IF THE ROYAL & Ancient moved every British Open to the Old Course at St. Andrews, would anyone on this side of the pond really be upset?
The course’s Road Hole and its Road Bunker, the Swilcan Burn, the bridge over said Burn on the 18th hole — all contribute to an iconic layout.
Other venues used for the championship, often employ a “Royal” connotation, such as such as Royal Liverpool and Royal St. George.
Can anybody recall anything truly legendary or significant about these layouts?
I’d call them a royal bore in comparison with the Old Course, the home of golf.
To those who would say hosting the tournament on a five-year rotation helps make St. Andrews special, I offer a two-word response: Augusta National.
Holding the Masters there each April never seems to dim interest in the tournament, or the appreciation of what is likely the most revered course in America.
Modern players do feast on the Old Course when the sun is shining and the winds are still, but that only occurred for some of Thursday’s opening round and most of Sunday’s third round.
Otherwise it was typical wind and wet, and when coupled with well-placed pin locations, the Old Course can still show its teeth.
Louis Oosthuizen, the player I picked to win the British Open in last week’s column, and who ended up just short in the three-man playoff won by Zach Johnson, agrees with my idea.
Oosthuizen won the British Open at St. Andrews in 2010, and obviously his smooth swing also agrees with the links.
“You know, The Open, playing it around here, I wish they had it here every year,” he said.
Thanks for coming as close as I probably ever will to picking a major winner, Louis.
Just mark your ball faster next time you play in a wind squall.
And congratulations to Johnson, that Claret Jug will look nice paired with his previously won Green Jacket.
Burnett’s fourth ace
Peninsula Golf Club member Dolly Burnett notched her fourth career hole-in-one on the 100-yard par-3 fourth hole on Monday.
Burnett used her pitching wedge on the shot, which was witnessed by George and Rena Peabody.
Congratulations, Dolly.
SunLand celebrates
The SunLand Women’s Golf Association celebrated its 41st year by hosting and honoring all past captains at a recent luncheon.
There were 14 past captains in attendance and each was presented with a gift.
Kit Nill, who served as captain the year I was born, 1982, was the senior honoree.
The luncheon followed the regular Thursday golf, with 10 of the past captains participating in the golf game.
The tables were decorated with flower arrangements by Carol Goodman, who also grew the flowers in her garden.
They sat on lovely placemats of colorful quilted cloth squares designed and made by Dana Burback.
The game was Pandora’s Box, where teams of three had to look in a specially decorated box on the next tee to see whose score would be used for the game.
First-place winners on the day was the team of Ruth Lowe, Gail Savage, and Nancy Harlan with a score of 105.
Save the date
Plans are underway for the SunLand Women’s annual Drive for the Cure Tournament on Thursday, Sept. 24.
This annual event raises funds to benefit mammograms that provide early detection of breast cancer for women and men on the North Olympic Peninsula.
This tournament is open to all who would like to participate.
Membership in a golf club is not required.
Pro golf tournaments
Professional golf returns to the Pacific Northwest on back-to-back weeks in August.
And tickets are much cheaper and the walk around the courses far less steeper than the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.
First up, the longest running non-major on the LPGA Tour, the Portland Classic arrives back at Columbia Edgewater Country Club from Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 13-16.
Tickets are $25 for the week, $10 per day.
For more information, visit www.portlandclassic.com.
The Portland Classic will provide a good scouting opportunity to find your favorite players as the tour will return to the northwest in June of 2016 for a major, the Women’s PGA Championship.
Over in Snoqualmie, the TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge will host Champions Tour players in the annual Boeing Classic.
Play runs from Friday, Aug. 21 through Sunday, Aug. 23.
I went on the first day of the tournament last year and had a blast.
Those who attend the first day should make sure not to miss the Boeing jet flyover that signals the opening of play at 11:20 a.m.
Impressive to see a wide-bodied commercial aircraft fly so low and so loud over the assembled patrons.
And the golf was fun, too.
Tickets are $20 for a single-day pass, $40 for a three-day tournament pass and $60 for a weekly pass.
There is a 50 percent senior discount on all passes for those age 60 and older.
There are also some higher-end hospitality lounge tickets available as well.
Visit www.boeingclassic.com for more information.
________
Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-417-3525, ext. 5152, or pdngolf@gmail.com.
