Is Small perhaps Beautiful?

[THuckaby2]

Right on, brother Thomas... and very good slant to this.  The question here has been what to do to allow Merion to host another USOpen, and we haven't asked if it SHOULD.  Kinda reminds me of Jurassic Park...  In any case, you've sold me my friend... the best thing is to keep the Open far away.

TH

ps: condolences re last Saturday - green jerseys should be saved for times of NEED.

[Dan King]

Sometimes small is just small.

I think the objective for the USGA is to ensure the players use every club in the bag, and on a short course there is a concern that it will turn into a putting duel.

I see two potential answers to this:
Virtual golf: Make the course whatever length you want to make it. Want to go one day from using an 8,000 yard course to the next day using a 5,000 yard course, push a button. Most people watch the game via TV, so with a bit of Industrial Light and Magic help, most wouldn't even notice a difference. Plus, think of the product placement opportunities for the Tours, the USGA and the PGA.

Club requirements: Want to ensure the players use every club in the bag change the rules. Here we are on a 470 yard hole, the player must use driver, 6-iron, and then after that any club they choose. You could have some fun with this. The short seventh hole at Pebble, make them hit 3-iron. A long hole, make them tee off with a pitching wedge, or maybe even a putter. Tie it in with the Internet and let the fans pick the clubs they have to use on each hole.

Dan King
dking@danking.org

"You can learn from an ordinary bamboo leaf what ought to happen. It bends lower and lower under the weight of snow. Suddenly the snow slips to the ground without the leaf having stirred. Stay like that at the highest point of tension until the shot falls from you. So, indeed , it is: when the tension is fulfilled, the shot must fall, it must fall from the archer like snow from a bamboo leaf, before he even thinks it."
 --Eugen Herrigel (German philosopher on the Zen Art of Archery)

[THuckaby2]

It is GREAT having you back here, Dan.  That is classic.  We now just need JakaB to properly respond... only he can really do justice to this.  

TH

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Tom,
I for one blieve the green jerseys should have been used for one express purpose--to either beat USC when the Irish are at their very weakest point in David and Goliath terms, or against the very strongest opponents and they are over-whelming underdogs--yet they know they can beat the favorites. The Anaheim Angels call their green jerseys the Rally Monkey and there are times when it is best needed to be used, and times when it should properly be put in its cage.

Last Saturday the key should have been thrown away.

In fact, after a pretty bad call that would have had Notre Dame and BC tied, the whole scenario of the game would have changed. This still does not let them off of the hook for some of the most lackluster play seen from a top-ranked team in years. Leave it to a very weak minded offense to over-rate themselves.

Look for that same offense to save face in about two weeks.

[Joel_Stewart]

Nothing much to add to this thread but wanted to post a picture of "Short" #6 at NGLA which I took about 3 weeks ago.  Its only 141 yards but has one of the amazing greens allowing it to play 3 or 4 club difference depending the pin.  

My photos didn't turn out as great as I would have liked, the pin here is front right and I hit wedge.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Joel,

Thanks for posting the picture of my favorite par 3.

Rich Goodale,

When you mentioned small, I took it in the context of compressing or miniturizing everything, including greens and tees, and small greens and tees do not fair well with excessive traffic.

With respect to USOPENS, isn't the object of the tournament, not to produce the lowest score, but to test every facet of the golfers game in the journey to produce the lowest score ?

And, if the answer is yes, you have to ask, what courses are capable of producing that examination.

And, does that course have to be specially prepared in order to produce that examination ?

And, if that special preparation is extreme, are we really talking about a viable candidate in the first place ?

Tom Huckaby,

How that ref could have missed that receiver being in bounds by three (3) yards is a mystery.  What is more of a mystery is how the media remained silent on such a critical, game deciding call.  I would offer, if the situation had been reversed, and BC was deprived of the tying TD, the media would have raised the roof.  Agree on the green, only use it when necessary, like Billy Baruu.

