How Dry Is Carnoustie?

[Mark Pearce]

Peter,


As Matthew says, even in winter links golf can be firm and fast.  Just not as firm and fast.  And links golf has always been year round.  IKt's easy for soft southern links golfers to play most of their golf in the winter and shoulder seasons but get up to Dornoch and it's barely light enough to play golf in the depths of winter.

[Jon Wiggett]

Mark,


it is rare you post such inaccurate information  as you should know that golf was originally a winter sport only as this was the only time the grass was grazed short enough to allow play. But as you point out in modern times (read the last 200 years) links golf has been all year round.


Matthew,


as David says, this year has been an exception with only two days with any real rainfall since mid-April (one of which today) it has been very dry. Add in the 30C (85F) heat and it is something that last occurred in 1976.


Finally,


Mark despite the lack of daylight up here in mid winter where it is only light enough for golf from 9am through to 3.30pm this still gives enough time for 36 holes at an average winter pace. Of course if this were in summer when the riffraff are allowed out over Dornoch then it might only be enough for a slow nine

[Sean_A]

Interesting, the last 200 years is modern times for golf...that might be an opinion very few hold 

I know folks get jacked up for cookie brown golf, but lets be clear, its not sustainable and if this is the case, are conditions perfect?  I would argue that we don't want divots disintegrating and billowing dust except in the fairly rare cases when nature demands it for short periods of time, but these conditions can't go too long or courses would die if they get a decent amount of traffic.  That much is clear because greens continue to be watered (and cut less) during these times even if there is no fairway irrigation.  Links is the prime example of seasonal golf, so yes, the seasons should have a major impact on course presentation.  The goal shouldn't be to present the course the same each day. However, courses still need to be sustained and all courses eventually need water.  My idea of perfect conditions are those which push a bit against nature, but remain comfortably safe sor sustainabilty and affordability.  This is when supers and green comms can really cooperate so the best can be had from the course.

Ciao

[Colin Macqueen]

Gentlemen,
When was the last time that Carnoustie got so much love and attention!?
Cheers Colin

[Lou_Duran]

Mark despite the lack of daylight up here in mid winter where it is only light enough for golf from 9am through to 3.30pm this still gives enough time for 36 holes at an average winter pace. Of course if this were in summer when the riffraff are allowed out over Dornoch then it might only be enough for a slow nine

Hey, I resemble that!

Question:  Does Carnoustie play harder in bone-dry condition or after a good soaking, assuming the same normal winds?

[MCirba]

Lou,


Goin to jump in with a guess that a wet longer course would play tougher for us mortals and a dry hopping course more difficult for the exacting professional experts for whom distance is less a consideration.


I hope you and yours are well.

[Jon Wiggett]

Lou,


Goin to jump in with a guess that a wet longer course would play tougher for us mortals and a dry hopping course more difficult for the exacting professional experts for whom distance is less a consideration.


I hope you and yours are well.

+1

[Kalen Braley]

This is in line with the other articles I've been seeing on the UK.  Doesn't appear to be just another summer dry spell in the region.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5928293/DROUGHT-order-Reservoirs-run-dry-46-day-dry-spell.html


https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6701166/uk-weather-heatwave-longest-hotspell-britain-42-years/

[Alex Miller]

This is in line with the other articles I've been seeing on the UK.  Doesn't appear to be just another summer dry spell in the region.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5928293/DROUGHT-order-Reservoirs-run-dry-46-day-dry-spell.html


https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6701166/uk-weather-heatwave-longest-hotspell-britain-42-years/

Funny enough the weather link at the bottom of the dailymail article projects thunderstorms over Carnoustie next week.

[Matthew Essig]

This is in line with the other articles I've been seeing on the UK.  Doesn't appear to be just another summer dry spell in the region.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5928293/DROUGHT-order-Reservoirs-run-dry-46-day-dry-spell.html


https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6701166/uk-weather-heatwave-longest-hotspell-britain-42-years/

Funny enough the weather link at the bottom of the dailymail article projects thunderstorms over Carnoustie next week.

Alex,

Since you peaked my curiosity about the weather, I decided to go look it up.

50% of showers Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday! It also looks like the wind won't be up those days.

But then again, a weather forecast can change a lot in week

[Lou_Duran]

Mike C-

That would be my thinking as well, but the Nelson at a very firm Trinity Forest suggested that the great players can pretty much adapt to anything.  Perhaps wind (which was largely missing) is the wild card.  Rough and water hazards as well, both factors at Carnoustie.

