Golfers Thread

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

After a few unexpected days off work I’ve decided to fester on the couch and invest most of my time into watching the Scottish Open. I have no idea why but I just haven’t enjoyed it at all. Perhaps it’s all a bit low key because it’s basically a few prep rounds for The Open? maybe it’s the course? maybe the pre weekend crowd were a bit drab (it looks really quiet)?. God knows, but it’s felt like a bit of a slog!

[IrishBhoy]

1 hour ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

After a few unexpected days off work I’ve decided to fester on the couch and invest most of my time into watching the Scottish Open. I have no idea why but I just haven’t enjoyed it at all. Perhaps it’s all a bit low key because it’s basically a few prep rounds for The Open? maybe it’s the course? maybe the pre weekend crowd were a bit drab (it looks really quiet)?. God knows, but it’s felt like a bit of a slog!

It would be better if it was played on a proper links course that doesn’t look as manufactured as The Renaissance. Im sure it’s a good course but it’s too well presented, it doesn’t have the natural grit that the best links courses have. So many to choose from and we’ve ended up at a course that just lacks the character that a historical links course would give.
 

I know there’s probably a lot of money involved and logistical factors to take into consideration too, but I would love to see the Scottish Open played at somewhere like Prestwick with the historical ties that course has to The Open. Plenty to choose from right up the east coast as well that would suit the Scottish Open better. 

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

2 minutes ago, IrishBhoy said:

It would be better if it was played on a proper links course that doesn’t look as manufactured as The Renaissance. Im sure it’s a good course but it’s too well presented, it doesn’t have the natural grit that the best links courses have. So many to choose from and we’ve ended up at a course that just lacks the character that a historical links course would give.
 

I know there’s probably a lot of money involved and logistical factors to take into consideration too, but I would love to see the Scottish Open played at somewhere like Prestwick with the historical ties that course has to The Open. Plenty to choose from right up the east coast as well that would suit the Scottish Open better. 

I would agree. The course looks a bit too ‘polished’ if that makes sense. 

I was always a regular attendee when they hosted it at Loch Lomond as it’s only 15 minutes up the road from me and I always thought it was a great weekend. Junior members of the local golf courses always got free/discounted entry so there would always be a team of us up there having a rare time. I understand the switch to a links course but for selfish reasons it’s never really felt the same since they moved it from there. 

[IrishBhoy]

2 minutes ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

I would agree. The course looks a bit too ‘polished’ if that makes sense. 

I was always a regular attendee when they hosted it at Loch Lomond as it’s only 15 minutes up the road from me and I always thought it was a great weekend. Junior members of the local golf courses always got free/discounted entry so there would always be a team of us up there having a rare time. I understand the switch to a links course but for selfish reasons it’s never really felt the same since they moved it from there. 

Yes that’s exactly what I mean too, its not got the rough edges that come with the best Scottish links courses. 
 

I did attend Loch Lomond one year but I was about 12 so don’t have the best memory of it. From all accounts it’s an excellent course, but the general snobbery that surrounds it puts me off, as well as the fact it’s not a links course. 

[peasy23]

It would be better if it was played on a proper links course that doesn’t look as manufactured as The Renaissance. Im sure it’s a good course but it’s too well presented, it doesn’t have the natural grit that the best links courses have. So many to choose from and we’ve ended up at a course that just lacks the character that a historical links course would give.
 
I know there’s probably a lot of money involved and logistical factors to take into consideration too, but I would love to see the Scottish Open played at somewhere like Prestwick with the historical ties that course has to The Open. Plenty to choose from right up the east coast as well that would suit the Scottish Open better. 

Afaik the main sponsor Genesis want it to be held there. I'd much rather see it at somewhere like Dundonald. You then also have to factor in that members don't want to hand over their club for a couple of weeks in the middle of summer, and the loss of income that entails.

[Ro Sham Bo]

47 minutes ago, peasy23 said:

5 hours ago, IrishBhoy said:

It would be better if it was played on a proper links course that doesn’t look as manufactured as The Renaissance. Im sure it’s a good course but it’s too well presented, it doesn’t have the natural grit that the best links courses have. So many to choose from and we’ve ended up at a course that just lacks the character that a historical links course would give.
 
I know there’s probably a lot of money involved and logistical factors to take into consideration too, but I would love to see the Scottish Open played at somewhere like Prestwick with the historical ties that course has to The Open. Plenty to choose from right up the east coast as well that would suit the Scottish Open better. 

Afaik the main sponsor Genesis want it to be held there. I'd much rather see it at somewhere like Dundonald. You then also have to factor in that members don't want to hand over their club for a couple of weeks in the middle of summer, and the loss of income that entails.

Yeah I'm sure that was part of the deal for them taking over sponsorship. 

I see Max Homa has jumped up the leaderboard after his 3rd round. Obviously inspired by North Berwick yesterday. 

