Golf
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Every week I tune in on Thursday through to Sunday to watch both the PGA and European Tour and I am in awe how easy the pros make the golf look when I find it so difficult. However, this year every week it seems someone is threatening 59, a once magical number and there are always multiple 62/63s on both sides of the Atlantic. Albeit with phenomenal putting Henley won the Sony Open at -24, then Brian Gay won Humana with -25 (-19 was tied 23rd!) and now this week it seems like the same story where -20 or lower will win the Phoenix Open. In Dubai, 63 players shot sub 70 and again there was a 62 and a 63.
Just last month I was enthralled by the final day of the Australian Open, where high winds and a challenging Melbourne course meant players had to battle to make pars and birdies were like gold dust. John Senden entered the final round with the lead but capitulated with an 82, Marcus Fraser shot 81 and 53 year old Peter Senior won by plotting his way around the layout and using his vast experience to shoot 72. The winning score was -4. My favourite tournaments every year are the US Open, the Open and other tournaments where the winning score is -9 or less and where the players get challenged. Every week at the moment just turns into a putting contest.
I dont see why the tour cant just narrow fairways on these courses,grow the rough up, therefore actually penalizing wayward tee shots and making it near impossible for players to attack tight pins. If that is not an option then ball manufacturers could have restrictions but on them so the spin levels make it difficult for professionals to stop the ball coming out of the rough. Rant over, I was wondering what other golf lovers thought of this low scoring and whether it has affected their enjoyment of the sport
Just last month I was enthralled by the final day of the Australian Open, where high winds and a challenging Melbourne course meant players had to battle to make pars and birdies were like gold dust. John Senden entered the final round with the lead but capitulated with an 82, Marcus Fraser shot 81 and 53 year old Peter Senior won by plotting his way around the layout and using his vast experience to shoot 72. The winning score was -4. My favourite tournaments every year are the US Open, the Open and other tournaments where the winning score is -9 or less and where the players get challenged. Every week at the moment just turns into a putting contest.
I dont see why the tour cant just narrow fairways on these courses,grow the rough up, therefore actually penalizing wayward tee shots and making it near impossible for players to attack tight pins. If that is not an option then ball manufacturers could have restrictions but on them so the spin levels make it difficult for professionals to stop the ball coming out of the rough. Rant over, I was wondering what other golf lovers thought of this low scoring and whether it has affected their enjoyment of the sport
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Hi, Wenger, I agree with you. I posted a similar comment after U.S open when par or slightly better is usually enough. Someone else pointed out that putting is a large part of the game but with the equipment and balls we all use now the courses that offer no defence are just easy meat tho the pros.
There should be a more of a penalty for errant shots ie narrower fairways with penal rough etc. These tourneys where there are no amateurs , the courses should be set up to test all players on all their skills. I maybe in the minority but I would enjoy watching the golf much more with the tougher conditions. |
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I also agree though I feel we may be in the minority. Certainly as far as the American "general public" is concerned, all they want to see are birdies. I guess we all like to see birdies to some extent but surely they should be the reward for a good shot, or two good shots or dare I even say three good shots. Nowadays the big hitters drive the ball as far as they can with almost total disregard for direction knowing that they would have to be woefully unlucky to not have a shot at the green. Tiger was all over the place on his front nine last week in his 4th round and shot 3 under, would the tournament have been better if he had dropped a few shots as a direct consequence of his wayward driving? I think so. Should driving into the hospitality tents be a routine par more often than not? I went to the Ryder Cup this year and I was genuinely shocked that the crowd (and even the commentators) were referring to putts as "birdie putts" etc, many golf fans there seemed unaware or even unconcerned about whether the putt was to win the hole or not. I also think penal rough will make the scoring much more volatile, and therfore exciting, for the general public to watch. Who wants to see a golf tournament where it's almost a procession for the leader to get the job done? I also believe tougher courses generally mean the best player on the week wins, it reduces the luck element and tournaments would not be reduced to pitch and putt contests like so many seem to be today.
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wenger there have been some low scoring thus far.
Dustin Johnson shot 16 under to win by 4 only two other players got to double digits. Russell Henley putted amazingly to win by 3 the scoring that week was v good. The humana is a pro am. Pro ams always have low scores as they set the courses up easily. last week Woods was 14under only 2 others got to double digits with most making their low score at the north. Torrey Pines was a good track. This week is a birdie fest it always is. These guys are good over the next few weeks scoring will tighten up. The PGA tour will soon be back on par 70s 71s with lower winning scores. In europe the courses are generally easier like the nationwide tour and often par 72 hence low scores. The top guys are very good. Last year a mate of mine played a round with Matt Nixon. At the time he was really struggling. They played on a decent track 6500 yards and Nixon was 10 under after 12. If you are hoping to make at euro tour standard you need to be plus 3, plus 4 handicap. The players are very good. On straightforward tracks someone will go low every week as someone always putts well. |
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I agree with your overall sentiment. Like you i do enjoy a tough challenge. The honda classic in a few weeks is usually a good one.
