timsean11:oh btw, the open on whatever royal course... that thing is ridiculous. they call that a golf course? that a friggin farm that someone mowed close. that isn't even any semblance of a golf course. WTFO? someone needs to take an earthmover through there. i guess anyone can call their course royal and set it up in a cow pasture. there's plenty of crap there, just missing the cows!
2 things.
First, course can only be called 'Royal' if it has been afforded that honour by the British Monarchy.
Second, they were playing golf on links courses like RSG when your country was still a colony so maybe it's the perfectly manicured picture postcard courses you seem to be enamoured by that are the imposters?
Or maybe, just maybe, one of the beauties of golf is the variation in courses that is possible?
Just a thought, apologies for the mini-rant.
FYI, from www.royalstgeorges.com :
Dr Laidlaw Purves of the Royal Wimbledon Golf Club, designed and established
the Club in 1887. The Club was intended to serve the needs of London golfers
who were only able to play their golf on often crowded and unkept courses in the
area. Named St. George's, it was to become the English rival to Scotland's St.
Andrew's. Royal status was bestowed on the Club by King Edward VII in May
1902.
The Links provides a severe test for even the greatest of golfers and the
fact that only three Open winners, Bill Rogers in 1981, Greg Norman in 1993 and
Ben Curtis in 2003, have managed to be under par after 72 holes, speaks for
itself.