Altering St Andrew's 17th is act of vandalism
The decision to alter the Road Hole suggests that nothing is sacred in golf
SO where here do we go next? Fill the Valley of Sin with water and maybe call it the Pond of Perdition. Now try driving the green at 18, Rory! Maybe put a line of Scots pine on sentry duty down the gaping left-hand side of several of its holes.
Let's take strategy out of the equation altogether. If the Green Jackets could do it at Augusta National, why not the denizens of the R&A at St Andrews?
The decision to extend the legendary Road Hole by 35 yards to 490 for next July's British Open Championship violates not only the boundary of the Old Course. It goes far enough beyond the pale to qualify as an act of vandalism by the administrators of the world game.
On a calm day at St Andrews, the professional elite can reach the 17th green at St Andrews with 3-wood and an 8-iron, according to Padraig Harrington.
The Dubliner said that the shot from the new tee, which is situated beyond the old railway line in a practice area on the old Eden Course, "really looked intimidating and that's what 17 at St Andrews is meant to be".
Of course, as a two-time British Open champion, Harrington's opinion must be respected. In fact, the Irishman is so highly regarded within the R&A, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if he'd been consulted about this change.
Yet the intimidation factor at the Road Hole should be measured on the Beaufort Scale and not a yardage chart if it is to remain true to the traditions of links golf.
And that's what we are talking about here -- tradition.
logical
By moving the tee back and putting the driver back in the players' hands at the British Open, the next logical step is to gradually widen the fairway down the left-hand side so a well-hit, straight tee shot will not run-out unfairly into rough.
In turn, this will change the angle of approach, in many cases leaving the gut-wrencher over the Road Hole bunker or the cautious approach to the front edge and take what you get from there.
Potentially, the former is exciting but still represents a concession to target golf at the expense of good, old-fashioned links play.
Golf ball and club technology has made St Andrews vulnerable and if the wind doesn't blow, the winner's score at next year's British Open could plumb much lower than Tiger's record 19-under in 2000, a thought which would make the right-minded promoter of any Major cringe.
The Royal and Ancient and their American counterparts, the USGA, must accept the blame for falling asleep on their watch as technology ran riot in the 1990s, rendering many classic golf courses obsolete.
The decision to defile arguably the most renowned hole in golf reveals how little confidence the R&A has in the efficacy of next year's change from box to v-grooves as a curb on the longer-hitters. Supposedly this will increase the premium in staying on the straight, short and narrow.
Perhaps more sweeping and imaginative measures are required.
Maybe limit the number of clubs in the golfer's bag to 11, forcing him to sacrifice any two from the driver, 3-metal, 5-metal and rescue-club range if he wishes to carry six irons, a couple of wedges and a putter.
A far more demanding choice would have to be made between strength and strategy. At worst, it'd help save money on excess baggage charges and yield a small green dividend into the bargain.
Why not change the 14-club rule? After all, the R&A's decision to go out-of-bounds with that new tee at the Road Hole suggests absolutely nothing is sacred in golf.
- Karl MacGinty
Irish Independent
