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Us Open-What A Dump!


beyond our ken

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laid up after knee surgery and decided to catch up on the highlights

I don't play much, but to my partially trained eye the first thing I noticed as the co-hydramoll started wearing off was the nick of the greens, maybe they look worse than they are, i thought. i've played a couple of times on over-fed greens that started going black, but they played OK if you could ignore the smell of the chemicals. So I thought that was maybe the problem.

Then i noticed the crispy-looking fairways, the weedy looking spots on the greens and the rough that looks burnt brown.

Then McIlroy was in a bunker filled with slate-grey sand and I started to wonder if I had overdone the medication. Next, there was a distinct absence of spectators on several holes. i wondered if they had booked the open onto a brownfield site but just decided that the greenkeepers had got it wrong.

So i looked it up and found it actually IS a brownfield site-a former sand and gravel pit! Some parts look like they are trying to grow out toxic waste in the soil.

The players are none too happy about it.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/golf/33195126

I don't think i've ever seen such a bad course, I used to play Cowdenbeath a bit as i got in for free when it was newly-converted from a disused coal mine but even then it looked better than this place does now

In case anyone is wondering-I AM bored

Edited by beyond our ken
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just thinking, the greens should really be called "browns"- except there are no "greens" on some holes. Just a bit of fairway with a flag carelessly placed in it.

I'm suspicious as to what took place that would land a major at this post industrial wasteland

Suddenly the septic's stance on the world cup bidding process doesn't look quite so principled

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I've got to be honest and say I quite like the course overall. Sure the greens could maybe be a bit better, but it's interesting seeing top players struggling trying to play their normal game and wondering why it's not working. Those that can use the course characteristics will do well, but those that refuse to change and play long on tee and try to pitch directly at the flag will likely continue to struggle.

Oh and the train reminds me of Brewsters Millions when his semi-pro baseball side are playing the Yankees :D

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They play on courses manicured to within an inch of their lives. They have caddies to do the heavy lifting and folk rake the bunkers for them. Sponsors pay them millions to use their gear. They use a brand new ball at every hole. Brand new shoes, shirts and the best Cashmere jumpers every day.

This course is a bit iffy' and they don't like it? Fcuk um! Send them down to Barshaw in November with Penfold Commando balls and a carry bag of Dunlop clubs fae' JD Sports.

Jessies.

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The course was designed to replicate a Scottish links course, with the type of grass specifically chosen for that reason and the sand locally sourced from the area. I agree it looks different but at least it looks like a golf course and not a postcard like Augusta.

It's about time America had an alternative to their manicured courses and challenged the players instead of them carding huge under par scores.

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Would love to play it, looks amazing. Loving the imagination required to get it close, even from 30 yards or so.

My mate has played it a few times and even playing off of 6, his best score is 84. He said it was a brilliant course to play and really hard to even play safe on.

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Great course, but my guess is they've tried too hard to replicate a burnt British links in the summer and paid the price with the greens. Just a hunch, but I reckon they sat down and watched the 1977 'Duel in the Sun' at Turnberry and said - 'that's what we want to see here'. Basically I think they took things too far, but at times, depending on the camera position it really does look like they are playing at Turnberry '77 in toasting sun, so fair play to them for having a bash at a true links.

Edited by pozbaird
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Great course, but my guess is they've tried too hard to replicate a burnt British links in the summer and paid the price with the greens. Just a hunch, but I reckon they sat down and watched the 1977 'Duel in the Sun' at Turnberry and said - 'that's what we want to see here'. Basically I think they took things too far, but at times, depending on the camera position it really does look like they are playing at Turnberry '77 in toasting sun, so fair play to them for having a bash at a true links.

That and the fact the summer doesn't usually start until July there, so to be getting constant weather in the 80's and some days the 90's must be having an effect on the course condition.

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