The Maiden Is Back!

In pre-tournament stories some mentioned the lack of a driveable short four at Royal St. George's and who could blame them?

Just look at the yardage book (left, click on it to enlarge): the surveyor didn't even bother to give carry distances over the mounds!

It turns out the 419-yard par-4 fifth is driveable with the help of the prevailing wind and according to Paul Azinger on ESPN, the R&A added mounds up near the green to deflect some balls having a go at the green.

I was there last year and could not have fathomed someone taking a crack at the green, but as ESPN's accumulated FlightTracker graphic and in-house ShotLink-like scatter chart data shows, plenty had a go today.

Not only does this speak to just how far the players can carry the ball, but also a certain fearlessness with which many of us cannot relate. Then again, the rough isn't much and that may play into their thinking. Or they just want to show us how all that gym time is paying off?

Screen shots from ESPN's excellent coverage of the fifth during Friday's telecast (click image to enlarge):

The irony in all of this? The old sixth hole, the infamous Maiden, was an all-or-nothing shot over a dune, as beautifully described in Golf World's Open Championship preview issue by historian David Normoyle (not posted).

Granted, the Maiden was a 190ish par-3 and not a 419-yard two-shotter, but still...it looks like the new Maiden is finally playing more and more like the old Maiden!