"Golf’s shrine has been desecrated in an act of staggering arrogance by those meant to care for it."

All of the change-equals-progress bandwagon jumpers are on board with the R&A and St. Andrews Links Trust, but in preaching that mindless case I notice no one addresses how this wonderful progress was ushered through secretly.

As John Huggan notes in his Scotland on Sunday column, the R&A is merely arrogant, but it's the Links Trust that failed most miserably.

Yes, it is true that the R&A and Links Trust consulted with five local clubs. But those clubs, being private, are merely stakeholders who do not own the links. Instead, the proposals should have been revealed to both the people of St Andrews and, surely, golfers all around the world. Had that been the case, it is clear from the general reaction across the globe that none of the digging and scraping currently defacing the Old Course would be taking place.

So if this is indeed progress, undoing Mother Nature's beloved handiwork, why keep it a secret until a little over two days before you break the sacred grounds of the Old Course?

Comments

[carnaptious and camsteerie]

Have to agree the whole business has been conducted in a sneaky and underhanded way. As the reasons for doing this are purely to strengthen the course's defences for future Open Championships then I would have thought it incumbent upon the Links Trust and R&A to inform the wider public of any proposed changes to the Old Course in a more considered and timeous way. Instead, knowing that a furore would likely follow the announcement of any proposed changes they chose instead to present a virtual fait accomplis to the wider world. Definitely not cricket chaps!

Begs the question though ... was the proverbial gun put to the Links Trust's head to make these changes?

[Jeff F.]

Geoff,

The word I am getting is that the other clubs were NEVER consulted. They received a notice a couple days prior to the news release and it wasn't a "what do you think?" kind of letter. They were told what was going to happen do that they could prepare their membership.

[bsoudi]

Not being a St-Andrews-ophile, this is the part that has made me most angry – the sheer arrogance and unaccountability of Dawson and the R&A. They're going to do whatever they want and no one can stop them, even if they have to roll-over local constituents (Hello Donald Trump) like third world dictators.

And I am SO tired of all these efforts – course toughening/lenghtening, belly-putter bans – focused on just .01% of the golfing population, touring pros.

[walkie talkie banks]

Exactly where is that photo taken from?back right of 17?I'm having difficulty working that out even though I was there 3 days ago!

[Mike]

Anyone want to fund my new film "You've been Dawsoned"?

And I say we take the example of Pine Valley and start calling one of the new bunkers The Dawson's As- well, you know.

[digsouth]

The only answer at this point almost has to be the old adage so true time and time again-

''FOLLOW THE MONEY''.

[Amen Coroner]

Egos of arrogant entitled men who think they are lords of the ring. Can MJ wear cargo shorts at TNOC?

[KLG]

Yep, Digs. R&A told Links Trust that you either let us muck about on the TOC or the Open is not coming back. Of course, the Links Trust should have responded like Dirty Harry: "Go ahead, make my day; also, too, opinions are like assholes...everybody has one." Dawson and his minions would have backed down no later than one missed Open Championship at TOC. Btw, anyone heard from Lord Combover lately?

[So]

Go Dawson! Yea Target Golf!...,TPC St Andrews.

[BrianS]

The process was deplorable, and the results of this work seem to be unnecessary at best. But the hyperbole and exaggeration coming from Huggan (and others) on this issue have just about reached the breaking point. "Mother nature's beloved handiwork"? I suppose mother nature had previously carved the Road Hole Bunker from the bare sod to its current condition ? Not to mention installation of said road, or the wall next to the road, or especially the junky hotel that they carry from the tee. ?

[chico]

BrianS- that junky hotel is actually quite a good hotel now.
You make some valid points re the course though.
I don't think this re-do should be happening and to suggest it has nothing to do with distance is laughable-but some of the commenting has been a bit hysterical.