Had to be.
The Old Course simply had to be the site for the 150th Open Championship.
This was a no-brainer for the R&A, an easy choice, this one took absolutely no one by surprise.
The Old Course at St. Andrews is ground zero for golf pilgrimages. It IS the history of golf, rolled up into 18 iconic holes, 147 bunkers, many of them have names.
There’s no feeling like standing on that first tee and thinking about the greatest players whose footprints have been left there.
There’s no feeling like it.
There’s no tee shot like the one on the 17th where you take it over the Old Course Hotel, hoping you hit it good enough to have a decent second shot into the Road Hole.
There’s nothing really worse than the Hell Bunker at the par five 14th. Took Jack Nicklaus three shots to get out of it back in ’95 and Jack made 10 there.
There’s the imposing Deacon Sime that fronts the 16th and The Coffins in the fairway at the 13th.
Then there’s the Road Hole Bunker. After the 1978 Open Championship, it was nicknamed “The Sands Of Nakajima.” Japanese star Tommy Nakajima was tied for the lead and a putt found its way into that bunker that guards the front left side. Four shots later, Nakajima was back on the green.
On a calm day, The Old Course is vulnerable to today’s long-hitting stars if they stay out of those bunkers.
Aye, but when the winds blow, laddie, it’s simply fun to watch.
So treat yourself to the trip of a lifetime, you have time. This year’s 147th is at Carnoustie, so you have until 2021.
