In my life time TOC has become smaller. Scores have tumbled and while technology goes on apparently unchallenged, the problem is continuing, it’s getting much worse.
If you lived by the sea on a cliff, would you wait until most of your garden has fallen over the cliff edge before considering how to protect your house? Because quite frankly that is how your comment is coming across.
The clear signal is that there is a problem. There is a problem for many courses built pre WW2.
Many of the established courses have limited land to continue much more expansion, so I am very concerned as to what will happen to them?
You all have your own views and that’s great, but some of us go way past playing golf to caring about our local old courses and the traditions of the game while others just enjoy playing their version of the game.
As for golf being hard, that’s the bloody point, but it’s actually not if we utilise skill rather than brawn. Control your shots, navigate the course, OK, so your score is slightly higher for a while but soon skill develops and score diminish add to that you are playing the game of golf. Which translates into Man against the land, the elements and the designer or you can play the international game of ‘wham, bam thank you Mam’ missing the whole purpose of the traditional game – But then that’s your choice, hence my description of being a golfer or a player.
The simple fact is that in my lifetime technology has weakened many of our great courses.
Melvyn
PS Ed There was no concept of distance, certainly as many use it today, it’s a modern crutch. Caddies originally just carried clubs or spotted the resting place of the ball. None of this Tourist Information Centre rubbish they have become today, all to ease the way of the player. Golf was golf in the old days, that’s the game, but today with the laziness of modern players who expect to ride, to also have someone work out their shot, distance to be able to select the correct club and directions. To carry their bags and if some could I expect they would expect the caddies to wipe their backsides too – that’s how weak and lazy the game has become – so please look to distance aids as modern, just like the cart – the concept of distance was instinctive controlled by the golfers eyes/brain coordination, alas nearly a forgotten art these days.