The condition of the Old Course has been praised by a leading independent agronomy body ahead of the Open Championship. In its pre Open report for the R&A, the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) stated that ‘Playing qualities and turf condition to all the surfaces is excellent and where we want them to be in the final run stage to the Open’.
The report was completed following a visit by STRI to the Old Course on 21-22 June to review the course condition and playing qualities in the lead-up to the Open. The greens received particular praise: ‘We are delighted with the firmness of the greens and the combination of accurate maintenance and regular monitoring by STRI and Gordon McKie, Course Manager, is providing us with the necessary information to alter maintenance to control this important quality in the run-in towards the Open. The greens are supporting a super cover of grass and are the strongest they have been in recent history.'