The 150th Open Championship returns to the hallowed grounds of the Old Course at St. Andrews for the 30th time continuing a tradition that began in 1873. Considered the oldest course in the world, golf has been played on this ancient turf since the 1400s. Organized by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R&A), it is played here every five years and has hosted more Open Championships than any other course.
Designed by nature itself, the Old Course is on public common land in Fife, Scotland and is playable by anyone. One of the most unique courses in the world, “The Home of Golf” demands a complete range of skills and excellence with every club in the bag. But perhaps the biggest skills it demands are creativity and courage. With both massive fairways and greens, the holes at St. Andrews present golfers with a myriad of strategic options. Combine that with the volatility of scoring conditions based on the coastal weather and you have the perfect setup for an exciting and unpredictable tournament. It is, in fact, the unpredictability of such a natural links setup pitted against the best players in the world that makes this week such a joy to behold. As 1920 Open winner George Duncan stated, “You can play a damned good shot and find the ball in a damned bad place. That is the real game of golf.”
The Field
The field will contain 156 players competing for the Claret Jug. After 36 holes, the low 70 players and ties will advance to compete in the final rounds. Most of the field has qualified through the top-50 of the Official World Golf Ranking or by ranking in the top-30 on the DP World Tour. With the exception of 25th-ranked Daniel Berger who had to withdraw due to injury, every other high-ranked player will be teeing it up. Along with the inclusion of the LIV Tour golfers, past champions from here at St. Andrews such as Tiger Woods, Zach Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen are in the field.
Course History
The Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland is called the “Home of Golf” because the sport was first played on the common ground of St. Andrews in the early 1400s. In fact, it became so popular that King James II banned the sport in 1457 because he believed the young men were playing too much golf instead of practicing their archery skills. The sport was prohibited until 1502 when King James IV loved playing the game so much that he removed the ban.
Originally, the game was played over the same set of narrow fairways with golfers going out and then back again to the same holes. As the popularity of the game increased, this led to an enormous amount of congestion with golfers from different groups playing to the same hole. The greens were eventually enlarged which allowed for two holes to be included on each putting surface, one for players going out and the other for players returning inward. The fairways were also widened which allowed for the creation of two nine-hole sections. The greens on the front nine holes were furnished with a white flag and those on the back nine with a red flag. This tradition continues to this day except for the 18th hole where a white flag is used to help with visibility issues. Thus, by the nineteenth century, the Old Course became an 18-hole layout which set the future standard for the sport.
While the course was shaped by nature and evolved over the years without any major changes made by any architect, there were structural designs made by Daw Anderson in the 1850s along with Allan Robertson and Old Tom Morris in the 1890s, who designed the 1st and 18th holes.
For this year’s open, apart from rebuilding and riveting numerous bunkers, along with a new 8th tee which was used in the 2018 Senior Open, the course will not be any different to what it was in 2015. Per director of greenkeeping, Sandy Reid, “If anything, the fairways are probably more generous, but all being well, the rough will be thick enough to persuade players not to deliberately hit into it.”
The Course
Golf legend Bobby Jones once called the Old Course a “cow pasture.” Sam Snead thought it was an abandoned course. And upon playing there for the first time, Curtis Strange thought he’d been transplanted to the moon. Many a visitor have wandered onto the grounds and asked “Where’s the golf course?” When, in fact, they were actually standing on it. There is no doubt the Old Course is a property which becomes revered over time and after individual experience. After originally considering St. Andrews the worst and most unfair courses he’d ever played on, Bobby Jones remarked, “The more I studied the Old Course, the more I loved it, and the more I loved it, the more I studied it.” Ben Crenshaw called it “the supreme natural test.” And Tiger Woods has called it his favorite course in the world.
The Old Course is a traditional seaside links course that is very minimalist in design and which was basically created and carved by nature. Its design is a blend of utter simplicity and amazing complexity. Unlike most parkland courses there are no trees, manicured landscaping, well-marked tee boxes or cart paths. Instead there are vast firm fairways, mounds and ridges, pot bunkers and massive double greens with unique pin placements.
