the long and the short of it

Something had been lost in golf over recent years.

We have become obsessed with distance! Be it the ball, the driver or the course!

Rocket launching drivers, balls with fitted jest packs and golf courses stretched to 7,400 yards.

Week in week out we see good pro's getting beaten by bombers on courses which do not punish wayward drives and bunkers which are more like sand pits for a 2 year old.

Those in the know, you know the experts, tell us classic links courses can't cut the mustard any more and need stretched more than a politicians expenses game!

I worked every day at the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match play held a Murcar Links Golf Club last week, personally I thought it was great entertainment on a course that measure 6,516 yards.

Now those in the know, you remember, the experts, tell us that that's far too short and technology has made it redundant. Now I did see the 9th and the 11th greens driven but I also saw as many double bogies from those who tried to drive the greens.

So today I went out and played the course myself and I can honestly say I had the time of my life.

With no stretch of the imagination can I ever be called a long hitter or a bomber, quite frankly the driver is the most hated club in my bag and gets me into more trouble than anything! I hit it 4 times today!

Without building silly tees or creating silly features Murcar have got it right!

Bunkers are proper bunkers that will punish you for going into them, fairways are tight and the rough is penal. Just as it should be!

You have to think your way round the course and you have to keep the ball in play or suffer the consequences.

We don't need to ruin classic links courses by stretching them to breaking point or putting stupid tees out there, lengthen the rough, tighten the fairways and put proper bunkers in the right places.

If I was a 300 yard + bomber I would probably be sitting here claiming foul and complaining I was being penalised, well welcome to my world big boy!

Today was real golf played on a real golf course and I had more fun than I have had in years.

I get no fun sitting in the middle of 40 odd yard wide fairways wondering if a well hit 3 wood will get me close to the green with my 2nd shot, do you?

There are lessons to be learned for every classic links course from Murcar, I only hope many learn it before it's to late.