Are you a sinner (Venial)?

[Brett_Morrissy]

Are you one of these men of venial sin?  

"World Atlas of Golf", 2012 edition.
Muirfield corse review, p60

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"

What is your opinion?

[Tommy Williamsen]

As some what of an expert on sin, sin is always in the eye of the beholder.  Theology is as inexact a science as golf course architecture.  But on this issue I concur although pros would see the vagaries of a good shot gone awry, because of a bad bounce, a venial sin at the very least.

[Jay Flemma]

"The roads paved the same way for sinners and saints..." - RWB

All musical quotes aside, quirk is the soul of the game:) Let's go play St. George's!

[Brett_Morrissy]

Would it be an over estimation to suggest that the majority of the tree house are inclined to the odd venial sin in this regard, and would prefer the odd bounce go awry, and leave the golf execution stuff to the Pros?

is that it?

[David Whitmer]

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.