A couple of years ago the canadian open did what you said tight fairways thick rough and it was a cracker. I think you need a balance really some tough weeks and some weeks where they go low. If you bet in play you need to work out what type of week it is a tweak your strategy appropriately. |
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I am not talking from a betting point of view but just a general view. In the Open, players have to think about what clubs to hit off the tee as there may be deep bunkers at their driver yardage (Remember Adam Scott last year on the 72nd).This could be a driver, 3 wood, 5 wood or a long iron to get best position for the approach. With the wide fairways, shortish rough and shallow fairway bunkers in the US, players can just rip their drivers off every tee with no thought process leaving themselves a wedge to the green.
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in the US, players can just rip their drivers off every tee with no thought process leaving themselves a wedge to the green.
At some places they can. Torrey Pines, Muirfield Village, Bay Hill, PGA National, Riveira, Congressional, Doral, Sawgrass, The play off events are great tracks There are other events on old courses where precision is important e.g hilton head. Yes some weeks are a bombers paradise but not all. This week is a birdie fest. Its how they like it there. This event attracts more people than any other by a country mile. |
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very true mighty whites
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Problem with that Australian Open example is when you end up with a 53-year-old journeyman winning, does that suggest that the 'tough' conditions make it a bit of a lottery?
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wengers/scots/sports
Not so sure you are in the minority,unfortunately the same old argument gets banded around that fans want to see low scoring,birdies eagles etc..... The majority of amateur golfers struggle week in week out,yet enjoy the game and the challenge it offers. Yes professional tournament golf is very different,but do people really think golf fans/players want to watch golf on courses that appear as pitch and putt to professionals? Not for me I,m afraid,love the game and admire the skills,yet I watch less golf now than ever before,both tours are guilty of producing bland courses on a regular basis. Golf has so much going for it but if people perceive its as easy as some of these courses appear wheres the challenge,I think its being strangled as a spectator sport. |
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Most of us who don't live in the US are against the birdie fests, not the minority at all. Course listing needs a big shake up. Bethpage should hold the Barclays permanently, it's Liberty National this year
 Mighty I don't think the play off tracks are that special, East Lake is a good one (Atlanta Athletic smashes it though, would love to see it there every year) but Boston, Cog Hill, Liberty, Crooked Stick, Plainfield are nothing special, too easy for elite events. Don't think we'll see a change anytime soon. Just enjoy the good ones when they come. |
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about being strangled as a spectator sport, one other aspect imo that turns me off is golfer's and caddys telling people off for doing things that shouldn't really effect their shot. bones really annoyed me in singapore. it's like they enjoy hearing their own voices telling people off. i understand 'tradition' and all that jazz but imo a golfer that is constantly looking for external 'fluff' is not at ease with their game or themselves at that point in time.
anyway, low scores are all good in moderation. in cricket sometimes you get a small indian ground and score big, sometimes its the MCG and you score less. sometimes in NBA its a scorefest. sometimes its a defensive slog. sometimes tennis is a borefest. sometimes its a ridiculously exciting 5 setter. it is what it is. why get worked up about golfers getting birdies. what exactly is the resentment about? that they should earn their money more? last i heard, pitching and putting were strokes used in the playing of golf. every hole has a green so every hole is a 'putting contest'. basically just enjoy the golf. life's better  |
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I dont see why the tour cant just narrow fairways on these courses,grow the rough up,
If they did then what about the regulars?? Grass takes time to grow. The regulars would be seething. Unfortnately it is the courses but the equipment and rule**** the ball into the stand to bounce back onto the course or wayward shot behind some tent is ridiculous. These area should have out of bounds line so incurring a penalty shot. Perhaps all fairways should have out of bound line on each hole beyond the rough for professional only. |
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Ski. if they narrowed the fairways and let the rough grow, most would struggle par. Particularly Tiger!! He hits a lot of good shots, but misses a few fairways too.
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do away with free drops,they bomb off the tee knowing the rule book comes to their rescue more often than not,this month alone we,ve seen players getting ridiculous drops
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ski is correct
our course got chosen to host county championship, but proviso was the rough was grown, fairways narrowed and pins kept away from championship positions the members went scatty |
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Once our course was hosting to a junior championship......all pins where at the easiest positions......got my lowest round that day after the juniors finished playing.
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It is very boring. They could bring bunkers into play where drivers land to force a shorter club, that wouldnt affect members that much off the regular tees - and when i say bunkers, not bits of sand level enough for my boy to build sandcastles on.
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been popping into the golf coverage the last few nights ive seen phil in bunkers,a lake,a dry water hazard,a hazard in the middle of a bunker and he,s 24 under,
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What about the suggestion where there would be less par 5s and more par 3s. As a result we would have courses with par 66 or near there. I know, if they cannot sort the length of permitted putters, my suggestion would horrify the boys in blazers and equipment manufacturers might object. Just a thought.
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I was under the impression that numbers of spectators and new players were rising. Who cares if the winner is 4over or 40 under, the player with he lowest score over 4 days wins. It's one of the last sports where dissent is unheard of, played by gentlemen and ladies who respect the rules and their fellow competitors. This in turn promotes youngsters who play to have a higher moral fibre. I would like to see players disciplined for spitting and swearing on course, this is something that has crept into the game much more in recent years.
In short, in my opinion it isn't broke so don't try to fix it. |