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Despite length St Andrews still needs wind
The likelihood of Tiger Woods and company overpowering the Old Course at this week's British Open rests entirely on the vagaries of the wind.
The weather is usually the biggest talking point going into any Open and St Andrews, more than the other venues on the championship rota, relies on the wind as its principle line of defence.
Although the par-72 Old Course has been lengthened by 164 yards since Woods won in 2000 with a record 19-under total of 269, the seaside layout will be toothless this week if the weather is benign.
Golfing great Jack Nicklaus, who will make his final appearance in the world's oldest championship at St Andrews, fears the course will be rendered obsolete by big hitters such as Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els.
"Will the Old Course stand up to the golfers of today?" he queried last week. "If the wind doesn't get up, I don't think so.
"In 2000, everyone considered Tiger the longest hitter out there," added the 65-year-old American, who won a record 18 major titles.
"Well, Tiger's not the longest hitter any more -- and he is 25 yards longer than he was in 2000, thanks to the new golf ball.
"I love St Andrews so much and it has stood the test of time as one of the greatest courses you could hope to see throughout 150 years of tournament golf.
"But they (manufacturers) have figured out how to make a golf ball that goes so far it makes the course obsolete. It's a different game now because the golf ball is way out of bounds."
While Nicklaus rues the advances in technology with regard to golf ball and club design, Woods and Mickelson hold differing views on the revamped Old Course for the 134th Open championship.
Nine-times major winner Woods feels the changes were unnecessary but Mickelson believes the addition of five new tees has revitalised the course.
"I don't understand why they would do it," said U.S. Masters champion Woods. "St Andrews is so dependent on the weather as it is.
"If the wind blows and you get bad weather the guys are going to shoot high scores regardless. That's the way St Andrews is.
"Plus, the course was already tailor-made for the long hitter. Look at the list of winners: Jack won there, John Daly won there and I've won there. We're not short hitters."
Mickelson, last year's Masters champion, paid a visit to St Andrews a week ago and liked what he saw.
"A lot of the bunkers that were not in play in 2000 are in play this year, and I think it's all been very well done," he said.
"If you had not played the course before the new tees were added, you would never know that anything is different. It all blended in so naturally. The course is playing the way it was supposed to play years ago.
"There's an advantage to hitting the ball long but the winner is going to have a lot of creativity into the greens," added the world number four.
"The winner is going to be hitting the bump-and-run shots that have a lot of touch and using the slopes properly, as opposed to someone who just bombs it."
St Andrews is renowned for its wide fairways and multiple humps and bumps and the credentials for success there have generally been length off the tee plus a skilled short game.
Hardly surprising then that Woods, Mickelson and 2002 champion Els -- who all shine in those departments of the game -- head the list of tournament favourites.
The ability to manufacture low seven-iron approach shots is paramount at St Andrews, as is a deft touch with the putter from both short and long-range.
A curious feature of the Old Course are its seven double greens, meaning that effective 'lag' putting is often required from distances of 40 yards and more.
Then there is the wind. If it blows this week, the Old Course will provide a formidable challenge. If not, the fears of Nicklaus will almost certainly be realised.
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