Here's what is right: The winning score doesn't matter.
In the U.S. Open, the blue blazers of the USGA seem to protect par with nasty rough, shaved greens and chipping areas. Manufacturing par 5s into par 4s.
At the Open Championship, the weather protects par. If the wind is up, scores will be high. If the wind doesn't blow and rain has softened the course, who cares? The Claret Jug is not inscribed with a footnote that says, "won despite a lack of wind."
That means there must have been a mean gale howling in 1938 when Tommy Armour finished 12 over -- and still won at Carnoustie.
And we know Louie Oosthuizen got the good end of the draw and had calm conditions while shooting 16 under to win at St. Andrews in 2010. Neither the gallery, nor the R&A, seem to care what the winning total happens to be that particular year.
That's what's right about The British Open.
What's wrong? The bunkers. There are too many of them, and they are way too severe. Royal Lytham & St. Annes might be the worst offender.
There are more than 200 bunkers on the property and all of them are deep pits with deep faces. There are 20 bunkers on the 17th hole alone.
Links courses are meant to be played on the ground, but with so many odd bounces off the turf and so many bunkers, luck plays a huge part in victory. The bunkers take the recovery shot out of a player's options.
It does not take a great deal of skill to chunk a sand wedge, playing backwards toward the tee. Open courses are great because they give a player so many options, with the exception of bunker play.
You can hit driver over the bunkers or take irons and play short. Carve a 3-wood around the hazards. Hitting a ball into a fairway bunker this week leaves zero options. You turn around and hit back toward the tee.
Where is the skill in that?
A bunker that fronts the eighth green features a sod face sloped at an 80 degree pitch. You don't need a sand wedge to get out, you need pitons, a pick and a guide dog.
You can argue the bunkers serve the same purpose as severe rough in the U.S. Open. They test a player's ability to control the ball to avoid the hazards and test a player's patience, but that is a fatuous argument.
The best players separate themselves from the field by being able to put the club on the ball. The more times the good player can hit the ball, the more chances he has to separate himself from the field. Deep and numerous bunkers bring more luck than skill into the equation.
The R&A almost got it right.
Zach and Steve: Both Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker put a lot of emotion into last week's John Deere Classic. Johnson called it his personal fifth major. I saw the look on Stricker's face as he walked the 18th fairway, knowing his chance of winning a fourth consecutive John Deere title had slipped away. Both the win and the defeat were emotionally draining for the pair. How much do they have left, and how quickly can they recover this week? It will be interesting to see how they respond.
Weather Report: The forecast is not good, but it appears better later in the day than early. Rain is expected in the mornings with a chance for clearing in the afternoon. Which end of the draw you get is of great importance at the British Open because the weather is so volatile. If the forecast is accurate, players likePhil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy got the good end of the draw.
Bobby Jones: You can't walk the course without heading over to the plaque. In honor of Jones Open victory, club officials placed a plaque on the exact spot of his critical shot in 1926. Jones was tied for the lead when he picked a mashie off a bad lie and hit the green from 175 yards, leading to victory. Jones latter said, "Even a teaspoon of sand would have meant disaster."
It was at that same 1926 Open that Jones left the course between the third and fourth rounds without his credential. Security would not let him back onto the grounds without proper identification, so Jones purchased a ticket as a spectator, then proceeded to win.
The Big One: No trip this week is complete without a ride on "The Big One." That's the name of the rollercoaster in nearby Blackpool. When opened in 1994, it was the tallest and steepest rollercoaster in the world. It features a 205 foot drop with a 74 mph top speed. If Royal Lytham St. Annes doesn't get a players's stomach churning, take a ride on "The Big One."
Winner, winner: How do you predict an Open Champion? The wind, the rain, the bunkers, all play a huge part in the tournament. Luck will be a major factor this week but at the same time, we can apply a little logic to the equation. The rough is lush, and control of the golf ball is vital. Not just steering clear of the rough line, but navigating through a minefield of bunkers. Graeme McDowell hits fairways, and he is second on TOUR in greens in regulation. I know that did not work out so well in the final round at The Olympic Club, but that was just the warm-up.
McDowell adds a British Open to his resume this week.