Hope all is well with the Cirbas as well.  Looking forward to Cobb Creek getting off the ground.

[David_Tepper]

Tiger on how Carnoustie is playing:

http://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/24105109/tiger-woods-plays-carnoustie-practice-round-ahead-open-championship

This week's weather forecast. No rain expected:

https://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/Scotland/Carnoustie/long.html

[Peter Flory]

I was just watching the golf channel's pre tournament coverage and noticed the crazy contrast between the bright green colored greens and the totally burnt out rest of the course.  It looks really strange. 


I'm assuming they are just trying to keep the greens alive, but will a shot 1 yard short of the green bounce over while one that is one yard on check up?  Haven't they let the greens go brown in the past? 

[Garland Bayley]

Tiger on how Carnoustie is playing:

http://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/24105109/tiger-woods-plays-carnoustie-practice-round-ahead-open-championship

This week's weather forecast. No rain expected:

https://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/Scotland/Carnoustie/long.html

Tiger "The fairways are running faster than the greens"

I was just watching the golf channel's pre tournament coverage and noticed the crazy contrast between the bright green colored greens and the totally burnt out rest of the course.  It looks really strange. 


I'm assuming they are just trying to keep the greens alive, but will a shot 1 yard short of the green bounce over while one that is one yard on check up?  Haven't they let the greens go brown in the past? 

Perhaps Tiger has already answered your question. And, my recollections is that yes they let the greens go brown in the past.

[Sean_A]

I was just watching the golf channel's pre tournament coverage and noticed the crazy contrast between the bright green colored greens and the totally burnt out rest of the course.  It looks really strange. 

I'm assuming they are just trying to keep the greens alive, but will a shot 1 yard short of the green bounce over while one that is one yard on check up?  Haven't they let the greens go brown in the past?

This is the main issue when courses get so crispy. The balance of firmness between fairways, aprons and greens gets out of whack. One can't blame supers for not allowing their greens to burn out with so much concentrated traffic.  To me, last week at Gullane looked pretty good and about the best we can hope for. 

Ciao

[Michael Tamburrini]

I don't think I've ever seen such a contast between fairway and green. It's like the greens were imported straight from Florida.


The ground game will be pointless with it being so soft, which is a shame.

[Peter Flory]

Looks like it is playing incredibly easy.  They are shooting darts from close range. 

[Jon Wiggett]

I think they will start to let the greens brown off a little through the tournament.

[Niall C]

With a bit of rain overnight, as expected, will they get the chance to brown off ?

Niall

[Matthew Essig]

With a bit of rain overnight, as expected, will they get the chance to brown off ?

Niall

My guess is not until Sunday

[Pete Lavallee]

I spent July in Scotland in 1989 and they experienced a similar summer, very hot with no rain. It was impossible to make putts on TOC as they refused to water for fear of the “meadow grass” taking over; obviously trying to maintain their fescue sward. We really enjoyed going to Carnoustie where the greens had that lime green tinge indicating that watering had encouraged Poa Annua. I suspect they still have a high percentage of Poa which in the long run makes it much easier to make putts in the 4-10 foot range.

[Thomas Dai]

The forecast for tonight/tomorrow seems to be for rain. To what extent and if it soaks in though......
Atb

[Jon Wiggett]

I spent July in Scotland in 1989 and they experienced a similar summer, very hot with no rain. It was impossible to make putts on TOC as they refused to water for fear of the “meadow grass” taking over; obviously trying to maintain their fescue sward. We really enjoyed going to Carnoustie where the greens had that lime green tinge indicating that watering had encouraged Poa Annua. I suspect they still have a high percentage of Poa which in the long run makes it much easier to make putts in the 4-10 foot range.

Pete,


is this post your novel attempt to get thrown off the site

[Ryan Coles]

I spent July in Scotland in 1989 and they experienced a similar summer, very hot with no rain. It was impossible to make putts on TOC as they refused to water for fear of the “meadow grass” taking over; obviously trying to maintain their fescue sward. We really enjoyed going to Carnoustie where the greens had that lime green tinge indicating that watering had encouraged Poa Annua. I suspect they still have a high percentage of Poa which in the long run makes it much easier to make putts in the 4-10 foot range.

Go straight to the front of the queue for membership of the greens committee.

[Thomas Dai]

I would love to have watched the recently deceased golfing great, Peter Thomson, play Carnoustie in these conditions.
Atb