British Open Courses: Anyone Else Think They're Ugly, Boring, Ill-kept and Gimmicky?

[colin007]

Here's what I don't like about the British Open - all the TV stuff you can see in the horizon. It's a barren landscape and it would be beautiful that way except for all the cranes and TV towers and whatnot. I just don't like watching guys tee off over hospitality tents and towards TV cranes. Just looks out of place and takes away from the harsh beauty of the landscape.

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by Wisguy

Really??  I just tell a newbie that we treat other members of this site civily, and the site's founder calls me stupid or ignorant?  Seriously?

But you are ignorant. Your post confirms it.

The site's owner is actually pretty restrained and lets a lot of things go. You just don't like being shown as being a bit dense when it comes to golf.

Your views are opinions based on an absence of knowledge and understanding. That is what ignorance is. You simply choose to take the word itself as an insult.

If I called baseball "some dumb game with a  a bunch of dudes with a stick chasing a ball" you'd call that ignorant and stupid.

You are not entitled to have a view respected when you have no facts or kbowledge at hand.

That basically makes your "view" uninformed prejudice.

Beethoven is boring.

The French are rude.

Tennis is stupid.

People who like skiing are crazy.

The USGA are a bunch of wankers.

Links coures are ugly and boring.

[TJBam]

Shorty's neighbors have complained to the HOA about his dead, patchy front lawn.  He just tells them it is "linksy."

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by TJBam

Shorty's neighbors have complained to the HOA about his dead, patchy front lawn.  He just tells them it is "linksy."

And the abandoned car on blocks is a sculpture, and they are philistines who don't appreciate art.

[geauxforbroke]

Originally Posted by pepsiplusconker

Most popular sport in the world.

I'm surprised you Americans don't like cricket, its got the same pace of play as American football and baseball.

I love cricket. It took me a while to figure out what the hell was going on, but it's a very elegant and enjoyable game to watch.

[Wisguy]

Originally Posted by Shorty

But you are ignorant. Your post confirms it.

Your views are opinions based on an absence of knowledge and understanding. That is what ignorance is. You simply choose to take the word itself as an insult.

If I called baseball "some dumb game with a  a bunch of dudes with a stick chasing a ball" you'd call that ignorant and stupid.

You are not entitled to have a view respected when you have no facts or kbowledge at hand.

That basically makes your "view" uninformed prejudice.

Beethoven is boring.

The French are rude.

Tennis is stupid.

People who like skiing are crazy.

The USGA are a bunch of wankers.

Links coures are ugly and boring.

Shorty, you're still ticked off at me for calling you out for bullying a potential 12 year-old (or maybe an adult troll, but you didn't know that).

Tell me how I'm lacking in knowledge or understanding.   What exactly is it that you are contending that I do not know or understand?   As usual, you make bold statements but don't back them up with reference to any examples.  I genuinely don't like how links courses look, even if they're lush and green, and I really don't like brown, dead-looking vegetation, in a garden, along the roadside, or at a golf course.  And I understand that the British courses get little watering and they try to preserve that old time look for the sake of tradition.  And I also have explained previously, I understand the whole different shotmaking thing, especially if there is wind and like any major, I understand that the British Open courses are challenging and hard and not supposed to be set up for low scoring.  I get all of that.  None of that matters to me when I look at a British links course - I see brown, dried-out fairways and greens, few physical features that set the course off to my eye in an aesthetically pleasing fashion.  They do not look like a course I'd like to play.  I like trees and water on a course, even if they eat my sliced balls.  And yes, as a fairly avid gardener, I do like to see some flowers on the course - if you don't like that, sue me.   As I explained above, most golfers have a different set of standards for their venerable "The Open."   I don't - golf courses are golf courses to me, some much better than others, but I personally don't care about the history or " Hallowed Tradition" of a course.  So it's not that I'm ignorant of anything - my priorities and preferences are simply different than those of most golfers.  But maybe in your vaunted wisdom, you can educate me on all of the things about British Open courses that I don't know.  Please - let's hear a list of them.

