Ed
Wash your mouth out with soap. What are you saying, are you really referring to that most iconic of Hole ‘The Redan’?
Should you not be whispering the name in reverence and respect. That Hole who’s existence pre dates the 1876/7 extension at North Berwick doing her duty defending herself and honour well before the greats even noticed her defences.
Her true qualities are that even with the aid of modern technology she has still been able to mount a serious defensive, yet much more probing with technology will not just breach her outer bastions, but more importantly destroy the Legend of The Redan.
But for what purpose , what is the point, technology will one day prevail over all, big deal, however the real question golfers should be asking themselves is ‘Did I beat the Redan, or was it my equipment?’ You will never be able to honestly answer yourself truthfully because if you are an honest man you know that your equipment, finally overpowered The Redan.
Does it not say a lot about the player that has to resort to Technology to overcome a golfing Hole, it’s enough to bring a tear to one’s eyes thinking that my fellow golfers would stoop so low. First to considering using technology (equipment, distance and cart aids), then to taking it on to a golf course to use it to play the game of golf.
Why not just change the design and make the Hole so much more simple, saving time and money in designing testing holes, after all we do not play golf for the challenge, Heaven forbid, what a mad thought.
Ed, its golf, look at all those drawings and sketches you have collated, look to their original design, that was the way the designers intended the course to be played. We set many of these old dead guys on High Pedestals and nearly worship their course, yet we are not willing to leave them the way they were set up. How weak and miserable golf has become if we have to rely on technology to give options for our great designs.
I understand you point but just how far do we go before common sense kicks in and we see what we are doing to our old courses. This is not a criticism of you but what is the point of collating all those great sketches and drawings of our golf courses if we are just going to sit back and let technology make the whole experience pointless.
Soon there will be no need for sites like GCA.com as there will be no design or architecture required in designing a course as we all want it easy, so golf will be playing on the internet – now that’s technology.
I trust you see my concerns re uncontrolled use of technology.
Melvyn
Mac I see the only option being on controlling technology based upon trying to keep our great courses, to lose a course for the sake of a low score in not golf, thats all about the one, the individual, ME, ME & ME.