After Late Friday Press Release, Monday Morning Work Commences On Old Course At St. Andrews Changes

Anthony Pioppi hears (and Tweets) that the modifications to the Old Course, announced late Friday in a press release, have begun with work on the Road hole.

Update on Monday, November 26, 2012 at 02:11 PM by Geoff

**Tony Korologos at the Hooked On Golf Blog has some photos posted from John Coyne, author, tour operator and caddie.

There is a red line painted disturbingly far into the Road hole green that would suggest the sod is coming off to the poing and the amazing front contour is going to be re-shaped even more than many of us could have imagined.

Frankly, the Road hole work was the least frightening part of this shocking project. But now I'm not so sure!

Here is a gallery of the images posted by Korologos.

Update on Monday, November 26, 2012 at 06:19 PM by Geoff

**Pioppi also reports that work has started on the 11th green.

Comments

[Jim S]

Wow, I guess they didn't want to wait to hear from the commoners.

[Blue Canyon]

that was fast.
No finer example of haste makes waste.

[Mark B]

Moving so fast Old Tom has barely enough time to start spinning.

[Short Knocker]

Hey, let's straighten the Leaning Tower too, while we're at it. Maybe paint the White House purple! Man, that would be SO AWESOME!

[3Jack]

Dawson & Hawtree = arrogant & self-agrandizing

[Mike S.]

Mark B...and Bobby Jones--dual spinners

[Amen Coroner]

Maybe The New Old Course will be better?

[3Jack]

...adding to Amen Corner's comment, then what has been know for 117 years as "The New Course" would then become "The Old New Course"?

[digsouth]

@amen coroner....


I think it would be ''The Young Old Course''.


And that ''spinning''- dual spinning'' has upset my Thanksgiving leftovers lunch real bad.

[Robert Matre]

Aint right.

[Marva]

Just don't smell right

[Ghillie]

Where's the Occupy movement when you need them?

[Amen Coroner]

How about the The Hawson Course at St. Andrews?

[Pete the Luddite]

yeaaaahhhhh, let's keep our eyes on the big issue in golf...the belly putter....anyone?....<sound of crickets>

This is beyond shameful. R&A stood by, regulatorily flaccid, while equipment advances incrementally murdered the older courses. Now, even the mighty has fallen. Shameful...but, hey, at least the manufacturers made a lot of money and we all spent it to get longer and longer.

(Said with HEAVY sarcasm): Bravo, R&A. Well played.

[Hawkeye]

Do they still play the course backwards once a week? Maybe they should try that instead in tournament play to offset the low scoring. That approach from the 17th fairway to the 16th green can't yield too many birdies...

[Pat Burke]

Has Melvyn's head exploded yet?

[chico]

Melvyn and Manos-where are they now?!

[Tighthead]

Time to look up MHM's facebook page.

[Hilltop]

Interesting historical article considering the present circumstances....


randa.org/en/RandA/News/News/2011/June/~/media/RandA/Related%20Documents/2011/TTG%20Whins%20of%20Change.ashx

[KLG]

A good rule of thumb for administrative matters that are important only at the margin (key word, only):
"It's easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission."

I don't think that's gonna work this time. Fixing the Mona Lisa's smile is a bad idea. I'm thinking 8-letter word, plural, that begins with "a"; how about the rest of you?

Melvyn? The world awaits. Are you OK?

[John G]

Gotta be a Trump plot to make his new Hawtree course move up the rankings faster...

[smails]

If the old course can be "renovated", then how can i stop the green chariman at my home course from doing so?

[D. maculata]

KLG - As soon as the first shovel pierced the turf, Melvyn went straight to The Jigger Inn and hasn't surfaced since.

[PHK]

I'm reminded by Oostie's win in '10 of how the wind was a strong factor.

So how are the "enhancements" to the greens for more pins going to play out in that wind? Especially on the 11th...

[Pasaplayer]

Sorry, but this just pisses me off. Here's to Tom Doak and his petition campaign!

[dmorg]

I don't see what all the fuss is about. It's obvious to everyone that the only thing that matters in golf is the professional game. I do think the suits are missing an opportunity here, though. Let the little people keep their Old Course if that's what it takes to shut them up. The future of golf is in building monster-sized, domed, climate-controlled stadiums. Just imagine the sheer Trumpiness of it all. We'll sell naming rights to corporate sponsers---The Links at Gargantuan Industries LLP Stadium---I like it. We'll have great big multimedia scoreboards with lots of room for advertising, sky boxes, a Taylormade fitting center on the mezzanine, and computer-pneumatically aided adjustable landscapes that can be reconfigured with the touch of a button. No more pesky weather to deal with, no silly ancient landforms to be handcuffed by. Think of the possibilities. We'll need a couple in China, another in Dubai, one in Florida for sure, preferably visible from little Timmie's house, one in Vegas, and maybe another couple in Europe somewhere. Yep, I think this is the definitely future of golf.

[digsouth]

Don't people in GB know how to protest? All those warm beer drinkers at 11 am....what the hell.... why can't they stage a massive protest-standing on the course would keep work off, and bring the press- and a nice girl on the 17th could earn a page 6.

[walkie talkie banks]

Digs-if I hadn't read it on here I wouldn't have known anything about this-and I live less than an hour away!!
This was kept pretty quiet over here-lot of noise today though!











1

[Chuck]

I'd like to hear from a PROPONENT of the changes. Dawson, or Hawtree, or someone similar. Not because I support them; quite the opposite. But I'd like their side, and their arguments for the changes, to be fully aired and examined in the crucible of a stern debate, so that we know exactly what we are up against. Why the changes in general, and why these specific changes?

Oh, and Geoff; I haven't yet seen a link on how to sign Tom Doak's petition.