Golf returns to Kiawah Islands
Golf has finally returned to one of its most notorious courses ever. This year’s PGA Championship will be played on the Kiawah Islands.
Ocean Golf course played host to the 1991 Ryder Cup and it does not bring very fond memories for the European golfers. The 1991 Ryder Cup was labelled as “The War on the Shore”.
The course at the Kiawah Islands is a night mare. Instead of being built around the dunes, it has been constructed on the dunes.
Europeans found it tough going and Americans dressed up in a way that would have haunted them throughout the event. With first Gulf War going on, USA decided to dress up in military style to honour their soldiers.
“It was wild and it was rugged,” the Englishman added. “There were waste areas 20 feet from the pin. That was the hardest thing – looking at a pin that you could almost reach out and touch knowing the you could not get up and down”.
Colin Montgomerie also found it extremely tough and he described it as a nightmare. Some boy mentioned the word brutal but he said it was an understatement.
However, there is good news for the players as the course is not that tough any more. The greens have been replaced and approaches to the holes are now a little easy.
Adam Scott thinks the course is pretty interesting, although he has only seen some pictures but he feels that it would be a wonderful experience playing in those conditions.
“The green complexes are very severe on some holes, and there are some extreme penalties for a miss. There is water one side and big waste bunkers the other. It is certainly going to need some ball-striking,” said the Australian.
Ball striking would have to be perfect if the players want to get an under par score. The weather will also play a major role in this, as it will be quite windy. It is not exactly a links course but it is very close to that as it is very near the coast line.
It will be a great test of golfing skills at the Kiawah. It may be like a war between the players but it will surely be a war with the course and weather as well.
Tags: