[hue]

Actually a number of players have been known to play / practice the courses prior to the week of the tournament. Tiger does it, not the the extent Phil has just done.

Is it only majors that this happens at? Most likely but then some unknown players we probably don't hear about.

Ben Curtis was an unknown player that did a Phil Mickelson course reconnaissance job at Royal St Georges. That course was a pig and favoured conservative play any aggressive play was more likely to yield a bogey than a birdie. The key to playing the course was keep out of trouble and the fairway bunkers off the tee hit a safe shot to the green and get up and down. If the shot to the green happened to end up close to the pin it was really more down to luck than judgement. The ball ran all over the place when it hit the green and it was impossible to judge with precision the outcome of the bounces.Curtis got a lot advice from local caddies and members when building up to The Open and practiced on the course prior to the tournament. There is no doubt in my mind that his early preparation was pivotal to his success.