Different balls for the pros

[USER1999]

According to the majority on here, the solution is to bin off the fairway, grow every bit of grass to 12 inches minimum, half the size of the green, and make it from concrete. That will be fun to watch.

If Seve, with his wayward driving, had had to play out of silly deep rough, do you think he would have hit the amazing shots he was known for? No, he would be hacking it out sideways, like everyone. Just narrowing the fairway, and growing the rough will lead to very boring, very one dimensional golf.

 

[Papas1982]

According to the majority on here, the solution is to bin off the fairway, grow every bit of grass to 12 inches minimum, half the size of the green, and make it from concrete. That will be fun to watch.

If Seve, with his wayward driving, had had to play out of silly deep rough, do you think he would have hit the amazing shots he was known for? No, he would be hacking it out sideways, like everyone. Just narrowing the fairway, and growing the rough will lead to very boring, very one dimensional golf.

Was Seve a big hitter? Genuine question as never seen him play. If not, then it wouldn’t effect him In theory as most are saying lengthen rough at the points where driving has an advantage.

‘All that being said, driving is as much a skill as short game. I’m not sure either skill deserves to be penalised.

 

[Papas1982]

Yes he certainly was.

So he had an advanatge over the field, effectively the original to hit bombs and wedges but due to nostalgia That was fine for many.... but now it’s not fair?

 

[Imurg]

According to the majority on here, the solution is to bin off the fairway, grow every bit of grass to 12 inches minimum, half the size of the green, and make it from concrete. That will be fun to watch.

If Seve, with his wayward driving, had had to play out of silly deep rough, do you think he would have hit the amazing shots he was known for? No, he would be hacking it out sideways, like everyone. Just narrowing the fairway, and growing the rough will lead to very boring, very one dimensional golf.

It doesnt have to be silly "Carnasty" deep to make it tricky
If fairways are cut to 4mm then cut them to 6, rough at 15mm..cut to 18..
Just small increases in the length will make it harder to get a good contact.
If they can still spi it out of that then they're going to do well.
Everyone's going ape about how far he's hitting it with his 130mph swing .....he's a yard ahead of Rory who, in comparison, is a 5' 10" weed.....
If he was 20 yards past everyone then theres a problem

 

[USER1999]

For me, it isn't about stats, or even distances, it's about golf. It is extremely one dimensional. Bomb it, find it, wedge it, putt it. Even 650 yard par 5s are driver 5i. This is not golf. It was never meant to be played like this.
The art of shot making is mostly gone. It was fun watching Tiger play Royal Melbourne, as his iron play was exceptional. You just won't see that on either tour. Partly because the further they hit it, the longer they make the course, so they make it longer.....
A lot of this came about trying to 'Tiger proof' golf courses. It hasn't worked.
250 yard 5i are insane, but that is where we are. So par 3s become 250 yards. But fun par 3s are short. 120 yards, small greens, tough bunkering or run off areas. Make it 250, you need a massive green, and it becomes a poor par 3.
Play shorter golf courses, and no one hits the driver, but fans like to see drivers being used.

If the best golfers ever think the kit needs changing, then they know the game, and how it should be played. Havkers and choppers like us on here are clueless, and should be ignored by the powers that be, and rightfully so. It will be interesting to see what they come up with after the distance review.

Interestingly Augusta have spent $70m on property aquisition over the last few years. Can your club do this? (Not all for lengthening mind you).

 

[USER1999]

It doesnt have to be silly "Carnasty" deep to make it tricky
If fairways are cut to 4mm then cut them to 6, rough at 15mm..cut to 18..
Just small increases in the length will make it harder to get a good contact.
If they can still spi it out of that then they're going to do well.
Everyone's going ape about how far he's hitting it with his 130mph swing .....he's a yard ahead of Rory who, in comparison, is a 5' 10" weed.....
If he was 20 yards past everyone then theres a problem

320 carry, and anyone can hit a wedge out of 6mm deep fairway. It's the carry that is the problem.
It takes hazards completely out of play. Dog legs? Pah, drive over the top. These guys take lines off the tee the course designers never dreamt of. You can't keep changing golf courses.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I would not like to the see the pros use equipment or balls from the rest of us. I want to wee what they do in the same circumstances that we do. I also think we should stop lengthening courses. There should be more focus on proofing existing courses around the 280-340 yards from the back tees - make it harder for the good 340 yard drive and punish properly the ones that are not great - combination of rough, new bunkers, lakes etc

I think this is the most sensible suggestion and like you I'm against bifurcation of rules or equipment for the pros. However regarding the courses, many are played at members courses and so to grow out the rough and narrow the fairways is an expensive process and would make it a slog for the members before and immediately after. Who would pay for the cost of new bunkering and lakes?

