The Muidernity of Morfield

[Marty Bonnar]

Watching the ladies play at HCEG, I’m very much reminded of how much I’m always struck by how ‘modern’ the course looks. I’m not sure exactly what it is, but it could be a blend of the bunker shaping and positioning, the incredible greensites, the routing(!), the look and feel of the maintenance, the (obvious) strategic design elements.
It looks all so simple, yet I know it isn’t. Is it just a perfect marriage of an initially unpromising piece of land being lovingly turned into a golf course by a couple of the titans of UK architecture?
Thoughts?
F.

[Bill Gayne]

The only thought I have is "well said."

[Thomas Dai]

Reckon I’d be pretty happy if most courses looked akin to Muirfield, the openness, the grasses, the transitions (especially if there were a few sheep grazing there as well!).



Atb

[John Crowley]

The TV camera work is excellent. It reveals the subtleties that make the course one of the greats.


The wide angle and crane shots capture the architecture of individual holes and the overall routing. The slow pans and willingness to hold a camera shot for long enough for the viewer to take it all in is something we don’t normally see.


The viewer gets a “sense of the place” far better than any televised U.S. tournament. I am tired of too many  tight shots of players swings, putting, trackman etc. and very little showcasing of the architecture.

[Marty Bonnar]

On the downside, it could easily be argued that the fairways are a tad boringly flat, lacking the roly-poly nature much beloved here. However, today’s wind proved that the player on form can easily manage that and still score well. Bring on tomorrow.
F.


PS But, oh, those shaved bunker faces. Yeah, baby.

[Thomas Dai]

I like the way the bunkers play bigger than just their size, ie the way the surrounds from in some cases quite a distance out, are contoured such that a ball going close to a bunker or hoping to squeeze just past one is likely to be diverted and gobbled-up by one.
Also the severely vertical faces and sides of many of the bunkers coupled with their height can produce some really awkward recovery stances and thus shots.
Top course. If not my #1 then damn close.

Atb

[MCirba]

Architecture so good even the Russian judge would give it a "10".

[Philip Caccamise]

One thing I really love about Muirfield is despite looking like a "big" golf course suited to long hitters, it allows strategic play and shorter hitters have a legitimate chance. The women were playing from roughly the Members tees, with the leaders' ball speeds in the mid 130's and having the 'correct' distances in, and good angles if well positioned.


A tremendous championship and setup by the R&A as well.

[Steve Salmen]

Muirfield is my favorite golf course. I have played it several times. Is it me or was the primary rough cut down? I remember the rough height being a function of rainfall, and they did not cut it down. Sometimes you couldn't find your ball a few feet in the primary.  It could be brutal especially in the wind.


Perhaps the course is better the way it played this Open. I don't know what to think because I've never seen the course with such short rough. My scores would have been lower and I would have spent less time looking for my ball. Is the course better with cut rough?

[jeffwarne]

Muirfield is my favorite golf course. I have played it several times. Is it me or was the primary rough cut down? I remember the rough height being a function of rainfall, and they did not cut it down. Sometimes you couldn't find your ball a few feet in the primary.  It could be brutal especially in the wind.


Perhaps the course is better the way it played this Open. I don't know what to think because I've never seen the course with such short rough. My scores would have been lower and I would have spent less time looking for my ball. Is the course better with cut rough?

yes

[Sean_A]

Muirfield is my favorite golf course. I have played it several times. Is it me or was the primary rough cut down? I remember the rough height being a function of rainfall, and they did not cut it down. Sometimes you couldn't find your ball a few feet in the primary.  It could be brutal especially in the wind.


Perhaps the course is better the way it played this Open. I don't know what to think because I've never seen the course with such short rough. My scores would have been lower and I would have spent less time looking for my ball. Is the course better with cut rough?

The UK has been in drought. If the rough was as harsh as usual it would have required watering.

I played Muirfield this past spring. It was far more enjoyable than my previous visits when there was thic knee high rough.

Ciao

[Tony_Muldoon]

Agreed the Women's tour play the course far closer to the day to day tees than they like to let on.  Often the 'hoarding' disguises they are not playing from the back of the tees - where measurements are normally taken. 17 was the only hole which I noticed off the back tees. Which
Still a great test and it was compelling viewing, more so because I could relate to the shots they were being asked to hit.




Only thing I didn't like was the repeat playing of 18 as a sudden death decider. May have been great for the hospitality tent occupants but not a patch on the The Open's 3 hole decider.  if they wanted to finish on 18, a then a loop of 1, 17 & 18 or 10, 7 or 13 & 18 would have been compelling.

On the strength of this, I will make sure I'm at Walton Heath next year. 

