Oldest Course In The World Has The Youngest Record Book!

Doug Ferguson points out the oddity of the St. Andrews Links Trust not recognizing Old Course records prior to 2006 because of extensive course changes.

It was a peculiar decision, considering that golf and its courses continue to evolve. Augusta National now measures 7,435 yards, yet the home of the Masters still recognizes its course record as the 63 that Nick Price shot in 1986 and Greg Norman matched in 1996. In both years, the course was 6,925 yards.

Raymond Floyd shot a 63 at Southern Hills in the 1982 PGA Championship when it was 6,862 yards. Tiger Woods tied the course record with a 63 in the second round of the 2007 PGA Championship when the course was 7,131 yards. Both remain course records.

"I think that's a little shortsighted," Southern Hills head pro Dave Bryan said Tuesday of the St. Andrews decision. "The course is longer, but the equipment more than makes up for that. It's a moot point."

Not according to the St. Andrews Links Trust.

I guess I see this as a Barry Bonds situation. Bonds likely cheated, as did many of his fellow hitters, but so were many of the pitchers he faced. Isn't it a wash?

Curtis Strange shot 62 with the top equipment available to him and the course setup for the times. Today's course is a response to poorly regulated eqiupment and therefore, with today's equipment, plays fairly similarly to the course Strange faced. Or maybe slightly easier considering the clubs, balls, agronomic improvements, etc... Therefore, Strange's round should be the record. No?