Under Par
I was watching the 3M PGA golf tournament today with great crowds, announcers, players, and caddies. I felt the tournament was competitive on a great TPC extra special golf course. There was length (7,431 yards), water on many holes, and bunkers and light to medium length rough placed where severely imprecise shots ended. The course offered par 5 eagles, long par 3s - but few long mid-range irons on par 4 holes. Thus, why is -28 winning this PGA golf tournament. Years ago, God couldn't shoot - 28. Shefler (#1 in world) shot a 64-63 weekend 36 holes; and still lost by 3 strokes; and lost to Koivun (an upstart who played phenomenal). My theme is what is the PGA and mainstream golf expecting from players and competitive golf. Obviously, the US Open and to some extent, the British Open want the winner near par. What would sporting golf fans like to see? NOT THIS!
The golf balls, clubs, and overall technology have superseded golf course architecture. Booming drives 350 yards + have placed most PGA courses on their knees. Hitting a half 56-degree wedge into a hole that Nicklaus, Hogan. and Palmer formerly hit 4-irons into is a monster difference. Announcers grumble and say "not his best" with a wedge approach that lands 20 feet from the hole. A generation prior and beyond; obtaining a birdie was a substantial accomplishment. Modernly on these "forgiving" courses in the context of equipment and layout, a birdie does not arouse the announcers (it is expected and the player falls behind without the birdie at courses like the 3M). The announcers and some of the crowd only arouse with a 30-foot eagle - when par on a resilient, grinding hole should receive a standing ovation. We cannot make 10,000-yard courses because the members and golfing public would shoot 120. What do we do? What is our sporting mission? As Augusta had to "Tiger-Proof" the course; so, will we with the PGA tournament courses. Here's the FIX:
PAR is a great score. A bogey on some holes is a win. Occasionally, the risk benefit leads to a snowman (8) or larger if we implement below, Enough of these driver/wedge/8 - foot birdie putt hole layouts. Demand a 2 iron off the tee for position golf instead of these superb players performing iron cross training 6 days/week having a week-long birdie feast.
Recommendations:
1) Leave the courses regarding yardages except PGA tournaments always require play from the back of the back tees.
2) Grow the rough to US Open standards - everywhere - hitting in the rough is a .5 shot penalty average. Modernly, hitting into the rough is like someone stealing your popsicle and the guy next to you gives you a fresh one - no penalty.
3) Stimpmeters to 13-14 range (normally 10.5 to 12 on PGA tour) - requiring precise putting on very fast greens.
4) Hazards on most holes on both sides of the fairway (water, deep rough, deep bunkers, waste areas). You cannot "bail out" to the safe side with short rough.
5) Maybe one day out of 4 have holes with easy pin placements; but most of the holes have a risk/benefit with a carefully placed dangerous flag - mix it up.
6) Holes with narrow fairways and real hazards (lipped bunkers) at 310 yards requires the player think about a 3-wood or long iron off the tee. The non-lipped using bunker play is without penalty using modern technology - players still get a birdie - albeit from 15 feet instead of 8 feet.
7) Grass bunkers near greens (like Sawgrass) - these have gone away - morphed to cutesy fringe that is shorter than the fairway. Grow the grass around greens to rough levels. Short game experts win tourneys; not just boomers.
8) Leave the equipment and balls alone - hands off Elon Musk and AI. Perhaps no teeing on par 3s.
9) No more 330-yard par 4s - it is a par 3. Who came up with this? A par on this hole is a great score.
10) Whatever happened to moats, winding creeks going through or alongside the fairway (Memorial Tourney/Augusta)?
11) There are more and perhaps better players that are 24/7 golf, have trainers and nutritionists, are sponsored, cuddled, have luxury meals/hotels/private planes, and do not drive beer trucks in the off season. A loft wedge into a long par 4? Really? I say toughen up the 3M and many tournaments for more drama. appreciation of par and ignite the golf announcers. The 18th hole needs to be torture - whereby a par and maintenance of the lead is superb play. You want clubhouse leaders on the practice tee at the end of the tourney - it's not over with a tough hazardous 18th hole and fast greens.