[Thomas Dai]

What was planned if darkness had fallen before the playoff finished?
Maybe I missed something in the commentary but I don’t recall hearing anything being mentioned?
Come back the next morning presumably?
Something to ponder for future major GB&I events given how they’re finishing later and later to fit in I assume with overseas TV schedules.
Atb

[Tony_Muldoon]

What was planned if darkness had fallen before the playoff finished?
Maybe I missed something in the commentary but I don’t recall hearing anything being mentioned?
Come back the next morning presumably?
Something to ponder for future major GB&I events given how they’re finishing later and later to fit in I assume with overseas TV schedules.
Atb

I'm sure Ewan said that was their last chance to avoid coming back today.  For possibly one more hole?  Nuts


I was surprised at the finishing time. Playing three holes is faster than playing the same hole 3x.  Then continue with the same 3 holes but sudden death. If they then had to come back, at least give them 3 holes? 

[Marty Bonnar]

At TOC, isn’t it 1,2,17,18?

[Michael Moore]

Architecture so good even the Russian judge would give it a "10".

I have waited twenty-five years to comment directly on The Confidential Guide and I pray that 2047 is the next time.

Muirfield ain't no ten. It has a world class routing, array of bunkers, and carvery, and I wish that I could be teleported to the first tee right now, but we all know that it's missing that certain something. This score does a great disservice to Muirfield by inflating expectations, to the reader by insulting his intelligence, and to the other tens for obvious reasons.
 
PS - If I were a bird of flight or a drone operator I would give it a ten.

[Tony_Muldoon]

At TOC, isn’t it 1,2,17,18?

Doh of course it's 4!


Turnberry 5,6,17,18

[MCirba]

 
I have waited twenty-five years to comment directly on The Confidential Guide and I pray that 2047 is the next time.

Muirfield ain't no ten. It has a world class routing, array of bunkers, and carvery, and I wish that I could be teleported to the first tee right now, but we all know that it's missing that certain something. This score does a great disservice to Muirfield by inflating expectations, to the reader by insulting his intelligence, and to the other tens for obvious reasons.
 
PS - If I were a bird of flight or a drone operator I would give it a ten.

Aye, it's an auld water meadie, laddie. 

[mike_beene]

I was at the playoff when Els won and it was 1(I think),16,17 and 18. Walking down 17 behind Els is among my few great sports view memories. 

[mike_beene]

To answer the question:The only thing Muirfield  is missing is a fountain.

[Steve Salmen]

Architecture so good even the Russian judge would give it a "10".

Muirfield ain't no ten. It has a world class routing, array of bunkers, and carvery, and I wish that I could be teleported to the first tee right now, but we all know that it's missing that certain something.


What exactly is that certain something you're referring to?  The golf course has 18 excellent holes.  If the carry off 11 is your only critique, you're grasping. It is abundantly fair.  If there are two fair criticisms, the first is that driving is similar to a US Open course (not this past week for the ladies), and it is difficult to recover, but not impossible, if you get in trouble.





This score does a great disservice to Muirfield by inflating expectations, to the reader by insulting his intelligence, and to the other tens for obvious reasons.


The golf course has exceed my expectations every time I've played it.  What other 10s are you referring that you consider Muirfield less than?  Please let me know your obvious reasons.  They are not obvious to me.  Insulting our intelligence is a bit hyperbolic.



 

[Peter Pallotta]

Yes, it somehow manages to look modern and majestic at the same time, simple yet grand. Maybe 'Time' works in two directions at once: today's top architects projecting back into the past their own idea/ideals of golden age greatness, and then reinterpreting those ideals in their new builds; as meanwhile, those great golf courses of that first golden age that have long served as models of inspiration are in turn being re-envisioned (and restored, in some cases) in line with, and through the lens of, that very same reinterpreted sensibility.
In other words: maybe it's like a self fulfilling prophecy, but in reverse -- uttered today and fulfilled in the past.
 

[JJShanley]

Granted we have the benefit of hindsight that they needed another 4 sudden death holes to determine a champion but I agree with Tony about the playoff. One of Muirfield's characteristics is that you change direction regularly (with the exception of 3-4-5.) 1-17-18 gives you three good holes in different directions.

[Sean_A]

Granted we have the benefit of hindsight that they needed another 4 sudden death holes to determine a champion but I agree with Tony about the playoff. One of Muirfield's characteristics is that you change direction regularly (with the exception of 3-4-5.) 1-17-18 gives you three good holes in different directions.

All holes would be favourable to bigger hitters...the 18th least of the three. Although, I do prefer the idea of an aggregate score rather than sudden victory.

Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

I don't believe they had as many cameras for this event as they usually would. Camera availability and positioning has in the past impacted which holes are used for playoffs particularly as there's usually a desire to clear-up and leave the site as soon as possible when a tournament concludes. At least this is what some camera technician folks told me during a chat at a major tournament.
Still a bit more pre-planning and more appropriate timings of play might have been appropriate.
Always easy to criticise from the outside however.

atb