Pro question

[MoonPig]

Couple of things are was wondering watching the PGA and thought someone on here would know the answers;

1) Are the caddies told the pin positions for each day prior to each round?

2) Are players who go out late allowed to watch any TV coverage of the event? (This would surely give them some idea of green readings and pin positions if the answer to question 1 is "no")

 

[bobmac]

Yes and Yes

 

[stevelev]

In response.

1. Yes caddies are Westwoods caddie and others are often out before 6am getting the pin positions and plotting the shots for the round as far as possible.

2, There is nothing about them watching the other players play before they tee off, or after they have finished to see how their oppos get on. But most of them spend their time focussing on the match and their game. The green charts they have tell them so much about the greens, and they use the practise rounds to learn about the greens too.

 

[MoonPig]

Thanks Bob, the answer to question 1 doesn't surprise me but players being able to watch the coverage before they go out does a little.

 

[MoonPig]

Thanks Steve

 

[Matty]

I'm pretty sure the competition organisers give them little plans of the greens with the pin position marked - don't they?

They get given details of distance from the front and back of the green, left and right etc.

They also get given green firmness readings don't they?

I guess that are allowed to watch on the basis that they've been given so much information that they probably won't glean any advantage from watching other play the course - I also guess that with the often pedestrian speed of play they'll often get to see how the group in front are playing the course and how the ball reacts too.

 

[chrisd]

I understand that at Royal St Georges they knew the exact pin positions for all the four days by the Monday - I was there on the Monday and they were all practice putting to the various positions


Chris

 

[beggsy]

saying they shouldnt be allowed to watch tv is rubbish whats to stop them actually walking the course before they play and see it with there own eyes

 

[BoadieBroadus]

when i went to wentworth on the first round, it looked very much like the next day's hole was marked on the green. you could see the caddies all marking out distances to a different mark on the green when their men weren't putting.

 

[Bacardibatman]

some of the charts from(Mr Poulters)

http://twitpic.com/4h0wx6

http://twitpic.com/5b8mfh

from (Mr Mundys)
http://twitpic.com/4w88z0

 

[Region3]

The thing that surprises me a little about being able to watch tv coverage is that sometimes commentators will say something like "everybody has been over-reading this putt" or "everyone's missed it left" etc.