An expert's guide to the changes

Jul 1 2008 by Tim Taylor, The Journal

HOME club professional Paul Terras (pictured) is among the field at Berwick tomorrow – and this is his guide to the four holes altered on the Goswick Links:

4TH: “It used to be a very short par five, so the club decided to make it more challenging and it went up by 50 yards to 545. Now it is inadvisable to go for it in two because if you miss the green left, you’ve got really heavy rough. Now there are penalties to be paid for missing the target. So most people will be laying up rather going for a narrower green.“

8TH: “It used to be a shortish par four with a little quirky green. Lengthened by 40 yards to 421 and now has a ridge running up the middle of the green rather than across it. Widened on the right hand side towards the boundary fence, so the idea is to push your drive out to the right to give you access to the green. Second shots down the left are penalised now. Was stroke index 12, now three. Much more severe.”

12TH: “Used to be a blind second shot over the dune. It was felt that was a little bit unfair because you could land on the green and go over – so the green has been pushed back 30 yards and the hole is now a 367-yard par four. The changes have probably made this hole a little bit easier as well as fairer. Before you could hit a good shot and be punished. But the green is a little bit tricky, it is now much more undulating.”

16TH: “The best improvement of them all. It used to be a fairly bland hole and now it’s a good 50 yards longer, a 431-yard par four with a much better shape and a slight dog-leg. Depending on the wind, it can be a good two-shot hole. Difficult green to hit but it’s a fair green.”