Distance Control

[Sean_A]

I will probably be lambasted (does this word have anything to do with lambs?) for this, but here goes.  What does it matter if the pros hit the ball 330 yards thereby making classic tracks "obsolete"?  So the pros will either sort it out or they will play a load of boring courses to make a living.  What happens at the highest levels of amateur and pro golf aren't really of any serious interest to me.

Does distance really effect the vast majority of players?  I don't see club players going deep.  If they do, the next week they are off a few shots less than previously.  What is my stake in all this?

Ciao

Sean

[George Pazin]

Sean -

I can't speak for anyone else, but the problem to me is that people end up screwing with classic courses in an effort to "defend par". I'm selfish enough to hope that if I get to play some of the world's best someday, that they aren't substantially different from when Ben, Jack or a young Tiger played them.

The other issue is that more and more absurdly long courses are being built, courses that, if I choose to play from the right tees, mean I have huge green to tee treks ahead of me. Plus, more length means more land means more $$$.

Other than that, I couldn't care less how long anyone else hits it.

[John_Cullum]

I believe the PGA Tour promotes the long ball. They demand that fairway heights get cropped down to nothing so the ball will roll 40+ yards. That debacle this past weekend at Kapalua was interesting, some drives rolled out over 100 yards, but the greens were rolling around an 8. And they played lift, clean and place in a fine mist.

I can't recall these long rolls 25 years ago when I used to go to a tournament now and then.

[Sean Leary]

Sean,

I agree, for most club players it really doesn't make a difference.  The only time it is an issue for me (which isn't that often) is when the new increased distance takes the driver out of my hands, which for me, makes it a little less fun, that all. I am a 5 handicap, somewhat long club player. The one example I can give you is that when I played Pine Valley last year.  While it is my favorite course I have ever played, I couldn't get over how many times I couldn't/wouldn't/ didn't have to hit driver, particularly in my second round, after really seeing what was out there. It was springtime, but playing somewhat firm and fast. Holes like 1,6,7,12, and 18 were ones that if I hit a solid driver on the desired line of play, would go too far.  I just don't think that would have been the case 15 to 20 years ago.

[Steve Mann]

sean leary-

what were you so scared of on #18 at PVGC to not hit big stick?  i think it must be at least 330 to get to the road.  how far do you hit it?

[Sean Leary]

Steve,

I am somewhat long, but not as long as a really good player. It was playing firm and fast, and I hit three wood both days to within 10 yards of trouble at the end of the fairway. I forget what is down there but there is trouble in front of the road on the right side of the fairway, from what I remember.  This was from the old back tee, not the new one. Granted, it ran quite a bit, but it is down hill significantly. Now with the new tee (which was still under construction) I would hit driver, no doubt, which I believe is the purpose of new tees there and on 7, where from the old tee, fairway ran out at about 285.
I'm just saying, if I hit driver well, I would run out of room.  

[Bob_Huntley]

Sean,

I can see that I hate you already.  Afraid to hit the driver at #18 at PVGC. Why do you guys make me feel so inadequate?

Bob

[Sean Leary]

Bob,

Trust me, this isn't a big issue for someone like me.  Most courses, it isn't an issue whatsoever.  I'm just saying I like to hit driver, and if end of fairways or doglegs (like 1 or 6 at PVGC might be better examples) preclude me from doing so, it just is a little less fun, that is all.  The ball just goes so much farther now than it used to...

PS. Still didn't break 80, so trust me, PV wasn't too easy for me.

[TEPaul]

Sean L;

Long hitters haven't been hitting driver on #1 and #6, #9 at PVGC as long as I've been going down there---about 25 years now. But it wasn't until recently they stopped hitting driver on holes like #7, #13, #18. But now, I don't care how long you are you can hit driver on those latter three holes again and probably on #9 too. They've added a considerable amount of yards to those holes since you last played there.

[Steve Mann]

sean-

you big hitters should hit driver on #6.  take the aggresive line to the right of the cedars and left of the pines.  hit it hard with a slight fade and you could find yourself within 10-20 yards of the green if the ground is running.  i always favored the 3 wood off #6, not enough risk/reward in my opinion to hit driver down that tight right side!

one question for you, you didn't mention #8 as a non-driver hole at PVGC, did you go for the green on that hole?  was it the right or left the day you played?

steve  

[Sean Leary]

Sean A,

I like hitting three wood, I just don't like hitting it all round. At PVGC, the perfect tee shot is 250 yards, for the most part. As Tom said, some of these holes have been non driver holes for a long time, but a few are newly non driver holes, because the ball goes so far.

Tom,

The new tees had been created, they just weren't open yet (except for 10, which screwed up our caddy since it was his first loop of the year, and didn't know about the additional distance. Almost everyone came up short).  I agree with you 100% that those additional tee boxes give EVERYONE now the option to hit driver, which is why I like that they put them in there.  13 is one of the best par 4's in the world, but it was a three wood, no doubt.

Steve,

The holes I mentioned are ones based upon overall distance one might think they were driver holes. The second day, I hit driver on 9, 11, 15, and 16. The first day on 6, the caddy gave me a line and (it was the first time I had hit driver to that point), and hit it a bit right (10 yards, but hit it hard) and went so far it went through the trees was almost in the rough on 7.  I could try to hit it at the green and carry it all the way over, but I'm not that accurate, and I don't always hit it that solid, so three wood is definitely the play. On 8, it was the left green and I hit 5 wood both days to the bottom, so I had a 60-80 yard pitch.  Not a driver hole for anybody, because around that green is just death.

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