It's known in Royal & Ancient circles as "The Treatment" and, like all forms of cosmetic surgery, the various nips, tucks and lifts don't come cheap.
Having unveiled a tweaked Royal Lytham, host venue of July's Open, to the world's golfing media earlier this week, Peter Dawson, the chief executive of the R&A, last night estimated that the cost of tarting up all nine courses on the rota in recent years has cost the St Andrews-based governing body almost £5m.
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