Editors' Blog Blogger Bio

Let's hope the weather is nice!

Speaking as a Scot, I have to say I have been more than a little amused by the 'love fest' that has been conducted over the last couple of days between the lady professionals making their maiden visits to St. Andrews and the Old Course itself. To a woman, they have made the sorts of noises everyone makes when seeing the worlds most famous and influential links for the first time. And every single one of them has stopped for the obligatory picture on the Swilcan Bridge, over which every great golfer in history — bar Ben Hogan — has walked.

"It's just an amazing place," swooned Ai Maiyzato. "I can feel the history."

"This is really big," enthused the LPGA Tour’s newest champion, Natalie Gulbis. "There is a lot of tradition here."

"It's the greatest honour to play here," gushed Michelle Wie. "It has quickly become almost one of my favourite golf courses. It's so interesting."

Tomorrow, however, the real work begins and the players will have to forget being tourists long enough to put their game faces on. And it's going to be fascinating watching how they cope with the unique challenges of the Old Course, especially given a weather forecast that calls for breezy, changeable conditions that will surely test every club in their bags. And their patience.

One hopes, however, that the wind and rain don't cross the line that separates challenging from a bit silly. I have to say I do worry about the possible consequences of a player disappearing into the depths of a St. Andrews bunker and not reappearing until many shots have been expended. In those places, technique is secondary to sheer strength, something many of the more diminutive players do not have in abundance.

"I sincerely hope the weather is kind," agrees former Ryder Cup player and now television commentator, Peter Alliss, who played in the Open Championship here at St. Andrews as a 16-year old back in 1946. "Last week at Muirfield the Senior Open was interesting but conditions and the course set up were a bit severe for many of the old fellahs.

"I hope it is better on both counts this week. I don't see the point in the ladies battling away in wind and rain. I'd like them to enjoy the experience and not do a Bobby Jones, who tore up his card in frustration before storming off and vowing never to return."

That would be disappointing — and a bit silly. It is, after all, a long walk back from the 11th green where Jones had his long ago strop. —John Huggan

Photo: Getty Images