risk/reward holes, a premium on keeping tee shots in the fairway, and greens that provide interesting hole locations. It doesn't make me want to jump on a plane and play it, but if I found myself in Perthshire, I would. It's a perfectly good Ryder Cup venue.

[Mark Chaplin]

Had Gleneagles wanted the event on the Kins course it would have been as they are putting up the cash. The owners missed a trick thinking Americans would flock to play a Nicklaus course in Scotland, of course most overseas visitors are coming for the links experience. Using the Nicklaus course guarantees green fee revenue for years.

[Chris_Hufnagel]

I realize the greens are a bit slower than what the pros usually see stateside and they look to be rolling very true, but I can't remember the last time I saw so many putts - from 8' to 30' - made when they matter so much.  I realize it is a small field representing the best golfers from the U.S. and Europe, but for awhile there everything seemed to be going in...

[Dean Stokes]

Anyone else think the Centenary Course is providing a good test?

I do. I've never been there, but I find many of the holes to be memorable from viewing it for two days on television. Several risk/reward holes, a premium on keeping tee shots in the fairway, and greens that provide interesting hole locations. It doesn't make me want to jump on a plane and play it, but if I found myself in Perthshire, I would. It's a perfectly good Ryder Cup venue.

Rick, not wanting an argument but a few questions......I was there Tuesday, one of the worst courses I have seen in the British Isles (in great condition) if you like green and soft. Please explain the risk/reward holes as I didn't see one. Why is the only decent hole on the course, 14, which is drivable, shaved around the green but no other hole is? Lots of holes could have been much better set up and the "premium" on hitting a fairway is generally on every course in the world I have played with maybe some added inches due to weather in Scotland. Thanks. Ps. 11 could have been THEE best hole if played at 290 uphill which would have let them have a go blind and over a creek......do the course organizers not see what I do:)

[Paul Gray]

I was there on Friday and my overwhelming feeling was that it's a course on a huge expanse of land which is begging to be turned into something far better. Holes such as the 7th and 15th have the scope to become expansive, strategic holes but have been pinned in to only facilitate one line of approach. Replace some water with more locally appropriate gorse and you might be able to create something worth playing.

[Adam Clayman]

When John Derr informed Bobby Jones that The Masters would be televised, but only the greens, Mr. Jones replied with words akin to, 'At least you'll be able to prove a round ball, when struck with a flat implement, will roll".

This resort course course must be breaking a record.

The least number of acumulated inches of break, ever putted in a Ryder Cup.

It's been a great year of watching the Rory Dart.
Wtg Lads.

The course had me initially confused. I couldn't tell if it was a Nicklaus, or, a Nugent.

[Jon Wiggett]

I was there yesterday and though I would have preferred it on the far superior Kings I cannot imagine how it would have coped with the number of spectators.

The course itself is terrible especially given what a great piece of land it is laid out on. Everyone involved in the designing of this tragedy should hang their head in shame. It really is that bad. I struggle to find any redeeming features about it except it copes well with vast numbers of spectators.

Jon

[Rick Shefchik]

Rather than me defend a course I've only seen on television, I'd really like to read more detailed criticism of the course. Why is it a tragedy? A travesty? It did look like a U.S. course, but by extension, does that make all similar U.S. courses artificial? I get that it's a wonderful piece of land, but it sure doesn't look like a place where a traditional British links course could be built. Soft? I have no idea what the weather's been like in Perthshire lately, but you can't always firm up a course. There were a few greens that didn't seem to hold shots that didn't land in the proper spot.

Educate me -- why should I have hated what I saw on TV?

[John Kirk]

The least number of accumulated inches of break, ever putted in a Ryder Cup.

I thought the course played pretty easy for these players.  They just destroy courses with flatter greens.  That type of course does not challenge them anymore.  There were so many birdies.  I would guess the average score was somewhere between 68 and 70.

[Bill Brightly]

Is there a way to find out total sand save percentage? From what I saw, I'd say the pros got it up and down about 90% of the time. Perfectly manicured sand, rarely a truly challenging stance or shot. "Get in the Bunker!" never had more meaning...

[Jon Wiggett]

Rather than me defend a course I've only seen on television, I'd really like to read more detailed criticism of the course. Why is it a tragedy? A travesty? It did look like a U.S. course, but by extension, does that make all similar U.S. courses artificial? I get that it's a wonderful piece of land, but it sure doesn't look like a place where a traditional British links course could be built. Soft? I have no idea what the weather's been like in Perthshire lately, but you can't always firm up a course. There were a few greens that didn't seem to hold shots that didn't land in the proper spot.

Educate me -- why should I have hated what I saw on TV?

Rick,

Basically they have produced a course where the player hits it from a flat teeing ground to a flat landing area giving the perfect angle into a green tilted to receive the shot. It is a course designed to make the players look good and not present any real challenge. It is in a way 'faux' championship golf. At least the Belfry was a potato field turned into a poor golf course where as this course is prime golfing land turned into a poor golf course.

I know Tom Doak gave the Castle course a '0' and that at least presents the golfer with some interesting lies and shots so I wonder what the Centenary would score.

Jon

[Paul Gray]

Jon,

My personal feeling was that it actually could be converted in to a reasonable course if only width were allowed to be utilised. I'm not suggesting it could ever be outstanding but it could at least hold some strategic interest, at least with regard to some of the par 4s.

Would you not agree?

[Carl Rogers]

Just to see it on the tube, the mowing lines seemed almost silly and contrived .... but yet the rough was the only penalty (otherwise they all shoot 62 with soft greens).  The course seemed too short.

[Marty Bonnar]

The horrible thing is they're starting to employ these mowing patterns on the old courses too. Blech.
F.