Hello ladies, welcome to Carnoustie, or as the Scots call it — Car-nasty.
One of the world’s most famous and infamous links courses greets world’s No. 1 Nelly Korda and an elite field in this week’s fifth and final major of the women’s season.
Korda is one of 38 Americans teeing it up this week alongside older sister Jessica and Major champions Danielle Kang and Lexi Thompson, and also leads the Solheim Cup qualification standings. which conclude once the champion is crowned on Sunday. This is the last call for the non-automatic qualifiers to impress their respective captains for the upcoming Solheim Cup competition. which begins September 4 at the famous Inverness Club in Toledo.
But first things first, Carnoustie has left a trail of broken hearts over the decades. It’s where Ben Hogan basically went 1-for-1 at the Open Championship. He won at Carnoustie in 1953 and never returned to compete in the championship.
The 18th hole at Carnoustie is where Frenchman Jean Van de Velde suffered a triple-bogey seven that cost him the major championship. His second shot bounced off the grandstands and flew back into the Barry Burn, short of the 18th green. There’s no plaque, only a stark reminder on the concrete above the Burn, where a member of the grounds crew carved in the rough tribute: “J. Van De Velde ’99.”
The weather is the huge factor in any championship staged in Scotland. Summer doesn’t matter, it can be ugly anytime. Weather forecasts at Carnoustie call for wind and rain on at least three of the four days of the championship.
When the forecast turn, it often becomes a matter of which side of the draw you’re on. But with testy weather for the final rounds, that should even things out.
Korda, naturally, is the favorite. Who has more skill or more tools at their disposal? But the weather is the great equalizer.
Major Hord Of Counterfeit Clubs Seized In China:
Counterfeit equipment has become an ever-growing problem for the equipment industry in the United States and the main culprit — China.
The battle continues and this week the US Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group has announced a series of three raids in the fight to eradicate all production and distribution of counterfeit golf equipment. The group worked closely with the Shanghai Police to conduct the raids in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province.
In total, over 9,769 pieces of clubs and components as well as 10,600 pieces of trademark labels bearing the names of XXIO, Titleist, TaylorMade, PXG, Callaway, and PING were found and seized.
These latest raids come following the largest-ever raid of counterfeit golf equipment conducted in 2020, which saw an additional 120,000 pieces of fake golf equipment seized and 15 defendants detained and arrested.
So be careful when you purchase clubs online, make sure they come from reliable sites.
6 Comments
golf1234
Watching any tournament at golfs greatest test (Carnoustie) is shall I dare say “Fun”. We played 36 on 19 July 87 for about $50. Could not play the tips, played the Macdonald Smith Tees which was still “Badass”.
Tom Edrington
Carnoustie is Carnoustie, we played there in October of 2019; There was only one set of tees, got around in 86 blows on a windy day; One of our group eagled the par five sixth where the “Hogan Plaque” sits…..Hogan used to play a cut off the OB Fence left; Kevin Bahr in our foursome, looked at the Hogan plaque, announced “Screw Hogan” and crushed a draw that started right and finished in the middle of the fairway. He got a driving iron onto the front of the green and holed a 65-footer for eagle…..great memory….my goal was to beat Jean Van de Velde at 18 and Tiger Woods at 10 and 11….parred 10 and 11 and at 18, my second caught the bridge and kicked forward pin high into the deep stuff, chopped it out and two-putted for five and announced: “Van de Velde would have paid a million for that bogey!” Fun memorable day…..I think the course is gettable when there’s no wind….
golf1234
We had a calm day, partly sunny. The three finishing holes were tough, especially 16. 234 yds from the Smith Tees. Attended The Open at Muirfield two days before on Friday 17th. Next course after Carnoustie, Royal Troon and both courses at Turnberry (one of our favorites after Royal Dornach) My favorite, Old Course Ballybunion.
Living in Oregon with Bandon Dunes Resort, can go to Scotland for close to the same price. No breaks for Oregon Golf Association members.
Tom Edrington
Sorry to hear that about Bandon, it’s all about the money, isn’t it? Watched the women’s open this morning and Carnoustie turned into Car-Nice-ty…..my absolute favorite links course is North Berwick West Links..
baxter cepeda
Nelly is no doubt the best player right now and assuming pressure, which is now called mental health, doesn’t get out of hand she should have a nice run at or near the top.
But this is the women’s Open at Carnoustie, where Nelly from Florida’s style will not match up as much as it does week to week. Not that Nelly cannot do it but this week doesn’t set up quite the same as she is used to.
It isn’t a bombers paradise. And it isn’t a high hitters dream. Florida also has wind but not this kind of wind and weather.
Nelly as in vogue as Madonna in the 90s fir good reason but it’s reasonable not picking Nelly this week.
So who?
Queen Bee has been under the radar mostly, including in Tokyo where we expect so much from her. But she has 10 or more top 20s this season since she won Kia in March. She has a second and a third. In the majors She had a 40th at the pga but she was 7th at the US Open and the ANA. She just finished 12th in France at the major which should NOT be a major. So there’s more than enough form there.
Inbee is THE big game hunter of the lpga tour. She clearly plays for majors and medals. And this last big chance of 2021 sets up quite well for the short but strong minded Park. I say Queen Bee embraces and handles Carn-astie and adds her second women’s Open to her remarkable record.
Tom Edrington
Nelly played in the worst part of the draw this morning and fared quite well — eight birdies at Carnoustie?? I’d have to play there all summer to make that many…..when we played in October it was 45 degrees with 15-20 mph winds….the ladies would have died in those conditions!