With much respect for one of the game's greatest designers, we say, thank goodness for that. If renovations hadn't been made in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s to the seventh, 10th, 11th, and 16th holes, they would be pushovers. Now they are among the strongest on the course. In addition to the major changes, considerable tweaking has been done to every hole over the years. Now, of course, nobody, except maybe Doug Ford, uses a 4-iron on the ninth hole.
Players routinely drive to the bottom of the hill and hit short irons.
That's where those who think it's sacrilege to make changes to classic courses miss the point. The idea is to make them play like they did when they were originally designed and, to do that with today's equipment, holes must be made longer. Mr. Roberts was trying to do the same thing in the first 40 years that we are doing today. Architect Tom Fazio, who will carry out the changes, points out that Mackenzie and other classic designers often left room behind tees so that holes could be lengthened in the future. There is indeed some additional space remaining, even after previous changes, to move back the tees on a few holes.