To him, it is absolute madness that people all over the world are lengthening their courses in a bid to turn them into championship venues. “Most of the time, it’s never going to happen,” he said. “More often than not, members hate playing on them and, when it comes to having to pay levies because of the price of the changes, they resign.”
No more was Player happy with mix of tightening and lengthening which has been happening at Open venues. He had asked some 50 members of the public to tell him how they were enjoying the golf at Lytham, and most had replied that they did not like seeing the professionals hitting irons off the tees.
“They come to the Open to watch the players whack their drivers,” said this winner of nine majors.
It seems he did not go into how these people might feel were the professionals to be stripped of 50 yards. However, since the stars would still be hitting further than them, you would have to assume that they could handle the adjustment.
There was one line from Player which might just have officialdom wondering if he is right. Namely, that in 30 years’ time, the longer hitters of the day will be able to drive nine of the greens at St Andrews.
