I just received an e-mail from WGT saying I could be the first to find out when St. Andrews would be open for stroke play if I opened a Facebook account with them, hinting that it's just around the corner. IMO: allow me to start a nasty rumor right here, in that Monday starts a new week AND a new month, and that would be a perfect time to open a new course. HMMMM....
My challenge to all, but especially to the Master tier players, is to report your FIRST 9-hole score on the Old Course on the forums. Don't quit on me, and it doens't have to be a ranked round. I'm sure the better players practice courses dozens of times before indulging in ranked rounds.
But my challenge is mainly to install a sense of belief to those who doubt the true Masters (and I don't count myself in that league; the leaderboards don't lie. I consider myself a Master tier player in name ONLY). I have read a lot of threads about the possibilities of cheating, installing helpful software and whatnot, and it's just not true. I have also read a lot of threads of how far hard work will get you, so I'm not really talking to you guys.
My challenge is, in part, to open the eyes of the nonbelievers, in that there is INDEED a learning curve that ALL players must go through, even the Masters on new courses. These players did not get averages in the 50's just by playing a few times per week; you see the number of ranked rounds they have put in, and yes, they have the high-end equipment (both computer and clubs), but their course management is something to be copied, and that's what gets them to where they are. A decent index finger helps too (I'm starting my Christmas list with that).
So post your first scores, and let's see how you did. I'm as anxious as the rest of you, and I join quite a few of you in saying that the Old Course is one of my all-time favorites. So as they say in the telethons, I will if you will.