Palmer and Pine Valley

[Glenn Spencer]

I have heard all of the stories about Palmer shooting 68 at Pine Valley and taking all the money for breaking 80. With the game in the shape it is today, would the new number be 75 seeing it for the first time. Are there any courses out there that you would bet the great players would not break 75, sans Tiger. What would be the reasoning, the design or the greens or what would influence you to bet against someone doing this.

[Bob_Huntley]

I cannot imagine that many touring pros would go much over par at Pine Valley first time out.

Bob

[Jim Nugent]

Glenn, this does not quite answer your question, but I found some more information on Palmer's round at Pine Valley.  This is from a book called, "Wanna Bet":

"Pine Valley Golf Club has a storied place in golf history as one of the finest courses in the world, but it also played an important role in Arnold Palmer's long and happy marriage to Winnie.

Palmer was just out of the Coast Guard and had a fine reputation as an amateur golfer. He had heard a lot about Pine Valley but had never played the course. One day he was invited to play but his friends warned him not to expect to score very well on his first attempt.

Now at the time, Arnold very much wanted to marry Winnie but didn't have the money for a nice engagement ring. As luck would have it, his friends offered him a bet: for every stroke over 80, Palmer would have to pay them $100, but they'd pay him $100 for every stroke under 80.

Happily, Palmer turned in a smooth 68, pocketed $1,200, bought the ring and lived happily ever after."

[Glenn Spencer]

Thanks Jim, I did not know that those were the terms of the bet. That changes everything sort of, it sounds like some generous members might have been helping buy Winnie's engagement ring. How would Sand Hills stack up in this situation?

[Sean Leary]

A good friend of mine who is a very good player shot 68 from the old back tees his first time around PV.  That included a double bogey on 1 where the caddy gave him driver and he hit it through the fairway into an unplayable lie.

Hasn't broken par in 3 subsequent rounds, of course...

[Joel_Stewart]

How would Sand Hills stack up in this situation?

A few years ago, Nick Faldo was invited to play Sand Hills.   He arrived around noon and teed off with no wind.  He shot a very smooth 68 and later that night told everyone at dinner that the next day he was going to go low.

The next morning he wakes up and the wind is blowing 50mph.  He tees off and shoots another 68 with a hole in one.

True story, told to me personally by Dick Youngscap.

[Anthony Butler]

A few years ago, Nick Faldo was invited to play Sand Hills.   He arrived around noon and teed off with no wind.  He shot a very smooth 68 and later that night told everyone at dinner that the next day he was going to go low.

The next morning he wakes up and the wind is blowing 50mph.  He tees off and shoots another 68 with a hole in one.
True story, told to me personally by Dick Youngscap.

How hard is Sand Hills? Faldo came out to NSW Golf Club a couple years ago and played in the Wednesday Stableford Competition!!!
I believe he shot 74. It can't have been blowing that hard because he lost the scratch comp by 2. Then again, 50mph in Nebraska is completely different than 50 mph in coastal Sydney.

I only played PV once and shot in the low 90s, hitting the ball about as good as a mid 70s round at most courses. It's not a great place to ALMOST hit the green.

[Tyler Kearns]

A few years ago, Nick Faldo was invited to play Sand Hills.   He arrived around noon and teed off with no wind.  He shot a very smooth 68 and later that night told everyone at dinner that the next day he was going to go low.

The next morning he wakes up and the wind is blowing 50mph.  He tees off and shoots another 68 with a hole in one.

True story, told to me personally by Dick Youngscap.

Joel,

Just nit-picking, but I heard it was 66-66.

TK