Are we being nostalgic or should The Open really return to Prince’s Golf Club after a near 100-year absence?
The Open has only ever visited Prince’s back in 1932, when Gene Sarazen set a new scoring record of 283.
It’s a Championship remembered for the birth of the sand wedge, and the layout of the course was a lot different. It was redesigned following damage during World War Two.
As we approach the 100th anniversary of that Open, does Prince’s really have a case to host the world’s oldest major once again?
Speaking on the NCG Top 100s Podcast, Tom Irwin said he loved playing there. “My appreciation for Princes has developed over a number of years,” he explained.
“That has tied in with the work they have done which has improved the property immeasurably. What I have also begun to learn is how many different factors go into a venue holding an event like The Open.
“I was there at the back end of last year and I remember thinking that there is so much scope for that particular property.
“To start off with, there’s so much space and these days The Open is such a huge commercial entity with hospitality tents and lots of people visiting. Princes has literally got a course and a half to host that.”
A big hurdle courses must overcome to host a modern Open is the space and infrastructure it needs.
But Irwin believes this is one of Prince’s key strengths. “I think the nature of the golf course is very Championship in nature,” he added.
“The holes are all out in front of you and a lot of the intricacies and difficulty come around the greens. It feels to me that there are huge amounts of flexibility in terms of teeing areas, lots of dotted tees all over the place. There is also scope to move them back in a lot of areas.
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“It just feels to me like the sort of property that could host a big scale event, if you could get people in. It’s also in the south of England and there currently isn’t many Open venues in the south of England.”
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Have you ever played at Princes Golf Club? Do you think The Open should return to Princes? Let us by leaving a comment!
