Quote: "There is less mystery to the links of Muirfiled than the more primordial courses, but there is also less uncertainty. In general, a well-planned and well-executed shot is rewarded, and one that goes awry is not. To connoisseurs of the vagaries of the game and the quirk of some of its courses, this is at least a venial sin"
Perhaps that's one reason why I loved Muirfield so much. If I hit a good golf shot, I was not punished. If I hit a bad golf shot, I was most certainly punished.
I know that bad bounces and bad breaks occur, and are part of the game. After a few choice curse words, I accept a bad break and move on. But I am not one who prefers a good shot have a greater chance of ending up in a bad spot because the golf course is "quirky." Count me out. The game is tough enough, and my really good shots are too few and far between.
I am not looking for any kind of guarantee (that is silly) that a well-struck shot ends up exactly where I intend it to end up. But I do prefer that the golf course is not designed to purposely punish a golf shot that golfers think is the correct play. I guess with enough trips around a track that local knowledge would be learned, but still...
Maybe that's why Muirfield's list of Open winners is so elite. It most definitely rewards that week's best player. You won't get too many lucky or fortunate bounces, or conversly bad breaks or unfortunate bounces.