Are you kidding me? Play suspended for wind?

[John Moore II]

no, George,  but the site of a six foot nine guy getting knocked out of his stance and staggering to stay up if hilarious!  And a life story.  You don't see that every day.

And I don't care what you say, playing in high winds (as long as it isn't cold and rainy) is fun.  Down.  Right. Fun.

BBC Announcers "It's not that bad on the rest of the course, at 11 it's tougher."

They are bantering back and forth.

You've never played in 30mph winds have you? Its not fun. A few years back, when I could really stripe the ball, probably playing to a +2 handicap at the time, I played a tournament on a 6200ish yard course. Wind blowing 25+, driving rain (to the point that I thought they should have suspended play due to casual water on the greens) and temps hovering around 40 degrees. I shot 80, I was in 3rd place after that round, and I still say that given those conditions, that was one of the best rounds I've ever played. Don't tell me that playing in high winds is fun, at least not when they get up to 25mph or greater. 15 is kind of fun, 25 is not.

[Jay Flemma]

Yes, I have...with the old pro at the Rawls Course and an old football assistant coach for texas tech, (and my 6'9" friend).  Yes, it is ufn, as long as it isn't cold or rainy.

[Mike Hendren]

Yes, I have...call the pro at Rawls Course and ask.

Jay, I just got off the phone with the assistant professional at the Rawls Course.  When asked, his reply was "who the hell is Jay Flemma?"  Followed by: "Only a dumb-a#@ would play golf in 50 mphs winds."

Bogey

[PCCraig]

If a golf ball can't remain in it's place on a putting green and a player can't address a ball without it moving they should 100% suspend play in a Major Tournament. There is playing in the 20mph wind with your buddies on a fall day, then there is playing in 40mph gusts for thousands of dollars on major television. No one should loose a tournament by a stroke because they took a penelty after their ball wiggled.

It's scary that everyone assumes that the R&A is crazy for haulting play.  

[Jay Flemma]

The old pro...the guy before him, Leon.  From a couple years ago.

Nice to see you're still classy, Bogey.

[Sean_A]

I'm guessing most people grossly overestimate wind speeds.  20 mph is a lot of wind and I can't fathom that many, if any have played an extended stretch of golf in 50 mph winds.

The modern Beaufort Scale, named after Sir Francis Beaufort, is used in the shipping forecast broadcast on BBC in the UK.  Winds between 39 and 46 mph (62-74 km/h) are classified as a "Gale."  Among land effects, cars veer on the road and "progress on foot is seriously impeded."

You purists must really find it challenging to play your hickories and featheries in gale force winds.  

Bogey

Bogey

You don't have to convince me.  The number of guys on this site who play in weekly 40mph winds on greens stimping 13 is incredible.  I have untold number of rounds (must be at least 400) on links and the amount of times the wind was 40mph can be counted on two hands.  Only once would I say it was unplayable and that was when balls on the greens kept moving and I would be surprised if the greens stimped 9.  That was a steady 40 mph gusting to 50 and 60mph.  Totally unplayable if one is in a comp.  We played they had our money!), but it wasn't much fun trying to stay out of Muirfield's rough. Bottom line, when balls move about on the greens play must be suspended.  Then one must question the set up.  If this is the result of 10 stimp, then the greens should be cut at 9.  

Ciao  

[PCCraig]

Yes, I have...call the pro at Rawls Course and ask.

Jay, I just got off the phone with the assistant professional at the Rawls Course.  When asked, his reply was "who the hell is Jay Flemma?"  Followed by: "Only a dumb-a#@ would play golf in 50 mphs winds."

Bogey

That's funny. I called him as well and he said you were on your way to shooting 120 before they found you in the fetal position in a bunker on 17 too afraid to play in the wind

[Tom Birkert]

My former room mate played in The British Amateur at Royal St George's a few years ago. The wind was so strong that on 4 they had to aim down the path from the tee, as no one could even reach the sahara bunker. He hit driver, 3 wood, 3 wood and was still short of the green.

[Jay Flemma]

Bogey, I just got off the phone with the assistant assistant pro from six jumps back...he thinks you're crazy too:)

[Melvyn Morrow]

LIKE THE REAL GAME OF GOLF WHERE HAVE ALL THE REAL MEN GONE - Oh how the mighty have fallen, worst still how The Open is being disrespected by its own Governing Body. They so love tinkering pity common sense has not prevailed re controlling technology, but then stop The Open due to the wind. Never heard the like, how far have we fallen, can’t walk can’t judge distances, now can’t play in the rain - Young Tommy they have shamed you with the replica belt now they can't play in the wind.  