[Mulligan Jeff]

Guys, guys! Let's take a chill pill this is a forum golf site where we can voice our opinion. One opinion vs the next doesn't mean that your are right and he is wrong or you are ignorant. We come to this forum because we love the game, because this game is in our heart. You can't fly across the pond and expect to find the same course designs as in America. Embrace European links golf and it will make you more of a complete player.

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by Wisguy

Tell me how I'm lacking in knowledge or understanding.   What exactly is it that you are contending that I do not know or understand?  Please - let's hear a list of them.

I'll try to make it as simple as I can.

[David in FL]

I'll try to make it as simple as I can. [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/79427/] [/URL] [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/79428/] [/URL]

Damn. How could anyone stomach a round of golf at such a distasteful place?! ;-)

[geauxforbroke]

Green grass! Trees!!

[geauxforbroke]

Gorgeous.

[Chilli Dipper]

Originally Posted by geauxforbroke

Gorgeous.

I was looking for that exact view to copy into this thread. What an eyesore, am I right?

[RickK]

While I don't agree with the OP about ugly, boring, ill-kept and gimmicky, I do agree with some of his assessment.  He commented about seeing puffs of dust every time someone hit a shot.  I too noticed that watching yesterday.

If you took fairways with that brownish look, greens that have a splotchy look and insert them in the US with trees all around the edges...most everyone here would complain to high heaven if they showed up to play and had to pay a resort green fee to play on those conditions.  Why?  Well, it is what the American golfing public have decided is the standard for golf courses everywhere.  We expect golf courses to be green and lush.

I have not played Murfield but I have played the Old Course at St. Andrews.  Let me tell you...on the first tee, I really wanted to look around at the member I was playing with and say..."where the hell is the fairway?  What do I aim at?"  It looks like a grass parking lot for the county fair.  You have the sea on the right and the hotel on the far left.  Hard to see exactly where you should aim and where any trouble really is.

But...let me tell you, when you stand on 17 and 18 tee boxes, there is not a more grand sight anywhere in golf.  If you love golf history, you will be touched just standing there in awe of what you see lying before you.

Is St. Andrews a "pretty" golf course by American standards...hell no!   But, one could say the same for Bandon Dunes or Whistling Straits.  But, a test of golf...yes it is as are Bandon and Whistling Straits and, as I am sure, is Murfield.

[geauxforbroke]

Originally Posted by RickK

Well, it is what the American golfing public have decided is the standard for golf courses everywhere.  We expect golf courses to be green and lush.

It's analogous to Americans thinking that baseball, basketball, and football are the only real sports. Many Americans have a very closed mind to things that are not American or as we think they should be.

[RickK]

Originally Posted by geauxforbroke

It's analogous to Americans thinking that baseball, basketball, and football are the only real sports. Many Americans have a very closed mind to things that are not American or as we think they should be.

Very, very true.  We definitely are an opinionated bunch, aren't we!

[geauxforbroke]

Originally Posted by RickK

Quote:

Originally Posted by geauxforbroke

It's analogous to Americans thinking that baseball, basketball, and football are the only real sports. Many Americans have a very closed mind to things that are not American or as we think they should be.

Very, very true.  We definitely are an opinionated bunch, aren't we!

To a fault, I'm afraid.

[wils5150]

Originally Posted by RickK

Well, it is what the American golfing public have decided is the standard for golf courses everywhere.  We expect golf courses to be green and lush.

Yup and thats why golf Is getting more and more costly. shoot I remember when I could spray greens once a month and fairways 3 times a year. not any more.And those sprays aint cheap. I am not trying to step on any toes but golfers expectations have gotten out of control the last 20 years.

[colin007]

For Wiseguy- Do the putts at your well manicured course roll as true and smoothly as they do at ill-kempt Muirfield?