Another Final Note On Narrowing Lytham

The sixth hole, easily the most egregious setup situation at Royal Lytham and St. Annes, as seen over recent years before and after the R&A sought to take drivers out of players' hands.

From the art department, click to enlarge:

Comments

[DTF]

Wow -- boom lowered!

Should we assume that there was some blowback from the hole #18 analysis that prompted this boom lowering?!?

Nice work Tommy ;)

[KLG]

In the final match of the tournament, Naccarato 6&5 over Dawson.

[Press Agent]

Narrowed or not, the course played great and the players did a masterful job of staying out of the bunkers. I also saw a heck of a lot more 3-woods and drivers than we were led to believe we would see. Tiger's approach of hitting almost all irons was criticized as being way too conservative, and all in all I had no issues with the way they setup the course.

Also, lets not forget a golf club has the absolute right to widen or narrow their own course any time they want, it may or may not have anything to do with the Open Championship. There is no rule written that says a club must keep their fairways the same width for the entire life of the club, the membership can do anything they please.

[John Morris]

Geoff, there is an element of obsession about this in your blog. It's obvious from the graphics Tommy produced that you are right the fairways were narrower. However Dawson could be right as well the R&A did not ask for this, as Press Agent mentions the club could have done it. Remember Carnoustie a few years back when an out of control Superintendant made the course almost unplayable
John

[dbh]

Not sure I get the gist of 'the club may have/have an absolute right to' mashup..
May be time to read up on 'The Treatment'.

[KLG]

Does the R&A leave the course up to the host club for The Open? Like the USGA does?

[Ted Mitchell]

Leave the course up to the club LIKE THE USGA DOES?!?