[Rich Goodale (Guest)]

Patrick

I assume that the objective of the US Open is whatever the USGA wants it to be.  I'd be very surprised if last year's winner was required to really test every facet of his game.  In fact, except for Pinehurst, I don't think the USGA has really tested creativity (for example) for a long time.  However, I could be worng, as I have not been there!  I also can visualize how a 6000-6500 yard course could be set up to require such, if that's what is wanted.  As for me, the objective ought to be to provide an exacting test of golf, nothing more, nothing less.  But, I don't have my blue jacket, yet.....

Not sure what you are getting at re: course set up?  We're tlaking mostly Merion on this thread, and though I know it only fleetingly, I assume that it could be made to be exacting without trickery.  So could Dornoch.  IMHO.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Rich Goodale,

The ultra-narrowing of fairways could be deemed an extreme set-up, and unfortunately, when the tournament leaves town, the fairways aren't so quick to be restored, leaving the course less attractive than before the tournament came to town.

And, if you have to make ribbon-like fairways, are you playing the real golf course ?  Aren't you taking away the architecture and play of the course, as inttended by the architect ?

Is it possible that the HYBRID that gets created sometimes looks nothing like the original ?

[Rich Goodale (Guest)]

Patrick

Mike C (above) was talking about widening the fairways at Merion, not narowing them.  I agree with you that the "ribbon" approach looks and is very unnatural.

[TEPaul]

Pat:

When you say the narrow fairways (Merion) are not so quick to be restored when the tournamment leaves town and therefore aren't you taking away the architecture and play of the course as intended by the architect, you ain't just a-joking!

During this year's GAP forum on restoration architecture there were three people on the panel--Tom Fazio, Brad klein and Bill Greenwood, the Merion Green Chairman.

Bill Greenwood mentioned that the Merion restoration plan has actually been going on for a very long time and one of the last phases of it will be the expansion of many of the fairways back to what they were intended to be. He also mentioned that those fairways have been narrow for a very long time, about 30 years actually--the result of the 1971 US Open! I would definitely say that's not restoring the fairways back very quickly!

[DKelly]

Doesn't ANYONE here have an in with the men in blue at the USGA?

They need to read -- and understand -- this thread. Every word of it.

[TEPaul]

Dan:

I'm not sure if I have an in with any of those in blue at the USGA or not but if I do it's possible if I called them up and told them to read every word of this thread and make sure they understand it I might not have an in with anybody in blue at the USGA anymore!

[TEPaul]

Dan:

I guess I should also mention (although I'm certain most regular contributors are aware of it) that I've heard Golfclubatlas discussed in some of the oddest and most unlikely places so I figure it's maybe a bit more known in some areas than most of us might be aware of!

There are plenty that seem to think the site is wonderful but we should also know there are some other areas where Golfclubatlas is the site they love to hate!

[Tommy_Naccarato (Guest)]

Tom,
Ihave heard the same thing about Howard Stern too. So many people love to hate him, yet they know so much about his show which if you can get past some of the more perversive elements is actually pretty entertaining. He is straight and to the point, loves to bust celebrities in the chops for acting, less then gracious, and it is funny to hear of his exploits with his family and friends.

Yes, he isn't what you would call the most inspiring, but he can make people laugh and think.

So does Golf Club Atlas and all of our wack pack.

Mind you that I don't listen to Howard nearly as much as I used to, and don't nearly laugh as much as I want.

[TEPaul]

TommyN:

I never really have listened to Howard Stern but he sure does make me laugh when I have. Some years ago my wife and I were driving to NYC listening to Howard and he had Maury Povich on. Maury happened to mention he was having a bit of trouble getting Connie Chung pregnant!!

Big Mistake!

Howard says, "Maury, you idiot, I can tell you exactly how to get Connie pregnant!" And then he proceeded to tell Maury exactly how to do it. My wife and I were laughing our asses off! I remember Howard telling Maury he had to turn Connie sideways or something! Unbelievable!