[D Angelo Barksdale]

I'm not too fussed about the fact the Scottish Open has to be at a Links venue, but I feel it should move to a rotation like the Open.

If we're not using the Trump courses then, Gleneagles, Kingsbarns, Renaissance, Dornoch, Castle Stuart and Loch Lomand. Spread it about the country.

[Binos]

2 minutes ago, Ervin H Burrell said:

I'm not too fussed about the fact the Scottish Open has to be at a Links venue, but I feel it should move to a rotation like the Open.

If we're not using the Trump courses then, Gleneagles, Kingsbarns, Renaissance, Dornoch, Castle Stuart and Loch Lomand. Spread it about the country.

Loch lomond and gleneagles aren't links

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Loch Lomond would need extended imo. Top level pros would annihilate it now

[D Angelo Barksdale]

1 minute ago, Binos said:

Loch lomond and gleneagles aren't links

Yeah, I know. I said I wasn't fussed about the fact it had to be held at a Links venue (I've maybe worded my post wrong) . It's a view that's gained popularity in recent years. The Scottish Open was held successfully at both those courses for a number of years.

[Ro Sham Bo]

I think they'd lose their prime slot the week before the Open if they moved away from links golf. For that reason it won't happen. 

[D Angelo Barksdale]

1 minute ago, Ro Sham Bo said:

I think they'd lose their prime slot the week before the Open if they moved away from links golf. For that reason it won't happen. 

Yeah it's possible, The Irish Open is often played at parkland venues though.

[Guest]

Does anyone know where this "Scotland's Golf Coast", "The East Coast", pish is coming from ??

Coltart has referred to this on umpteen occasions and is obviously being told to read it out, however who is pushing this bizarre agenda ?

Surely it's not VisitScotland who would in essence be destroying tourism down one side of the country apart from it being utter drivel in the first place.

You would think they would be trying to market the entire country rather than just wiping half of out top courses off the map !!

[doulikefish]

36 minutes ago, WATTOO said:

Does anyone know where this "Scotland's Golf Coast", "The East Coast", pish is coming from ??

Coltart has referred to this on umpteen occasions and is obviously being told to read it out, however who is pushing this bizarre agenda ?

Surely it's not VisitScotland who would in essence be destroying tourism down one side of the country apart from it being utter drivel in the first place.

You would think they would be trying to market the entire country rather than just wiping half of out top courses off the map !!

There's a sign as you enter gullane that says "welcome to Scotland's golf coast" it's not the whole of the east coast they mean either 

[Guest]

52 minutes ago, doulikefish said:

There's a sign as you enter gullane that says "welcome to Scotland's golf coast" it's not the whole of the east coast they mean either 

Maybe they've just made it up themselves and the half wits on Sky have bought it hook line and sinker.

[D Angelo Barksdale]

East Lothian has been marketing Scotland's 'Golf Coast' for a good number of years now.

Jealousy isn't a good look lads.

[Binos]

1 hour ago, WATTOO said:

Does anyone know where this "Scotland's Golf Coast", "The East Coast", pish is coming from ??

Coltart has referred to this on umpteen occasions and is obviously being told to read it out, however who is pushing this bizarre agenda ?

Surely it's not VisitScotland who would in essence be destroying tourism down one side of the country apart from it being utter drivel in the first place.

You would think they would be trying to market the entire country rather than just wiping half of out top courses off the map !!

The owner of the renaissance club probably 

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Binos said:

The owner of the renaissance club probably 

Bang on.

Jerry Savardi and "endorsed" by none other than Andrew Coltart.

East Lothian council apparently started it out as a marketing exercise but then the big money movers and shakers got involved to press it home.

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/coltart-backs-east-lothian-claim-best-golf-coast-scotland-1630108

What annoys me is how the rest of the country is letting them away with it.

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, Ervin H Burrell said:

East Lothian has been marketing Scotland's 'Golf Coast' for a good number of years now.

Jealousy isn't a good look lads.

It's not jealousy, it's just that it's utter nonsense.

If you want to market Scotland then market Scotland but it's completely incorrect to market one small part of the country as a "Golf coast" when Fife, Ayrshire, Tayside and Aberdeenshire have some of the best courses in the country !!

[Honest_Man#1]

3 hours ago, Ervin H Burrell said:

I'm not too fussed about the fact the Scottish Open has to be at a Links venue, but I feel it should move to a rotation like the Open.

If we're not using the Trump courses then, Gleneagles, Kingsbarns, Renaissance, Dornoch, Castle Stuart and Loch Lomand. Spread it about the country.

Personally I would love them to use proper links courses like the above and Prestwick, NB etc. Unfortunately the pros would absolutely tear a lot of them to shreds which they don’t want (personally this doesn’t bother me really, would happily see a winning score of 20 under) and they are not designed ideally for fans which is the main reason they won’t get it. The ones you’ve suggested are better equipped than Prestwick/NB but still not as good as RC.