[Matt_Ward]

I need to amend my previous comments given what many of have contributed ...

If toughness and overall design detail is calculated as two items worthy of 50/50 weight would Rye fare even better ?

Rich G:

Thanks for the comments ... love the coffee connection pardner !

Rich, at 6,600 yards is there enough differentiation with the par-4's -- both design wise and topography to justify such a lofty position? In all the photos I have seen I am amazed at how each of the holes is uniquely situated and I can see clearly at how recoverying around these devilish targets can be quite vexing.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Matt

Finnegan is just exercising the writer's right to hyperbole.  Rye is in my world top-10 in the following categories:

--overall golfing experience
--clubs I would like to be a member of
--courses that are fun to play
--venues for the President's Putter
--winter golf

It might make it into the top-10 English courses, but I haven't played enough of the non-Open rpta ones to comment intelligently.  Of the ones I've played I'd rate it above Alwoodley but below Deal.

As for toughness, any top links course can be nearly impossible when played in a combination of heavy wind and highly tuned fast and firm conditions.  Because of its layout along ridges and its cross winds, Rye probably punches above it's weight in this category, but it is nothing compared to Sandwich or Lytham, say, each of which is not just tricky but also long.

By all means play Rye when you get the chance, but it will be putty in your hands, Pardner.  Next time you see Finnegan tell him to wake up and smell the coffee!

Rich

Richard, you have more experience than I at playing the top links courses.  But I played Sandwich in the morning, made the impossibly slow drive to Rye and played it in the afternoon in virtually the same conditions.  Both my buddy and I had a much more difficult time making pars at Rye than at Royal St. George.  We did, however, play from the member tees at both.  I don't know what it would have been like from the back tees.

[Rich Goodale]

Tommy

I've never played the back tees either, at either course, but as there is so much more length available at Sandwich, it just has to be harder.  I'm not saying Rye is at all easy, just that it is not ball-bustingly hard.  One thing to remember is that Rye is designed more as a winter course than a summer one.  In ye olden days, little golf was played in the summer at courses such as this (cricket being the preferred summer game for the English toffs), so the slopes and angles at Rye when firm and fast were probably rarely thought of until recently.

Matt

i don't know Rye well enough to comment on your comments.  I will say that outside of the land near the main road (1, 2 and a few others) there is great movement and a routing full of variety and creativity.  That is one of the reasons it is held in such high esteem, again IMHO.

Rich

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