[Chris Kane]

Well, another Heineken Classic is upon us, again being played on the esteemed Composite Course at Royal Melbourne.

I am sorry to report that the weather has not been kind.  Today has been yet another dismal Melbourne summer day, with persistent rain and a dash of hail a few moments ago.  The forecasts indicate that this will continue until Saturday.  Apparantly the greens were very firm and lightning quick yesterday during the pro-am, but are no doubt softer and slower after today's downpour.  Low scores can be expected.

A talking point this week has been the reduction in par from 72 to 71.  The 10th hole (2nd on the West course) has been reduced by 21m and from par-5 to 4, in response to the technology problem.  The media has referred to this change as making the course tougher.  I am puzzled by this - the scores will the same whether its a 5 or 4, and in a tournament the players are competing against each other, rather than the course.  All the change will do is lower the scoring average for that hole, as players hit 1.5 - 2 clubs less with their approach shots.  Therefore, isn't the course now easier?

With the annual discussion about whether RM is obsolete, the technology crisis is reported on by the media, which can only be a good thing.  

Should be a great week.

[Jari Rasinkangas]

Chris,

I am really looking forward to watch it on TV.  The Finnish Sports Channel shows all four days.

It is always very interesting to look at the MacKenzie's master piece.  Especially the bunkering is so pleasing for the eye.  

I hope that I will have a change to play it someday.

This year there is one Finnish player, Mikko Ilonen, in the competition but I think it will be tough to get to the last two rounds for him.  His game has been lost lately.

Jari

[Shane Gurnett]

It will be interesting to see how the pins are set up for the first few days, especially after the criticism of last year when the course was viewed as being set up too easy (no doubt fuelled by Els 60 on Day 1).

[Sean_A]

Chris

Of course you are correct in your statements about toughening the course.  When I speak of toughening the course I mean SS in relation to par.  For me, the ideal SS for the course equals par or there abouts (for pros about 10 shots over par is more like it, imagine a par 70 with an SS of 80!).  Once the SS starts to get 3 shots above par, I know these tees (or course) are not for me!

Of course for handicap purposes (should RM decide to make this a permanent par 4), this change would probably make a significant difference in how shots are distributed.

Ciao

Sean

[Chris Kane]

Sean, the change will only be for the tournament.  The members play 12W (14 on the composite) as a par-5, while the pros play it as a four.  If the Club were to change the pars for the two holes, the West would become a par 70, which is about right I think.  

[David_Elvins]

Chris,

I think it is good that 2W has been changed from a Par 4 to a Par 5.  But why the need to also shorten it by 20 yards?  

How will this change the way the hole is played?  

From what I read in the paper (not always the most reliable source) I take it that anyone taking driver will have to flirt with the trees.  This will make it a more interesting hole as some people will take driver and some will lay up and the green is a hard one to hit, putting a premium on attacking it from the shortest distance possible.  Therefore shortening the hole will not only make the hole harder in relation to par but create a greater dispersion of score by adding a risk reward element to the tee shot.  

To those people that have seen/played the hole, am I close or not?

[Mike_Clayton]

Dave

The only reason the hole was shortened was the tournament director was worried about balls flying left onto the tee from the 17th East (9 this week).
It has never been a problem before but as 2w is now a starting hole (10th) there are  constant and long accumulations of players there.
 You play the hole the same - it's just easier to make 4.
They should have left it where it was - the hole is less than 500 yards.
I don't see any risk/reward decisions with the tee shot.The only problem is it's a little easier to run out into the left trees if you hit a hook.It's just a rip/fade down there.
With all the rain the course should play a little more like it does in April or May.

[Chris Kane]

David, they all used to take driver from the tee from the old tee, and you would never see them lay up unless they were forced to.  The green might be a tough one to hit and hold for us mere mortals with a three-wood, but with a short-iron, it will be no trouble.

The fairway is about sixty yards wide, therefore the trees being in play isn't as big an issue as one would think.  In any tournament in the world, a sixty yard fairway will see the field using driver.

[James Bennett]

Well, Melbourne weather has hit with a vengeance at RM.  Yesterday's rain was the highest in 156 years.  125mm of rain fell in the last 24 hours - thats 5 inches.  That is unbelievable for a mediterranean climate, perhaps not for the tropics or equatorial area.  This is a place that has about 25 inches a year, with normal monthly rainfall at this time of the year between 1 and 2 inches for the month!

The outcome, the tournament has been postponed for 2 hours - yes, only 2 hours delay for 5 inches of rain in the last 24 hours.  I guess that shows the definition of 'sandbelt'.

