The Scotsman On Old Course Tampering: "Old Tom Morris will be turning in his grave"

The Scotsman's Martin Dempster pens a powerful commentary on the R&A and Links Trust tampering with the Old Course at St. Andrews, saying the Old Course "is the one place that should be left untouched by any golf course architect’s knife."

It can still show its teeth, though, and the likes of Old Tom Morris will be turning in his grave once the diggers move in to start the planned changes.

So what gives them the right now to make the decision to do nip and tucks here, there and everywhere around the course?

If it is because they are scared that a 59 is in the offing in the not-too-distant future, that is a mistake. Yes, there are occasions when the modern-day players can make the Old Course look ridiculously easy, but that is the same for every course, surely.