Making Course difficult for Pros

[Wolf]

Better priced? You mean more expensive - making the course even more just for the 'elite' and those with money to burn...well if they want to make golf seem even more elitist than it currently seems they can go ahead with that. Yes of course you and I might well pay a Kings Ransom to play one of the top courses - because we get what we're getting - but we want to make golf more attractive to non-players? One good way of making it less so is by making the courses non-players see on TV even more expensive to play. And that simply set perceptions of the game as being one for those with money. We know it needn't be - but perceptions really matter.

And that's different to how things are already for level courses anyone wants to play.... Golf has varying levels of affordability across the board for equipment and green fees. Nobody has said it has to be affordable to all. Id love to play Pebble but can't afford it so like many others I'll simply enjoy it on tv and not play it.

Besides thats taking away from the main theme of the thread. Its not about what we can afford to play its about what can be done to toughen up courses for tour players.

 

[drdel]

Nowt I've read in response to my OP alters my opinion. Golfers like to buy the same equipment and hope to play the same courses they see on TV etc.

The "Longest Drive" Pro-hitters must keep their ball within the 'grid' to score so that to me says players on the pro tours should also be expected to drive with better accuracy. We've seen numerous occasions of spectators being hit. Penalising 'wild and wide' drives is simple and IMO prudent. Changes for tournaments like 'Letting the rough grow', bunker locations, shorter/longer 'holes' etc make it harder for everyone else and adds costs.

Since the sole purpose of changing the course (clubs ball etc) indirectly increases the probability of incurring a penalty why not address the issue directing. A simple 'penalty' for being inaccurate involves no club change, no course alteration and no other issues. The 'second' cut could easily be used to vary fairway width and so decrease/increase the challenge as necessary because of weather or spectator areas and/or ladies competitions.

 

[Trapdraw]

Nowt I've read in response to my OP alters my opinion. Golfers like to buy the same equipment and hope to play the same courses they see on TV etc.

The "Longest Drive" Pro-hitters must keep their ball within the 'grid' to score so that to me says players on the pro tours should also be expected to drive with better accuracy. We've seen numerous occasions of spectators being hit. Penalising 'wild and wide' drives is simple and IMO prudent. Changes for tournaments like 'Letting the rough grow', bunker locations, shorter/longer 'holes' etc make it harder for everyone else and adds costs.

Since the sole purpose of changing the course (clubs ball etc) indirectly increases the probability of incurring a penalty why not address the issue directing. A simple 'penalty' for being inaccurate involves no club change, no course alteration and no other issues. The 'second' cut could easily be used to vary fairway width and so decrease/increase the challenge as necessary because of weather or spectator areas and/or ladies competitions.

Talking absolute nonsense, its not a computer game. People are going to miss fairways, no one can drive the ball that straight all the time.
If that's your idea, you should of called the thread Lets Make Golf Rubbish For Pro's

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

And that's different to how things are already for level courses anyone wants to play.... Golf has varying levels of affordability across the board for equipment and green fees. Nobody has said it has to be affordable to all. Id love to play Pebble but can't afford it so like many others I'll simply enjoy it on tv and not play it.

Besides thats taking away from the main theme of the thread. Its not about what we can afford to play its about what can be done to toughen up courses for tour players.

Sorry - you are right - it's a tangential point..

Note that I am simply talking about perceptions about golf held by the general public. Imagine a comp on TV or well reported being played at - I choose at random - Royal Liverpool - Hoylake. I just looked - £250 for a single player at the weekend - £1000 for a fourball.

I know little about golf and I look at such costs and I wonder who on earth can afford to pay that amount of money for a round of golf.

We get it. We might well choose to pay £1000 for a fourball. But perceptions...

Anyway - as you say - this is about toughening up courses so I apologise for the digression. Yes - let lots of money be spent on toughening up courses - and that might mean them not being available to members and visitors for periods of the year - but I just mention that hiking up green fees to make that possible might be an unintended consequence not great for the wider popularity of the game.

My view - I just like to see the pros having to play a wide variety of shots - with imagination. When I see how the pros get out of pickles or cope wit tricky situations that's what I enjoy from Pro Tour Golf - not birdie blitzing - and don't care if there is a birdie drought - I like to think I might try a clever recovery shot I've seen next time I find myself so stuck.

 

[sunshine]

I suspect the OP hasn't played or watched much golf.

One of the greatest facets of golf is the ability to recover: play a poor shot and you will probably get punished, but there is a chance to get away with it. The most famous shots in golf are mainly recoveries from a missed fairway or green. Doesn't really capture the imagination if someone plays a great shot to make bogey.