Melvyn

Wind, when we were young we wanted for the wind and snow. Those were the days of early morning swim in the North Sea (all year round) a good round in the morning and afternoon, it keeps you young

[Mike Hendren]

The old pro...the guy before him, Bogey.  From a couple years ago.

Nice to see you're still classy.

Have we met?

It's a joke, son.
-Foghorn Leghorn

[Jay Flemma]

Fine, let's call the whole thing off.

[Jay Flemma]

Okay.  Tournament re-started.

[Tom_Doak]

Peter Alliss had it nailed.  The players all want the greens to be fast, but then when they are fast the wind makes putting impossible, and then they want play to be called.

It is a bad situation.  I agree that it's hard to mark your ball and line up the cheater line when the ball might move on the green, but it is also true that when the wind is blowing 35 the players WANT THEM TO STOP PLAY and some may worry about the ball moving on the green more than is warranted.

[John Moore II]

LIKE THE REAL GAME OF GOLF WHERE HAVE ALL THE REAL MEN GONE - Oh how the mighty have fallen, worst still how The Open is being disrespected by its own Governing Body. They so love tinkering pity common sense has not prevailed re controlling technology, but then stop The Open due to the wind. Never heard the like, how far have we fallen, can’t walk can’t judge distances, now can’t play in the rain - Young Tommy they have shamed you with the replica belt now they can't play in the wind.  

Melvyn

Wind, when we were young we wanted for the wind and snow. Those were the days of early morning swim in the North Sea (all year round) a good round in the morning and afternoon, it keeps you young

Melvyn, if, but some strange occurrence, (there is about a .000001% chance this will ever happen) I ever win a major, I am going to have some massive championship belt crafted for myself. Something like this one here, only much more blingy and colorful.

[Matt_Ward]

Guys:

Get real please.

The example of the 3rd round from Muirfield was a joke and it scerwed Tiger royally -- among others.

That round should not have continued.

If balls are moving on the greens then holding off play for the moment makes sense.

For all you self-annointed traditionalists please spare us the lectures that the game suffers because of such a sensible call.

[Martin Toal]

Melvyn's local insight notwithstanding, I don't think the R&A make too many terrible decisions, although failing to ban John Daly's trousers pushes the envelope. The integrity of the round was being compromised, and it was eminently sensible to delay for an hour. Still pretty tricky conditions, it seems.

[JSlonis]

The players don't set up the golf course.  What the hell are they supposed to do if their ball won't stay in place on the greens?

I don't understand the outrage. 

[Bill_McBride]

I'm guessing most people grossly overestimate wind speeds.  20 mph is a lot of wind and I can't fathom that many, if any have played an extended stretch of golf in 50 mph winds.

The modern Beaufort Scale, named after Sir Francis Beaufort, is used in the shipping forecast broadcast on BBC in the UK.  Winds between 39 and 46 mph (62-74 km/h) are classified as a "Gale."  Among land effects, cars veer on the road and "progress on foot is seriously impeded."

You purists must really find it challenging to play your hickories and featheries in gale force winds.  

Bogey

It's a lot easier with a gutty, and much easier with a Haskell ball!   

[PCCraig]

I heard Old Tom won his first Open in a Tornado, when it was snowing, after battling a flu bug after being dumb enough to swim in freezing water. What an amazing person and true MAN of a golfer.

[Tim Bert]

I'm guessing most people grossly overestimate wind speeds.  20 mph is a lot of wind and I can't fathom that many, if any have played an extended stretch of golf in 50 mph winds.

The modern Beaufort Scale, named after Sir Francis Beaufort, is used in the shipping forecast broadcast on BBC in the UK.  Winds between 39 and 46 mph (62-74 km/h) are classified as a "Gale."  Among land effects, cars veer on the road and "progress on foot is seriously impeded."

You purists must really find it challenging to play your hickories and featheries in gale force winds.  

Bogey

Bogey - As I recall that famed match on the South course we played a couple of years ago must have had gusts of up to 5-7 mph.  You know that I can play in the wind.

[Sean Leary]

Just waiting for someone to post that they stopped play to make sure Tiger stays in the mix. Only thing that can be dumber than the posts already on these two threads.

[Phil Benedict]

See they are playing again.  Tiger 2 over after 3.  I guess the wind is still blowing.

[John Moore II]

I heard Old Tom won his first Open in a Tornado, when it was snowing, after battling a flu bug after being dumb enough to swim in freezing water. What an amazing person and true MAN of a golfer.

Its also reputed that the River's Ayr and Irvine froze over as well.

[Tim Pitner]

I thought it was interesting the player who seemed to bring the issue to the fore was Dufner who was cruising along at +5.  (Maybe it would have happenened to anyone on that hole at that time?)