GreenReader
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Alright, hot take incoming, feel free to roast me.
I pulled up the 2024 final round again last night (nothing else on, stoppage time in some MLS game) and it confirmed something I've felt for years. The front nine at Troon is genuinely great. Postage Stamp, Railway, that whole run into the turn is proper links golf. But the back nine? Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen... it just sort of happens. Long par fours, greens that don't punish much, and then 18 is a straight par four with a bunker. Compare that finish to Birkdale's 18 or Hoylake with the wind up. Not close.
And before anyone says "but the wind," wind makes every course hard. That's not architecture, that's just Scotland. You could put an Open at my local muni with a 30mph crosswind and the best players would still make it look interesting.
My real gripe is the rota keeps circling back here instead of giving Lytham or Portrush more looks. 2024 was fine. Xander and Billy Ho played beautifully that weekend. But honestly, how many shots from that week do you actually remember? I had to look up the leaderboard this morning and I watched it live.
Full disclosure, I played Troon about six years ago on a work trip and got absolutely dismantled by the conditions, shot a 94 with a lost ball on 11. So maybe I'm just bitter lol.
Anyway. Convince me I'm wrong here. What am I missing that everyone else seems to see?