Hit it hard, hit it hard again and maybe again.

An old friend showed up on the course on Saturday.

The wind

Growing up playing the links, people think you are a good wind player and used to playing in it. It might be one thing being able to cope with it, but, that’s extremely different from enjoying it. No one can enjoy playing in ferocious winds that unfortunately are common at the Links.

A strong wind, the best defense in links golf, was largely missing on two of the three previous British Opens that came to St. Andrews, which explains how Tiger Woods won with a record score of 19-under 269 in 2000 and at 14-under 274 five years later in 2005.

On Saturday the wind was gusting.

The 9th and 16th on the Eden course are the two par 5’s. The ninth is 505 yards and the 16th is 568 yards both were playing down wind! Both holes reduced to a driver and a short iron which provided valuable scoring opportunities.

The 2nd and third in contrast, both reasonable length par 4’s at 449 and 417 yards respectively were the moto of this post. A driver out the screws, left a fairway wood out the screws and then some.

It’s tough playing in the wind, but 4 or 5 club winds are something that most players, especially parkland players don’t get too many chances to experience. A little part of me hopes that in a few weeks time when the show comes to town that the illustrious tour pro’s are met with a similar wind, just to see how they cope. The other part of me hopes for another stunning Open at The Home Of Golf.

Either way, all I can say is, at least I looked good (when I was hitting it hard).

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