Don't bet on a DYE / SINGH golf course !!!

[Sébastien Dhaussy]

V. Singh interview - Wednesday at Memorial Tournament

"Q. If you're thinking about designing a course, what makes a great par 3, a great par 4, a great par 5?

VIJAY SINGH: I don't know, I think you've got to be able to play the golf course difficult from all tees and able to enjoy it at the same time. I'm a very traditionalist type of designer. I look back at the great golf courses that I've played and look at great holes, what makes a good hole, what makes not such a good hole. I kind of design it that way.
On a golf course you've got to be able to give different choices to play, a risk reward kind of thing on par 5s. It really has a lot to do with how you set up the whole golf course, not one or two particular holes. If I start discussing that, it's going to be talk about that to Jack Nicklaus because he's done a million golf courses. This is my second or third golf course, so I'm just starting out.
But my way of designing a golf course would be more traditional and not something like Pete Dye would do."

[Phil_the_Author]

"If I start discussing that, it's going to be talk about that to Jack Nicklaus because he's done a million golf courses. This is my second or third golf course, so I'm just starting out. "

He's done so many already that he can't keep track of them all?

[Jerry Kluger]

Let's see when Vijay comes up with something as interesting and challenging as say Whistling Straits and the Ocean Course.

[RJ_Daley]

Vijay has many gifts, but he doesn't do public relations speak too well...

[Bill Gayne]

I think he summarized his knowledge very well with his first three words. He should have stopped right there.

A better response may have been "I don't know but I'm going to log on to GCA.COM and figure it out."

[Ted Kramer]

What is the big deal?
He speaks his mind.
He would do something more traditional than he thinks Dye would.
So?
He didn't say that Dye was a lousy GCA.
He didn't say that didn't like Dye's courses.
There are enough robots out there spitting out one PC comment after the next, I think VJ is refreshing.

-Ted

[Ted Kramer]

What is the big deal?
He speaks his mind.
He would do something more traditional than he thinks Dye would.
So?
He didn't say that Dye was a lousy GCA.
He didn't say that didn't like Dye's courses.
There are enough robots out there spitting out one PC comment after the next, I think VJ is refreshing.

-Ted

From the quote, I think its pretty safe to say that he doesnt like Dye courses.  He wasn't crazy about TPC of Louisiana either.  

And if that is what the quote means,  is it bad for him to have an opinion?

-Ted

[Greg Holland]

On the other hand, Singh does live at Sawgrass -- a Pete Dye original.  

[Robert Thompson]

Not surprised that Vijay knows little about golf course design. The media openings are about as close as he gets to golf course under construction. Everything else is done by IMG Golf.
As for Singh being a breath of fresh air who speaks his mind, just get a chance to catch him at one of his less personable moments and you'll understand why he's so widely reviled. He's not a friendly person -- to anyone, with the exception of Ted Forstmann.

[Ted Kramer]

What is the big deal?
He speaks his mind.
He would do something more traditional than he thinks Dye would.
So?
He didn't say that Dye was a lousy GCA.
He didn't say that didn't like Dye's courses.
There are enough robots out there spitting out one PC comment after the next, I think VJ is refreshing.

-Ted

From the quote, I think its pretty safe to say that he doesnt like Dye courses.  He wasn't crazy about TPC of Louisiana either.  

And is it bad for him to have an opinion?

-Ted

No, it's nice that he has an opinion.  I have my doubts about whether or not he has well-informed, thought-out, or articulate opinions on the subject, but I may be wrong.

Yeah, he's only the best player in the world . . .
what could he know?

-Ted

[astavrides]

What is the big deal?
He speaks his mind.
He would do something more traditional than he thinks Dye would.
So?
He didn't say that Dye was a lousy GCA.
He didn't say that didn't like Dye's courses.
There are enough robots out there spitting out one PC comment after the next, I think VJ is refreshing.

-Ted

From the quote, I think its pretty safe to say that he doesnt like Dye courses.  He wasn't crazy about TPC of Louisiana either.  

And is it bad for him to have an opinion?

-Ted

No, it's nice that he has an opinion.  I have my doubts about whether or not he has well-informed, thought-out, or articulate opinions on the subject, but I may be wrong.

Yeah, he's only the best player in the world . . .
what could he know?

-Ted

He hits a lot of golf balls, but how much time does he spend analyzing what makes a good golf course--especially for amateurs?  As I say, I dont know.  Many pro golfers design, or lend their names to poor golf courses.  

[PThomas]

he certainly is entitled to his opinion --- but I wish he wasn't such a grump!

[Mike Nuzzo]

He's not a friendly person -- to anyone, with the exception of Ted Forstmann.

I don't know him, and I have seen him be very friendly to the behind the sceens support staff at tournaments.
My data says he's friendly.

Are there any good courses in Fiji?

[Robert Thompson]

Mike: Your data is wrong. I've encountered him as a reporter and found him unhelpful, nasty and snide. I've also heard first hand accounts of people who had to work with him at the Canadian Open and it wasn't pretty.