The par-72 course will unofficially play as long as 7,536 yards with the flexibility to make holes shorter based on the weather forecast for that day. It is also very unique among professional courses with its layout. The course features just two par-3s, two par-5s, and 14 par-4 holes. Each of the par-3s play between 175-200 yards and in opposite directions of the prevailing winds. They are two of the more challenging holes on the course averaging 0.14 strokes over par and are defended by the aforementioned winds along with numerous hollows and pot bunkers. The two par-5s play very different from each other. The 570-yard 5th hole is typically the easiest hole on the course allowing a birdie or better rate of 48.1%. On the other hand, the par-5 14th hole typically plays into the wind and extends to 614 yards with a birdie or better rate of only 30%. Out-of-bounds lines the right side of the fairway with the infamous Hell Bunker waiting to swallow up second shots.
Seven of the par-4s play under 400 yards with at least a few being drivable off the tee. Just how many are actually reachable will be determined by the wind speed and direction. If winds are on the calmer side, bombers and strong wedge players have a huge advantage on these holes. However, with the fairways playing so firm the ball will travel farther on both tee shots and running approaches to the greens. This allows for both long and short hitters to compete and contend.
From an agronomy standpoint, St. Andrews has variety of grasses that litter the course. Fairways are a mixture of fescue and bentgrass. The strategically placed rough is short by most major championship standards at an average of only 1.65″ and is also comprised of fescue and bentgrass along with some native grass which includes Sweet Vernal and Crested Dog’s Tail. Greens are a blend of 50% fesuce, 25% bentgrass, 10% Poa annua and 15% native grasses. Stimpmeter speed for putting will be on the slower side at around 10.
As is the case for most pure seaside links courses there are not dramatic undulations with massive elevation changes. Everywhere you look, however, there are smaller-scale naturally created rumples and trenches and mounds that can shoot balls in different directions. Those with experience here have come to realize that not every bounce, lie and putt will be fair. That is the essence of links golf.
Scoring
Over the past two championships at St. Andrews the average score has been 0.39 strokes over par. The seven years between 2015 and this year’s tournament is an eternity in the golfing world when it comes to advances in equipment and player strength. Some of the chatter this week will center around whether The Old Course can hold up to players bombing and wedging their way to record scores if the elements don’t intervene. The R&A’s Director of Rules, Grant Moir, doesn’t seem concerned though. “On any given day we want to present the course in a challenging way,” Moir says. “But absolutely accepting that there is a point where we can only do so much. Then you just have to let the players play. And at some point in time, someone will have a very low score. We’re not too concerned with scores on any given day. Or the winning score.”
Famed Scottish golfer Colin Montgomerie has a different view. “I fear for the Old Course at the Open. If the wind doesn’t blow, a number of players are going to go extremely low. I guarantee the course record will be broken. We have players now actively considering driving the first green. That’s a serious issue. I have no problem with people shooting 61 and 62, but is that really major championship golf?”
One of the most intriguing features about the Old Course is how endless the strategic options are for playing each hole. With fairways hundreds of yards wide and numerous double-greens over 25,000 square feet there are so many different methods of avoiding trouble along with a wide variety of angles to attack the many pin placements. Players can be aggressive and attack holes by taking risky lines off the tee and flirting with bunkers or play conservatively and hope to lag a long two-putt for par on one of the massive greens. And with the variability of the wind, one can play the course a different way each time out. This element of the course favors players with imagination, creativity and a game plan. And yes, Jordan Spieth immediately comes to mind.
Course Features/Defense
Located on the North Sea coastline of St. Andrews in Fife, the course is completely exposed to coastal winds off St. Andrews Bay. While the course can be attacked and easily conquered in calm conditions, in windy and firm conditions golfers can easily shoot an 80. The strength and direction of the wind remains the most important variable in determining the storyline for the Open Championship.
Along with the seven large double greens, another unique feature of the St. Andrews Old Course are its 100+ pot bunkers, many of which are hidden and cannot be seen from the tee and on some approach shots. No other golf course has as many famous landmark bunkers as the Old Course, most of which have their own names along with innumerable stories to tell. Some of the most famous include Hell, Kitchen, the Seven Sisters, Cottage, Principal’s Nose, and the 17th hole Road Bunker. Many of theses bunkers were originally created over hundreds of years by sheep nestling into the hillsides.
