I started another thread, but to avoid duplication will post this here:
I wanted to start a discussion on how we think the women will interface with TOC. Specifically I'd like to break it down to three components: Strategy off the tee, playing out of bunkers, and putting on the greens. By all means please feel free to add more components that are applicable.
1) Strategy off the tee - As we have seen by watching the men every 5 years, they often can bomb right over many of the bunkers that will be in play for the women. That being said, will the women try to play down the right side of many of the holes, bringing the OB in play, but taking the bunkers out of play? And with many of the tee shots being blind will this throw them off thier normal routine as the US courses they play don't employ nearly as many of these types of shots. Will we see the longer hitters laying up to avoid some of the bunkers with <gasp> irons? Keeping it left is the basic premise to playing TOC, will this bring more bunkers into play for them? How much creativity off the tee do you envision or will the distance, approx 6600 yards, mean they will need to at least hit 3 woods to get shorter irons into the greens?
2) Bunkers - Its pretty fair to say that the women rarely play courses on tour with extreme bunkering like TOC. Will finding a fairway bunker mean almost a 1 stroke penalty with an almost guranteed chip out? Or will the longer hitters still be able to hit lofted enough clubs to get somewhere down near the green?
3) Putting on the greens - I've read that the courses the women regulary play have much tamer greens than what the men are used to. Do we expect to see many 3 putts at TOC where the greens are massively undulating? Or perhaps will we see players intentionally playing to the alternate green to gain better angles into some of the nasty pin locations? Number 11 could lead to some interesting putts especially if they get above the hole.
Any thoughts