"Links golf without wind is generally pretty low scoring. Is that a bad thing?"

Ewan Murray, reporting from Castle Stuart, where the scores are low and 36-hole leader Graeme McDowell says that's just fine for a number of reasons.

"If we had been coming to a brutal test here, a Carnoustie or one of the really, really tough tests, I think in a way you'd be mentally worn out," McDowell explained, with another glance towards next week at Royal St George's.

"I think they have the balance just right. This is a nice, straightforward links course. Links golf without wind is generally pretty low scoring. Is that a bad thing? I don't think it's a bad thing for the guys. There's fans, plenty of them, out there to watch us play good golf and we are certainly giving them that."

Comments

[Seán O'Nuallain]

It's a shame he has to state the obvious. I think it can be taken further. Remove the qualifier. "Is low scoring golf a bad thing?" I like to go low (that's under 85 for me). I like to watch my friends go low. When I used to watch pro golf I liked to watch them go low too.

If either tour started seeing cuts at -4 on a regular basis there might be cause for concern. I don't see that happening any time soon.

[benseattle]

Low scoring is fine when it's the result of good golfers succeeding because of skill. Yesterday I took in the final round of the Sahalee Players Championsihp featuring an array of accomplished collegians and watched as UNLV's Kevin Penner reduced a 510 yard par five to nothing after a (measured) 335 yard drive and perhaps a 175 yard seven iron to 10 feet for eagle. (Hogan would have featured a four-wood.) Note that Nick Watney at Arnonimink last week AVERAGED 320 off the tee. I like "the long ball" and I like to "go low" as much as anyone else but does it really make sense that we're hitting a ball that goes FIFTY YARDS farther than the premium ball of just a decade ago? If there were unlimited land and unlimited water and unlimited funds for upkeep, I'd say, "Sure, let the par 3's start at 230, the par 4's at 530 and the par 5's at 630." But we don't, do we?

[KCMG]

As for scoring, low scoring is better than what they have had this weekend -- no scoring. Unfortunate debut for a highly touted course. They can hardly be blamed for the weather, which appears to have been torrential even by Scottish standards, but landslides on the course? That indicates some design flaws. Hope they at least get in their 54.

[carnaptious and camsteerie]

KCMG ... I'm given to understand the course was shortened (and widened) so as not to 'beat up' players going into a major next week. In short, practice at the bump n'run game.

The landslide (was there more than one?) is an altogether different matter. I would imagine given the hillside was rooted in 'green stuff'' they would have thought the soil to have been stable. From what I could see, from a landslide perspective, it appeared to be a fairly minor example (surface stuff only). However, one does have to wonder if the change in curcumstances viz a vis unturfed (farmland) to (stabilised) turf provided the trigger for such an event to happen albeit in what were extreme circumstances, even for Scotland!

[A3golfer]

Ben- the ball does not go 50 yards farther than 10 yrs ago. how about not cutting the fairways so run as fast as the greens 10 yrs ago.?

[Sammy]

If CS is this wet in July, when do you go? Not that I'm interested.

[Tommy MacGregor]

A links course with a landslide?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-2012938/SCOTTISH-OPEN-Colin-Montgomerie-qualify-The-Open.html

[Derek]

Tommy lad, by the looks of those photos, Castle Stuart may be going back from whence it came.

[Backnine]

It looks like they're going to finish, 54 holes. Currently there are 46 players at double digits, under par.