 

[Mandofred]

It costs nothing to let the grass grow a little bit longer....fairway and rough.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Top Ten driving distance on the PGA Tour up til the end of the last complete tournament, I bet many, like me, haven't heard of them all :
View attachment 31218

Top 10 world rankings :

View attachment 31219
Only 1 person appears on both.

Which rather negates your earlier point about the bombers being the players worth watching.

 

[garyinderry]

I honestly can't work out why some courses dont just shift tee boxes 10 or 20 yards to the left of right and completely change the lines the players can take.


Adam Scott actually asked the same thing about the 13th at agusta. It's a really good example. They have talked for years about moving it even further back. Simply move the tee box a little more left and make the right hand players have to sling a proper draw round the corner. It would also negate the bubba line.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Yes he certainly was.

No he wasn't.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

For me, it isn't about stats, or even distances, it's about golf. It is extremely one dimensional. Bomb it, find it, wedge it, putt it. Even 650 yard par 5s are driver 5i. This is not golf. It was never meant to be played like this.
The art of shot making is mostly gone. It was fun watching Tiger play Royal Melbourne, as his iron play was exceptional. You just won't see that on either tour. Partly because the further they hit it, the longer they make the course, so they make it longer.....
A lot of this came about trying to 'Tiger proof' golf courses. It hasn't worked.
250 yard 5i are insane, but that is where we are. So par 3s become 250 yards. But fun par 3s are short. 120 yards, small greens, tough bunkering or run off areas. Make it 250, you need a massive green, and it becomes a poor par 3.
Play shorter golf courses, and no one hits the driver, but fans like to see drivers being used.

If the best golfers ever think the kit needs changing, then they know the game, and how it should be played. Havkers and choppers like us on here are clueless, and should be ignored by the powers that be, and rightfully so. It will be interesting to see what they come up with after the distance review.

Interestingly Augusta have spent $70m on property aquisition over the last few years. Can your club do this? (Not all for lengthening mind you).

The last sentence is the one Jack Nicklaus refers to when he talks about brigging the ball back for the pro's. Augusta is the only course rich enough to acquire real estate to 'Tiger proof' the course.

Many, many courses simply dont have the physical room to expand so do they become obsolete from Championship golf and then hold them on places like Erin Hills which was massively long, wide open and they destroyed it.

In serious danger of making some great golf courses obsolete for top level golf.

 

[Mandofred]

Of course it doesn't.
But if you'd queue up to watch Webb Simpson, carry on, there won't be any queue ?

I've got to admit I'm not normal. But I wouldn't queue to watch anybody play golf. I've never understood the fascination of watching somebody else playing golf..... If someone gave me free tickets to (name your event) I'd give the tickets away to somebody who likes standing around watching.

 

[USER1999]

Of course it doesn't.
But if you'd queue up to watch Webb Simpson, carry on, there won't be any queue ?

But Webb, as good as he is, isn't one of the top golfers?
If anything, rolling the ball back, encouraging shot making, would enhance the gap between the best, and the rest.
I am not sure anyone watches McIlroy (example), just because of how far he hits it. Standing near him, you get an appreciation of swing speed, and power for sure. But I bet you couldn't tell if he hit it 290, or 340, from standing next to him, and him hitting driver.
Watching the pro's

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have been to a number of pro events over the years and one of the places I always head to is the range. Watching how they hit it, the sound it makes and actually what some are watching on is a great way to spend some time. However, for me watching them plot their way around a course, is great especially on the rare occasion they got it wrong and have to scramble

 

[Diamond]

Just take the meaty weapons off them. Surely a pro can shoot under par with 6 clubs and no driver. Putter, wedge, mid iron, long iron, driving iron and a fairway wood. They select their clubs in January and play all year with them.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Of course it doesn't.
But if you'd queue up to watch Webb Simpson, carry on, there won't be any queue ?

I would certainly prefer watching Webb Simpson rather than Jamie Sadlowski!

 

[Dan2501]

What I don't understand is, nothing has changed in terms of scoring average in the last 20 years. If the guys are hitting it so far and making courses obsolete nowadays, why aren't they ripping them apart and scoring so much lower than the guys 20 years ago?

2019 - Rory led with a scoring average of 69.057. 16 guys under 70.
2015 - Spieth led with a scoring average of 68.938. 13 guys under 70.
2011 - Donald led with a scoring average of 68.861. 19 guys under 70.
2007 - Tiger led with a scoring average of 67.794. 18 guys under 70.
2003 - Tiger led with a scoring average of 68.415. 16 guys under 70.
1999 - Tiger led with a scoring average of 68.432. 11 guys under 70.

 

[Diamond]

No transfer window? ?

If golf wants to be as corrupt as football then yes. Look at the Olympics they don’t all turn up with their own javelin, shot, hammer and pole vault.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Sadlowski wouldn't be there ?‍

No, but I bet you wish he was.?

In any event I admit I would rather watch Simpson than DeChambeau whose "reliance on science" bores me rigid.