british open
So the controversy over the conditions at Shinnecock Hills at the U.S. Open raises a good question: what major tournament has the best approach to running the golf tournament?
The British Open is played on links courses, where the natural lie of the land, pot bunkers, and the elements (wind and rain) are pretty much the story.
The U.S. Open is played on different courses, but they all tend to have very slick greens and, at least in the past, high rough.
The PGA is played on different courses, with greens and roughs that are usually more forgiving than the U.S. Open, making the winning score much lower.
And the Masters, of course, is played at Augusta, where the greens are slick, but rough not as penal as the U.S. Open.
Some would claim that the British has the best approach, since it relies the most on the natural elements and the golf course is all in front of you. Personally, I like the Masters, which I think more fairly rewards exceptional play on a more consistent basis than the U.S. Open and British Open. The PGA is a fun tournament, usually with lower scores, but I think it is lacking a little in difficulty. On the other hand, maybe having a variety of approaches to the majors is good for golf?
Tweet