 

[USER1999]

It also doesn't fire the imagination / memory bank if there is no option of a great recovery, and the only option is to chop out sideways. Zero fun watching that.

 

[Diamond]

Make all par 5s par 4s for pros. Simples.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Nowt I've read in response to my OP alters my opinion. Golfers like to buy the same equipment and hope to play the same courses they see on TV etc.

The "Longest Drive" Pro-hitters must keep their ball within the 'grid' to score so that to me says players on the pro tours should also be expected to drive with better accuracy. We've seen numerous occasions of spectators being hit. Penalising 'wild and wide' drives is simple and IMO prudent. Changes for tournaments like 'Letting the rough grow', bunker locations, shorter/longer 'holes' etc make it harder for everyone else and adds costs.

Since the sole purpose of changing the course (clubs ball etc) indirectly increases the probability of incurring a penalty why not address the issue directing. A simple 'penalty' for being inaccurate involves no club change, no course alteration and no other issues. The 'second' cut could easily be used to vary fairway width and so decrease/increase the challenge as necessary because of weather or spectator areas and/or ladies competitions.

It’s beyond laughable that someone would want penalty shots applied just for missing the fairway- either April fool is early oumr you’re on a wind up

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Make driver heads smaller and roll back the ball - for everyone.

A much cheaper & more sensible cure.

 

[Siolag]

I suspect the OP hasn't played or watched much golf.

One of the greatest facets of golf is the ability to recover: play a poor shot and you will probably get punished, but there is a chance to get away with it. The most famous shots in golf are mainly recoveries from a missed fairway or green. Doesn't really capture the imagination if someone plays a great shot to make bogey.

Indeed, when I played with a guy thats off 3, the most spectacular shot wasn't any sort of drive or pin seeking iron shot, it was a wood from the rough after a poor tee shot to an elevated green which he then sank the putt for a birdie.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Could you imagine how dull pro golf would be if they were penalised for missed fairways?
they’d all just hit irons off the tee, because they couldn’t afford the risk off missing ?‍

 

[need_my_wedge]

Watching the golf at Torrey Pines last night, a fair few of them seemed to be doing a great job of making life difficult for themselves. I appreciate that some courses are prepared a bit easier to others, or so it seems to us mortals watching, or are the pro's just a damned sight better than us at recovery shots. There didn't seem much easy about the course last night for missed fairways.

 

[duncan mackie]

Could you imagine how dull pro golf would be if they were penalised for missed fairways?
they’d all just hit irons off the tee, because they couldn’t afford the risk off missing ?‍

On a huge number of tournament courses this is exactly what happens already!

Large wet penalty areas alongside the fairways....

like every other element of the game it's risk v reward for the player - and the professionals make their calls.

 

[brendy]

Pot bunkers, lots of them, angled fairways with trees and rough taller than 2 inches, offset angled greens with run offs.if the player misses the ideal route into the green by hitting a bunker, its a proper penalty, likewise approaching an offset green from the rough will require more skill and maybe even a little luck. Let the big boys bomb it but if they miss the best lines in then they will suffer the consequences.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

On a huge number of tournament courses this is exactly what happens already!

Large wet penalty areas alongside the fairways....

like every other element of the game it's risk v reward for the player - and the professionals make their calls.

There is no automatic penalty for a missed fairway in the rules of golf, and the very idea of one is stupid

 

[drdel]

Talking absolute nonsense, its not a computer game. People are going to miss fairways, no one can drive the ball that straight all the time.
If that's your idea, you should of called the thread Lets Make Golf Rubbish For Pro's

Did you read the GM article's debate before jumping up and down on what's just an opinion? I didn't say we 'should' merely that IF it was suggested then there's a simple way without expensive course mods or upsetting the casual golfer.

Relax - its just a Forum!!

 

[garyinderry]

What's is professional golfs issue with internal out of bounds.

They made a big issue of it with portrush at last years open. Caused untold pressure on the opening tee shots.

A few of these should tighten up courses without needing major surgery.

 

[Imurg]

Leishman today at the Farmer's
Driving accuracy 18%
GiR %age 85%
And he's 7 under after 14.
Now I know these guys are good but something's wrong there if you ask me.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Leishman today at the Farmer's
Driving accuracy 18%
GiR %age 85%
And he's 7 under after 14.
Now I know these guys are good but something's wrong there if you ask me.

He hasn’t just been playing at pins though, sometimes it’s just been a case of getting it in the front edge and hoping for 2 putts.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

He hasn’t just been playing at pins though, sometimes it’s just been a case of getting it in the front edge and hoping for 2 putts.

He’s also immensely big and strong, and swings it like he’s scything a field of hay.