Who would make a better Open Doctor than Rees?

[JESII]

Chuck,

I do not know the hole at all, so tell me, would a shorter tee for member play allow them to now take on a riskier tee shot...as they wish? Would that comprimise the hole too much, in that the second might become too short and easy? again, I do not know the hole at all so am just asking out of curiosity based on your posts here. thanks.

[Sean_A]

Chuck

Like you, I was almost certain that the centreline bunker at 15 was a Ross creation, but I can't be sure.  From recollection, the hole is about 415 from the back and the bunker is maybe 260 off the tee.  The thing that throws me is that this yardage sounds suspiciously like the 1951 Jones redo.  

I was reading that the course is being (has been extended - the course has been shut most if not all of this summer as I understand it) to nearly 7500 yards.  I think this is about 300 yards longer than the '96 Open.  Where is all this extra length going?  I can see 6 & 7 being lengthened a bit, but not much else.  Besides, #6 is the last par 4 under 400 yards.  Its starting to get really silly.

I am also told that loads of bunkers are going in (and I am sure some coming out).  I think there are about 7 holes with the wasp bunkering as it is (a real feature on the front 9) and a few more which pinch in because of trees or water.  When you throw in rough, does the course need anymore trouble?  Honestly, things are really getting out of control.  

Ciao

[Chuck Brown]

Sean, Number 15 is 401 from the tips (I think you might be in danger of brushing the boundary fence on your backswing if you moved a clublength back from the tee markers at that distance).  And the centerline fairway bunker is at about 250 yards.  Something like 230 or 240 from a more standard tee location.

OHCC has been bumped up to about 7440 yards, from what was previously about 7140 yards.  They did so largely be simply moving tees back wherever it was possible, and not moving tees back where a given hole's second shot dictated it, because in those places, moving the tees back was simply not possible.  So terrific holes like 1, 2, 6, 11, and 15 are trapped where their tees are located and are becoming painfully short by 21st century standards.

Lengthening-room was available at 5, 8, 9, 14, and 17, and those holes have been made about as fearsome and as brutal as is tolerable under even benign conditions.