US PGA this weekend

[Diamond]

I hit 12/13 fairways today. Can't believe all these wasters are on tour and I'm not.....

Now that I would pay to watch. Me on the other hand hit a 260 yard drive into the rough and a lady with 2 dogs found it for me, she said another 100 yards and you will be like that Bryson chap on Sky. I said aye love he has a whole golf forum of chums that reckon that is the future of golf.

 

[davidy233]

Useful comment that for a forum.

It's not a debate though is it? - it's a fishing exercise - which started as drink fuelled jape

 

[Diamond]

It's not a debate though is it? - it's a fishing exercise - which started as drink fuelled jape

No it started with the Sky commentator saying he hit 1 fairway in the 1st round...I think there are some issues on this forum I am not aware of...I have never been fishing in my life, now bowls is a different matter So glad you didn’t mention that.

However I now realise why my thread has caused such a stir. It wasnt drink fuelled or a fishing exercise but an honest opinion of the PGA tournament as I was watching it.

Maybe I should have posted in a forum called honest truthful opinion no fishing. That way people could agree or disagree without trying to win browney points or treat the OP (me) like a troll or an angry fisherman.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Now that I would pay to watch. Me on the other hand hit a 260 yard drive into the rough and a lady with 2 dogs found it for me, she said another 100 yards and you will be like that Bryson chap on Sky. I said aye love he has a whole golf forum of chums that reckon that is the future of golf.

I was pretty sure you were talking crap last night, now I’m absolutely certain !

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I was pretty sure you were talking crap last night, now I’m absolutely certain !

?

 

[BubbaP]

Now that I would pay to watch. Me on the other hand hit a 260 yard drive into the rough and a lady with 2 dogs found it for me, she said another 100 yards and you will be like that Bryson chap on Sky. I said aye love he has a whole golf forum of chums that reckon that is the future of golf.

See, I think you've moved the goalposts considerably. Has been plenty of debates on here and plenty would like see a bigger premium on accuracy/more punishment for misses. But can you blame the players for how the tour sets up the courses?
There's a school of thought that making birdies from the trees is good entertainment for many people. Just like watching Faldo grind out 18 pars is good viewing for others.
Maybe look out for Ryan Armour when you're watching ?

 

[Diamond]

Good po

See, I think you've moved the goalposts considerably. Has been plenty of debates on here and plenty would like see a bigger premium on accuracy/more punishment for misses. But can you blame the players for how the tour sets up the courses?
There's a school of thought that making birdies from the trees is good entertainment for many people. Just like watching Faldo grind out 18 pars is good viewing for others.
Maybe look out for Ryan Armour when you're watching ?

Thanks, that’s a good point.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Diamond, I understand your point, should a pro not be down the middle constantly? I think this is more of an issue over in the USA where the penalty for being off line is often minimal. The players have worked out that the bomb and gouge approach, the phrase used for this, is highly effective and brings rewards. Someone has already posted, better to gamble on getting a decent lie 120yds from the green than having a perfect lie 170yds away. As long as courses are set up to allow this they will continue playing this way.

For me it's a bit like F1 drivers going over the kerbs rather than staying on the track. Until the penalty for going over them actually impacts they will keep doing it. Winning is everything at pro level.

The European tour tends to set up differently, the occasional USA one does as well. There was a tournament a few weeks ago at Muirfield Village, The Memorial, which penalised off fairway hits, very refreshing to watch. On the whole though the US PGA tends to like birdies and eagles so don't expect to see a change to how things happen.

 

[Rebuteo]

Diamond, I understand your point, should a pro not be down the middle constantly? I think this is more of an issue over in the USA where the penalty for being off line is often minimal. The players have worked out that the bomb and gouge approach, the phrase used for this, is highly effective and brings rewards. Someone has already posted, better to gamble on getting a decent lie 120yds from the green than having a perfect lie 170yds away. As long as courses are set up to allow this they will continue playing this way.

For me it's a bit like F1 drivers going over the kerbs rather than staying on the track. Until the penalty for going over them actually impacts they will keep doing it. Winning is everything at pro level.

