Doesn't Sunningdale Look Great?

[David_Tepper]

Watching the first round of the Senior Open being played on a sunny day, with the purple heather in bloom. Maybe not the best inland course in the world, but it is hard to think of a better one.    

[Thomas Dai]

Whilst I have admiration for the skill, effort and attention to detail that all those involved have put in theres’s far too much striping of the fairways for my tastes. It’s a golf course not a made for TV beauty contest. How about those involved spending the money they’ve spent on not really needed course ‘beautification’ on something more worthwhile, like junior golf?
Atb


Edit - later addition of photo -

[David_Tepper]

Thomas D. -

Sorry, but I don't agree with you. When a course is going to be on international TV hosting a major golf event once very few years, why shouldn't they make a bit of effort to show the course looking its very best?

As for the fairway mowing pattern at Sunningdale, I certainly prefer it to the "one cut up, one cut" back that has become so commonplace lately. I think the later often does a poor job of defining where the fairway is and where the rough is not.

With regards to spending money and supporting junior golf, I have no idea what Sunningdale's course prep budget is for an event like this and what the club and/or its members do to support junior golf. Do you?

DT

 

[Sean_A]

Watching the first round of the Senior Open being played on a sunny day, with the purple heather in bloom. Maybe not the best inland course in the world, but it is hard to think of a better one.

Well, Sunningdale is great. Too much is made of aesthetics. Sunny Old is a helluva design.

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Don’t see why one of the highest echelon, best known Clubs/courses in the World, one that’s always impeccably looked after, needs to be extra-spec’d up for an event. Make-up on the Mona Lisa. 80-20 rule. Doubt SGC will be putting up the dosh either, another organisation with a HQ a few hundred miles further north will be doing that and they could channel the not necessary spent dosh elsewhere.
Atb

[Tommy Williamsen]

I have said it before but if I could pick one club to be a member of it would be Sunningdale. I love both courses and they are very different from one another. I don’t care how they cut the fairways.

[Mark Chaplin]

Whilst I have admiration for the skill, effort and attention to detail that all those involved have put in theres’s far too much striping of the fairways for my tastes. It’s a golf course not a made for TV beauty contest. How about those involved spending the money they’ve spent on not really needed course ‘beautification’ on something more worthwhile, like junior golf?
Atb

Are you saying cutting the fairways is unnecessary beautification? Anyhow £10 of extra diesel and a couple of hours of extra labour twice a week won’t go too far in supporting a worthy cause.

[David_Tepper]

Tommy W. -

I agree with you. I played both courses in one day back in 1985 and was very impressed. I thought the New was every bit as good as the Old and I liked that you could walk to the course from the local train station.

DT

[Matthew Mollica]

Put me down in the camp that feels the diamond cut fairway mowing is excessive and unnecessary. Sunningdale is a glorious old heathland course. Presenting it in the manner we expect to see a bland TPC layout only detracts IMO.




No doubt it takes skill and effort to mow grass like this, but it strike me as analogous to applying an excessive amount of make up to a face that doesn't need it, and is better off without it.

[Tony_Muldoon]

I was there today


Whilst I feel that diamond cutting fairways shows contours on TV,  personally I thought they looked horrible1 Such a contrast with the 'naturalness ' of the course. On raised greens they had horizontal stripes around them. ....ouch!


Everything else I loved


It's now £425 plus lunch for 36 holes, either 2 or 4 times what i paid a dozen years ago. Sign me up for next summer before it becomes £850.

[Peter Flory]

I've never been to that area for golf, but on TV, the course looks much bigger than I was expecting it to look.  Based on all the pics that I've looked at, I guess I didn't realize how broad the course is.  It almost seems like a modern course in that respect. 


They are showing a ton of shots near the clubhouse, so maybe those are just more open. 

[Peter Pallotta]

My first good look of the course was the Norman-Faldo match as part of the new SWWOG. I loved it -- and, 'doing the math' on every shot, I realized that it would be a very playable golf course even for me!
I still think it marvellous. Must be very high on the list of courses one 'could happily play everyday'

[Tony_Muldoon]

PS
Anyone have any insight into why so many are playing a yellow ball?  I don't recall seeing them in play at sandwich the previous week but every other group yesterday had someone playing them.


Do they sell mostly to Seniors and they are the most likely demographic to be watching this tournament? I.e. they play them because they are sponsored to? 


Are the optics that much better, perhaps I should switch. ( dam marketing got me again).

[Thomas Dai]

Whilst I have admiration for the skill, effort and attention to detail that all those involved have put in theres’s far too much striping of the fairways for my tastes. It’s a golf course not a made for TV beauty contest. How about those involved spending the money they’ve spent on not really needed course ‘beautification’ on something more worthwhile, like junior golf?
Atb

Are you saying cutting the fairways is unnecessary beautification? Anyhow £10 of extra diesel and a couple of hours of extra labour twice a week won’t go too far in supporting a worthy cause.

Ah, responding to a post without reading further ones.
atb

[Duncan Cheslett]

PS
Anyone have any insight into why so many are playing a yellow ball?  I don't recall seeing them in play at sandwich the previous week but every other group yesterday had someone playing them.


Do they sell mostly to Seniors and they are the most likely demographic to be watching this tournament? I.e. they play them because they are sponsored to? 


Are the optics that much better, perhaps I should switch. ( dam marketing got me again).

I have noticed in the last year or so (since turning 60!) that I find it increasingly difficult to follow the flight of a white ball, particularly against a grey sky. I also can't always see it land - and it isn't because I'm hitting it further!


I'm seriously considering switching to luminous yellow balls. I quite like the matt Wilson Duo Optix.

[Kalen Braley]

T0 borrow a phrase from Sean, the course looks like a real cracker.  I'm really enjoying the footage from the Senior Open with the variety of holes, positioning of the bunkers, and the gorgeous heather. (Even despite the fairway mowing patterns which can be easily corrected anyways.)

P.S.  If I was given a choice to play 36 at RSG or Sunningdale, don't think I'd be headed to the coast...

[Jeff Schley]

I would say why have to make a choice as one over the other. I would love to play sunningdale again anytime.  Same for RSG, other royal courses in the open rota etc. I like grouping courses not in ordinate fashion but in tiers and tier 1 courses can provide a splendid day each time we are able.


Also if considering geography and ease of travel to sites for international visitors Sunningdale is much easier to get to as it is close to Heathrow.

[Peter Flory]

I'm seriously considering switching to luminous yellow balls. I quite like the matt Wilson Duo Optix.



I switched completely.  It's easier to see in the air, it's easier to know which ball is mine when I'm walking to it, and it's easier to search for in the weeds. 

[Ally Mcintosh]

The cross-hatching of the fairways is horrendous.


Other than that, the course is great.

[jeffwarne]

The cross-hatching of the fairways is horrendous.


Other than that, the course is great.

The contrast in texture vs the TPC twin Cities is stark

[Tommy Williamsen]

Are there many courses that are bunkered any better?

[Peter Pallotta]

One of the commentators put it nicely yesterday, ie Sunningdale's strength:

'It always makes you think you can, even when very often you can't.'

[Scott Warren]

David T,


Totally agree with your view that when a course will be on TV, you want to show it at its best.


Totally disagree that striping and chequerboarding the grass achieves that in a heathland environment.

[David_Tepper]

Looks like I have offended a few of the purists. My apologies!

[Sean_A]

David T,

Totally agree with your view that when a course will be on TV, you want to show it at its best.

Totally disagree that striping and chequerboarding the grass achieves that in a heathland environment.

+1. I find the check pattern very incongruous with a setting that takes a ton of work and money to look natural.

Ciao