An earlier thread was on the RM bunkers and their architectural merit, with players appearing to try and avoid them in the President's Cup.  We commented on the firm faces and sides, with the ball rolling to the floor of the bunker.  This weather will certainly test the design and maintenance of these bunkers - I look forward to seeing the vision on Television tonight.

I think Ernie Els, Peter Lonard and Adam Scott are in the first groups.  It will be interesting to see how the course plays with mild weather  with temperatures in the teens (ie about 60 US) and the fairways not as dry bevause of the rain.  The greens will have lost a lot of fire.

[tonyt]

perhaps composite could complete the picture and play as a par 70. I think it should. #4W (formerly #14 composite, now #2 composite geez this is confusing) was played throughout the AUS PGAs in the 1970s as usually a par 4, albeit from the next tee box slightly forward (around 470 yards going on the older editions of the World Atlas of Golf) Now they could do the same from the current back tee. The carry is no longer diabolical, and the green has ground access, so why not call it and #2W (formerly #2 composite, now #10 composite) par 4s for any event and then the pros take a virtual 8 more shots in relation to par and nobody grumbles about technology  

And is having a 16th hole near the clubhouse as opposed to #4W as #16 such an enormous advantage? I think the old composite routing craps all over the current one. The current composite 17th is so wrongly positioned throughout the round as to be a huge disadvantage. The current composite 1st is a hole so much better placed to be played later in the day with firmer conditions in afternoon winds, and the old composite stretch of #9-#12 was a great "amen corner".

[James Bennett]

Tony T

and the change in playing order of the old composite first to the 17th composite may also have influenced the need for the officials to deem that this year the hole out of bounds when playing the 18th hole .  The traditional weekend pin position of back right is difficult (?impossible) to attack from the fairway/right rough.  In prior years, the vacant first composite could be used (now, the occupied 17th) to provide a line from the left.

I don't have the experience to say whether this is a good thing, or a bad thing.  I just know it is happening.

[mike_beene]

I wish RM just had 18 holes.This reminds me of marathons where the leader takes a wrong turn.Do the members ever play the composite course?Can you imagine a shotgun start?Go to 7w which is 3c which used to be12 c...

[James Bennett]

Mike

I am not aware of the member's playing the composite course.  Royal Melbourne's 36 holes are laid out over 4 separate parcels of land (referred to as 'paddocks' at RM).  These parcels of land are each separated by public roads, some local traffic and one a main road.  A sophisticated gate access system is used.  In playing the west, most play is on the main paddock, with some holes in a paddock to the N-W.  The East has some holes in the main paddock, with the balancein paddocks to the East and N-E.  If the composite course were played, there would be an extremely poor routing of the remaining 18 holes.  The N-W and Easterly paddocks are close to a mile apart.  Composite course players 'walk' some isolated, excluded holes to get to the next composite hole. So, for the purpose of crowd control, television and ease of play, the composite course was developed.  It was first used for the Canada Cup (in the 1950's or 1960's, not sure).  This was the predecessor of the World Cup.

The thing that gets me are the recent routing changes (initiated at the President's Cup I think).  I can't remember which hole is which, or more particularly which hole is next when I watch the TV.  Then again, age is starting to get to me.  If I was younger, I expect the change would be fine

[Brian Walshe]

The members play the Composite once or twice a year.  World Cup at RM was in 1959 and yes the new "President's Cup" routing is far inferior to the old routing.

[Danny Goss]

And what annoys me the most is that I dont "know" the holes any more. I have to look carefully at each one to figure which one it was on the "old composite" and is on either the East or West course.
I need my map from the local paper and it doesnt seem right.  

[mike_beene]

James,you say age is starting to get you.The first thing I do is look up your age on the profile.Your a ripe,old 45.I'm 44.help!But I'm still young enough to win an Open,except for the talent part.

[James Bennett]

Mike

I may be only 45, but Its 34 years on (or so) since I first started watching golf at RM on TV.  I think I can still remember the old composite routing from 1 through 18, what came next, where players might go and where they shouldn't.  Its a mini-Augusta in Australia (although not always an anual event).  You look forward to whats coming up.  Where is the little par 3 7th, the short dog-leg 8, the tough run from 9 thru 12, the little par 4 13 to the downhill sloping green, the dog leg right 14 and 15 with their awesome carries, wicked pins and horrendous rough, the daunting uphill 16th, the long 17th (well, it used to be long).  At least the 18th is still there.  I don't know where the short 4 3rd is now.  I'll need to get a Melbourne paper with an overhead layout.

Its like putting a favorite CD on in the car and hitting 'random play'.  You enjoy every song, but what the hell will they play next?   :)Imagine if they re-routed Augusta and amen-corner was split, some holes on the front nine, some on the back. And 15,16 becoming the 9,10! Its just not the same.

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