The European tour tends to set up differently, the occasional USA one does as well. There was a tournament a few weeks ago at Muirfield Village, The Memorial, which penalised off fairway hits, very refreshing to watch. On the whole though the US PGA tends to like birdies and eagles so don't expect to see a change to how things happen.

Probably because people said 'how are the winners only -4 through the tournament? I thought they were the worlds best! I'm not watching this rubbish' ironically enough.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

Diamond, I understand your point, should a pro not be down the middle constantly? I think this is more of an issue over in the USA where the penalty for being off line is often minimal. The players have worked out that the bomb and gouge approach, the phrase used for this, is highly effective and brings rewards. Someone has already posted, better to gamble on getting a decent lie 120yds from the green than having a perfect lie 170yds away. As long as courses are set up to allow this they will continue playing this way.

For me it's a bit like F1 drivers going over the kerbs rather than staying on the track. Until the penalty for going over them actually impacts they will keep doing it. Winning is everything at pro level.

The European tour tends to set up differently, the occasional USA one does as well. There was a tournament a few weeks ago at Muirfield Village, The Memorial, which penalised off fairway hits, very refreshing to watch. On the whole though the US PGA tends to like birdies and eagles so don't expect to see a change to how things happen.

Exactly right. That is the whole situation, especially the last sentence.
I imagine we all here in UK know of courses where such tactics would have disastrous results for the players scores.

 

[irip]

I do see where the op is coming from.

The problem is not how many fairways the top players hit the problem is the punishment for missing the fairway is not severe enough to make it a difficult choice for them.

If the rough was more penal then the top players would put more of a premium on hitting the fairway.

All the players will of played practice rounds and decided that they are in a better position with 100 yards to go from the rough than 170 from the fairway.

The only way to make it that they need to hit more fairways is too make the rough tougher but no players want that and most viewers don't want to watch the top players hacking round like the local club medal.

 

[garyinderry]

I do see where the op is coming from.

The problem is not how many fairways the top players hit the problem is the punishment for missing the fairway is not severe enough to make it a difficult choice for them.

If the rough was more penal then the top players would put more of a premium on hitting the fairway.

All the players will of played practice rounds and decided that they are in a better position with 100 yards to go from the rough than 170 from the fairway.

The only way to make it that they need to hit more fairways is too make the rough tougher but no players want that and most viewers don't want to watch the top players hacking round like the local club medal.

There is only 2 players under par this week so far.

Top players hacking it round. Mark leishman is 29 over par. Haha

 

[Diamond]

Diamond, I understand your point, should a pro not be down the middle constantly? I think this is more of an issue over in the USA where the penalty for being off line is often minimal. The players have worked out that the bomb and gouge approach, the phrase used for this, is highly effective and brings rewards. Someone has already posted, better to gamble on getting a decent lie 120yds from the green than having a perfect lie 170yds away. As long as courses are set up to allow this they will continue playing this way.

For me it's a bit like F1 drivers going over the kerbs rather than staying on the track. Until the penalty for going over them actually impacts they will keep doing it. Winning is everything at pro level.

The European tour tends to set up differently, the occasional USA one does as well. There was a tournament a few weeks ago at Muirfield Village, The Memorial, which penalised off fairway hits, very refreshing to watch. On the whole though the US PGA tends to like birdies and eagles so don't expect to see a change to how things happen.

Thanks I thought I was in the minority.

I know a lot has been said about the ball and I heard Jack Nicklaus (sp) say he told the PGA and R&A 40 years ago to change the ball. Sounds like a sensible approach to me.

 

[Ethan]

There is only 2 players under par this week so far.

Top players hacking it round. Mark leishman is 29 over par. Haha

These are the same pros who played in an event last week where the winner was at -30 and 67 out of 70 finished under par. They haven't all got worse in a week, the course is just much harder.

 

[irip]

There is only 2 players under par this week so far.

Top players hacking it round. Mark leishman is 29 over par. Haha

That is the case this week but is the exception to the rule.

Normally the winner is around 20 under.

Last week was 30 under.