Some of the bunkers are so deep that the steep walls prevent a proper stance making the backswing near impossible and forcing players to hit sideways to gain relief. “The strategy of this golf course is to respect the bunkers,” said past Open Champion Nick Faldo, who hit into just one when he won at St. Andrews in 1990. “Anything can happen. You get under the lip and you have to come out backwards or you can’t even get to it.” Said Irish golfer Christy O’Connor Jr., “Bunkers should be a hazard. They are a hazard here at St. Andrews.”
The coastal winds, blind shots, hidden bunkers and tricky unpredictable bounces can quickly frustrate even the best of players. Those with links course experience and the creativity to adapt to all types of shot-making situations will have a huge advantage on the rest of the field.
Strokes Gained Analysis
Off the Tee
With expansive fairway landing areas, driving accuracy at The Old Course typically approaches 75-80%. The opening fairway (which is combined with the 18th hole) is an unbelievable 129 yards wide. Of all the Open Championship venues, St. Andrews is the widest off the tee. There is, however, still a need and a reward for accuracy as players must avoid their ball rolling into the penal fairway pot bunkers. As Lee Westwood was quoted, “You have to hit it a lot straighter at St. Andrews than everyone thinks. You have to be very disciplined. At first glance, it looks like a place where you can fire about and intimidate and bully. I don’t think it is. It’s a strategic golf course.”
While the rough is not that much of a factor, hitting out of bounds is a possibility on at least six holes. There are also numerous blind tee shots, humps and hollows that can quickly frustrate players when getting an unlucky bounce. Also, most of the bunkers you can’t even see off the tee.
If winds are down players have free reign to attack down the fairway with driver. This was seen at the 2015 Open. Even though shorter hitter Zach Johnson won with the help of hot irons and a streaky putter, the next 11 players on the leaderboard were above average in driving distance. That being said, wide fairways don’t always mean bombing away. Here at the Old Course it has been well documented that players with a tendency to hit left off the tee will stay out of most trouble. On the other hand, while hitting it to the right side of the fairway exposes players to most of the fairway bunker hazards, it also presents the best angles for approaches into the greens. Risk-reward opportunities abound which only adds to the strategic and creative options for players here at St. Andrews.
Approach
Similar to fairway accuracy off the tee, Greens in Regulation (GIR) rate easily approaches 75% thanks to the largest greens of any course played on the PGA Tour. At an average of 13,608 square feet, the greens here at the Old Course are more than four times the average size of the greens at Pebble Beach. Even with very little rough that is troublesome, approach shots from uneven lies can easily be mis-hit into one of the numerous bunkers that surround the green.
With putting surfaces so huge, players could hit 100% of greens and still shoot an 80. That is because of how difficult it is to avoid 3-putts. Proximity to the hole is paramount this week. And if winds increase and conditions get tougher, even with bump and run shots, these firm greens are not likely to hold the ball.
With so many players potentially looking for distance off the tee this week, and with so many shorter holes, the most utilized approach range yardage would appear to be inside 125 yards. If this turns into a birdie-fest, players who can dial in their wedge-game and win the proximity battle by leaving themselves with shorter putts will have a distinct advantage.
Around the Green and Putting
Whether winds cause havoc or not, Scrambling and Around the Green play are generally quite important for success at the Open Championship. Because there will be a lot of awkward wedge shots from around 50-75 yards along with many potential 100+ foot putts, and chips from tight lies – lag-putting, scrambling for par and using creativity with the short game will be crucial. Back in 2015, three of the top four scramblers finished inside the top-four on the leaderboard. Also, seven of the last eight Open winners have ranked inside the top-seven in Scrambling for the week.
As mentioned above, with double greens on 14 holes, the putting surfaces are humongous. The double greens average 22,267 square feet which is more than half an acre. Even if playing conservatively, hitting the green in regulation is not good enough to setup an easy par. In 2015, the 3-putt rate was an astronomical 6.13%. The average Tour rate is right around 3%. Lag putting is a required skill in avoiding bogeys this week.
With greens this week similar to the fescue blend and speed at last week’s Scottish Open, golfers who played at The Renaissance Club should gain a slight advantage over those who might need time to adjust. Putting has always been important in the Open Championship as each of the past four winners had a putting average inside the top-ten. As Jack Nicklaus said in his autobiography, “Although every golf tournament is to some degree a putting contest, the premium on the short stick at St. Andrews is greater than anywhere else in the championship game.”
Photo courtesy of St. Andrews Golf Links