I went to Marco Simone two days after watching The Open at St Andrews. It was illuminating to walk around the courses that host golf’s two biggest events within such a short space of time and it struck me that while they both have 18 holes and are covered in grass, the similarities largely end there.
I love St Andrews Old. It vies with Royal County Down as my favourite course in the world – and I have more than 500 to choose from, including all but seven of the finest 200 in Europe. The Old is our GB&I No.1 and it is, needless to say, simply a magical place to play the game.
It has spine-tingling mystique, peerless history and I could make a case for at least half the holes being in the Top 100 in GB&I, but it is actually a very modest host of The Open. It is a terrible viewing arena for a start, and the players hit it too far these days for its strategy and nuance to be enjoyed in full. It hosts The Open because it kind of has to.
The Open infrastructure fits round the Old course, as it should. Over in Rome, it is a very different story. The course fits around the Ryder Cup infrastructure, and you can see why. Not for the first time, the course that stages the Ryder Cup has been designed specifically to host the biennial event.
Marco Simone isn’t brand new, but it has been redesigned so thoroughly that it almost qualifies as new. Italy wanted the Cup, Rome was the obvious choice of city, and with no course able to stage it, one with the necessary space to be transformed had to be created.
Denne historien er fra February 2023-utgaven av Golf Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 2023-utgaven av Golf Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
PLAYING ALONG THE LINES
ClearPath Alignment now adorns the latest TaylorMade TP5 and TP5x Stripe golf balls.
NG CONTINUES TO BLAZE A TRAIL
Sydnie Ng's victory in the Singapore Junior Masters B Division Girls boosts her potential.
DESCENTE ON THE ASCENT
Descente and FILA Golf gives the renovated The Shop at Laguna National Golf Resort Club a trendy boost.
DIVINE PLEASURES FOR A CAUSE
Christian media ministry TWR Asia finds charitable connections through golf.
TO "D" OR NOT TO "D"?
If you chose “D”, you are right and you would be joining millions of people around the world who are choosing “D” as the one necessary supplement they must include in their daily diet.
QUOTIDIAN LUXURY
Audi's new Q4 e-tron offers everyday comfort and performance through sustainable rides.
A RACE LIKE NO OTHER
Join us as we take a front row seat at Le Mans, one of the greatest races in the world, followed by an exclusive tour of Ferrari's automated factory in Maranello, Italy.
CELEBRATING THE MODERN WOMAN
Patek Philippe's Twenty-4 collection has come a long way since its inception at the turn of the millennium, and this year's anniversary edition is a sign of the times.
THE PRIVILEGE OF MEMBERSHIP
Dragon Golf International offers its members in Singapore with access to top courses around the world. Founder and Managing Director Neil Douglas talks about why it may be the answer to the future of golf travel.
THE LURE OF THE LAKESIDE
Banyan Group's massive new undertaking in Phuket rides on soaring international demand for homes on the island
