The 144th Open Championship - Hole Locations (Round 4)

[Matthew Essig]

Round 1


-Flattened back left area on 11 being used
-Brutal location on 17

[Joe Bausch]

Could we see a 59 today?

[Matthew Essig]

Could we see a 59 today?

We could easily see a record-breaking 62 at a major at this rate of scoring.


59? Highly unlikely... but maybe.

[Ed Tilley]

David Lingmerth out in 29!

TOC soft with no wind this morning. I'd be surprised if someone doesn't beat 63. Wind getting up this afternoon through to the weekend so at least TOC has some defense.

[Niall C]

Intersting pin position on 11. Sure to get plenty of comment from commentators and players I'd have thought.


Niall

[Tom_Doak]

Is that also the hole location on the lower right part of #2 ?


I notice that they're using the new ones on the one day where it's going to be calm.

[Mark Bourgeois]

I notice that they're using the new ones on the one day where it's going to be calm.

Not only that, the 11th green's speed is slower than the others', according to what the greenkeeper told the U.S. announcers.

To recap: the 11th was flattened because slowing the green speed on just that hole was not considered viable, and so, under calm conditions, the left hole location is used but they had to slow the green to accommodate it.

Good job, good effort.

[Sean_A]

I like the new hole location for #11...whats not to like about it?  I also don't think they needed to slow the green down, but I suspect its better to be safe than sorry.  At the speeds we saw today, a higher back end for the green wouldn't make much difference anyway...no big deal to lose 6 inches so far as I can tell.


Ciao

[Matthew Essig]

Round 2

[Tom_Doak]

I'm not sure I've ever seen the hole location on #17 depicted in the diagram.  Can't wait to see that one on TV.  It's supposed to be an "easy" pin I guess, but it's got to be really close to the shelf that falls off toward the Road bunker, and if you play to the traditional spot for the second shot [short and right], you would have to aim away from the hole for the third.

[Adrian_Stiff]

I'm not sure I've ever seen the hole location on #17 depicted in the diagram.  Can't wait to see that one on TV.  It's supposed to be an "easy" pin I guess, but it's got to be really close to the shelf that falls off toward the Road bunker, and if you play to the traditional spot for the second shot [short and right], you would have to aim away from the hole for the third.

First time I have seen it and its the sort of thing I would have notice I think, since 1978 anyway.

[Tim Leahy]

This is ridiculous. They should not be playing in these conditions. This is no longer a major. It is a joke.

[Thomas Dai]

Nice to see low flighted second shots being played with the aim of bouncing and running up to the front pin on the 17th in the 2nd round.
Atb

[Matthew Essig]

Round 3



-Aren't the hole locations on 2/16 close to one another??? Only takes a 20 yard pull either way to find yourself next to the other hole?

[Alex Miller]

Sure seems like it! Also can't recall ever seeing 5 so far tucked behind that bunker.

[Matthew Essig]

Round 4

[Sean Walsh]

So the new bunkers on #2 irrelevant for the whole tournament.

I think it's time to name them.

I'm going with "The Dundee's" - A place no-one visits

[Niall C]

Sean


You cracked that "joke" on another thread, and it wasn't funny there either. With regards the pin positions at the second and the new bunkers, just because they haven't tucked the pin down beside them doesn't mean they don't come into play. You still have to work your way round them if planning to play to the right and putting up. Admittedly not likely with wind behind but with the wind against for the shorter hitters and the rest of us hacks during non-comp days they would come into play I would think.


Niall

[Adrian_Stiff]

A lot of quirky ones in this years Open, lots of pins right on the front throughout the whole championship    rd 4....the 5th /13th is a weirdy one from logistics point of view.

[Sean Walsh]

Niall,

Have they been relevant for this tournament?

Were they introduced to make the hole more difficult for the better players?

If the answers are yes and yes, Are the early indications that they have failed in their objective?

From Mr Huggan's article:

2nd Two new bunkers short and right of the green

“The tee here is an example of a change we made some time ago. It wasn’t all about making the drive harder; it was about getting a longer club in the player’s hands for the second shot.

“At St Andrews, it makes a huge difference when your ball is coming into a green high rather than low. So I want them to be hitting a 4-iron rather than an 8-iron. The problem now is that the course is as long as it is ever going to be.

When is a low handicapper going to be coming in with a 4iron on a 411yard hole (a bit more for the pros)? Not terribly often I'd have thought.

As for your thoughts on the 2nd you are of course welcome to them. I haven't been there since the changes and it is entirely possible that they affect play differently to how I think it would. But it seems from my own experience and from your own description that the major problem with them is the worse your handicap or shorter hitter you are the more they affect you. For a pro they make the hole marginally more difficult, for a low club player moderately more difficult, for the hacker coming in with 6iron+ they make the hole extremely difficult. For the 10-15hcp+ it was already a toughish par when the pin was on the right and very tough when up on the left (stroke index of 6).

For a hole that stats, and my own (much less valuable) anecdotal experience, would suggest is regularly one of the harder on the course. I just don't see the point.

Thanks for the comedy review, I'm sure you have impeccable credentials, I'll hold off on the stand up career.