It looks like one tee on 18 could see the green and the further one right couldn't. Regardless, do you think the hole would be better if the sightline was opened up?
Sean,
Opening up the sightline from tee to green is not really a realistic proposition. The hole curves around a long established woodland that pre-dates the course. The white line on the photo below is the direct line from tee to green.
Cavendish#18a by
duncan cheslett, on Flickr
The red line is the route along the fairway - one of the finest inland fairways in UK golf both in terms of the turf and the fabulous roller-coaster undulations.
Already, the flat bellies cut the corner by driving over the trees and along the line of the road and are generally rewarded with an easy short iron to the green from a decent lie in the semi rough or a free drop off the road. This route is unavailable to average golfers who cannot hope to clear the trees and is indicated by the yellow line.
The difference in difficulty of the hole between a very strong player and an average player is IMO too pronounced. The beauty of the hole is its dog legging nature and the quality of the fairway. By opening up the view of the green the nature of the hole would be altered completely and much of its appeal lost as everyone took the more direct line along the road.
MacKenzie's intention was clearly for the hole to be played as a par 4/bogey 5 dogleg following an expansive and majestic fairway. For this to be altered substantially would be a great pity IMO.
I would like to see some bunkering or waste areas introduced by the road to discourage the direct line, or to allow heavy rough to grow immediately on the right hand side of the road, providing an element of risk and reward. Currently there is 20 yards of short grass before the rough starts on the RHS giving the flat bellies plenty (too much?) to aim at.
There is even a strong case for making the line of the road OOB. That would certainly concentrate a few minds!
Edited to add;
The other aspect of course, is Health and Safety.
The road is a public right of way and is well used by hikers, joggers, and dog walkers, not to mention vehicles accessing the farm at the far end of the course.
The further play can kept away from the road and out to the left along the fairway the less are the chances of a serious incident.