How powerful is Royal Liverpool? This professional’s wonderful Twitter evaluation reveals all

As Royal Liverpool Golf Membership readies to host the Open Championship, there’s a typical theme that may play out all through the match: The course will play powerful.

That’s true for a lot of hyperlinks programs, with unruly climate situations, quirky design components and deep pot bunkers making it laborious for gamers to get comfy.

As we’ve seen in earlier Open Championships, one gap would possibly convey blue skies and little wind, with a large, agency driving zone off the tee, with the following bringing blistering crosswinds, rain and a decent fairway.

That’s a part of the fantastic thing about enjoying hyperlinks golf — it requires talent and adaptation with every shot.

However until you’re really on the bottom and experiencing the situations in actual life, it’s laborious for golf followers to really perceive the problem of programs like Royal Liverpool.

To assist in giving some perspective, PGA Tour participant Michael Kim took to Twitter to supply a behind-the-scenes take a look at the again 9.

For one, Kim says Royal Liverpool is enjoying lengthy. This implies gamers could also be hitting extra drivers off the tee than is customary — which may very well be a harmful proposition if situations change from day after day.

Like each Open Championship, the match will get into the minds of gamers, testing their course administration and club-selection abilities.

“It’s not agency like 6 or 14 but,” Kim wrote. “If it stays like this, we’re not going to be hitting irons off most tees like Tiger and Rory did. Fairways are inexperienced from all of the rain and many holes (again 9) are into the wind. You’re hitting a lot of drivers and it’s enjoying lengthy. Very effectively might change by Sunday although.”

Listed here are another particulars that Kim calls out.

Adapting to the wind’s path

Kim mentioned enjoying in the identical path because the wind for 9 holes could really feel awkward after doing the other on the earlier 9. This implies gamers might want to modify their swings and shot shapes to keep away from hassle.

“Attracts preferable, otherwise you want to have the ability to purpose manner left for a reduce,” he mentioned. “I can see why 2014 Rory did effectively together with his most popular attracts again then. Not too totally different to Wells Fargo and US open tee photographs clever I believe.

“It’s fascinating enjoying largely the identical path of wind for a complete 9, I can see it being awkward because you play with a proper to left wind for two.5 hrs on the entrance 9 (swing goes to regulate as you play with the identical wind) after which gonna need to play exact opposite wind on the again.”

No 17’s issue

Each gap at Royal Liverpool presents a problem, however Kim calls out the brand new seventeenth, a brief par 3, as being one of many hardest, saying gamers should be almost good in the place they land the ball to keep away from rolling off the inexperienced into hassle. However he welcomes the problem.

“[The] 17 par 3 isn’t any joke. 150 (yards) however wind shall be primarily into it, and it’s a TINY inexperienced with runoffs on each facet resulting in BAD bunkers. Quick powerful par 3s are wonderful.”

The tight fairway on No. 18

What I like about Kim detailing Royal Liverpool’s course is that he humanizes himself. Certain, he’s a professional golfer who can go low on any given day, however the Open Championship’s course goes to maintain him (and different gamers) on their toes.

He supplies a glimpse into his recreation plan for No. 18, which he says has a slender fairway, however could provide some TIO (Short-term Immovable Obstructions) aid.

“[On] 18, there’s OB actually tight to the golf green on the experience facet. OB extends all the way in which to the inexperienced, and it’s not a brief par 5. Reachable, however with at the very least a 3iron for me.

“18 inexperienced: You’re gonna see numerous potential TIO aid, however normally the Open designates a nasty spot for the drop, which implies it received’t be as egregious as PGA TOUR drops.”

Bunker grooves

Lastly, Kim highlighted one thing that will come into play (however some golfers typically overlook throughout a spherical): The width of the rake traces within the bunkers at Royal Liverpool.

Because the tweet above exhibits, a majority of these rake grooves influence the way in which the ball lies within the sand. So as a substitute of getting an honest lie, the ball shall be extra liable to filter right into a rut — which might wreak havoc on restoration photographs.

Kim mentioned utilizing a 60-degree simply to flee the sand stands out as the best possibility.

“One other factor about Liverpool… these bunkers have actually extensive tooth rakes. Is perhaps powerful to see with this video, however the ball actually rolls right down to the crevice. It’s not plugged, however positively not lie, ESPECIALLY in case you’re in a fairway bunker. Auto 60-degree pitch out. They may change rakes, however it’s one thing to notice.” (For a extra in depth take a look at how tough the bunkers are at Royal Liverpool, try the sneaky purpose why they’ll give gamers matches this week.)

Good luck on the market, fellas.

Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Editor