Architecture and Equipment Choice

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

Does specific architecture features alter the type of equipment you play?  I play The Ocean Course 9 out of 10 rounds I play so I have wedges (52 and 58 degrees) with virtually no "bounce" to play off hard pan and cochina cart paths.  I find I run into a bit of a problem using those wedges on our other courses.  

A number of the pro who were here for the Senior PGA found they were having problem playing off the hard sand here.  They're used to the soft, white, fluffy stuff.  Thoes who play here a lot don't seem to have a problem with the hard sand like the pros did.  I think the pro were using wedges with big bounce features and trying to play them like regular bunkers.

Do you think the guy here for the 2012 PGA will figure out that they're going to have to alter their sand game and equipment or do you think we'll have whiners like the Senior PGA guys...?

[Jim_Kennedy]

Mike,
I thought Tour Pros enjoyed firm sand rather than the soft fluffy stuff?

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

They hated ours...

[Pat Brockwell]

Across the street from the course I grew up on they made some of the best adobe bricks in New Mexico, and I prefer a low bounce wedge.  I have a low bounce 60 degree and a higher bounce 56 degree wedge.  It's not rocket science, but the coneheads in Los Alamos (and the Senior Tour) are still working it out.

[Ken Moum]

Across the street from the course I grew up on they made some of the best adobe bricks in New Mexico, and I prefer a low bounce wedge.  I have a low bounce 60 degree and a higher bounce 56 degree wedge.  It's not rocket science, but the coneheads in Los Alamos (and the Senior Tour) are still working it out.

I used to play on a course in South Dakota that had a similar type of soil, and it was packed hard by the convoys of privately owned cart that frequented the place.

But I could never get used to a low-bounce wedge. Even off totally bare, cart-packed hardpan, I need a fair amount of bounce.

I have come to believe that the preference for bounce--or lack of it--is more about a player's technique than the firmess of the ground.

BTW -- Due to my brother's schedule, we had to move to 1:00 p.m. next Monday.

Ken

[David_Tepper]

Mike -

My guess is the tour pros will be VERY aware of the condition of the sand in the bunkers and the turf conditions when the PGA is played at the Ocean Course. They will adjust the bounce in their wedges accordingly.

I recall reading an article when the British Open was played last summer at Royal Lytham. The article talked about how the players were reducing the bounce on their wedges due to the baked-out turf there.

I don't know if the Champions Tour gets quite the same service from the manufacturers' equipment vans that the regular tour gets. It may be harder for them to alter the specs of their equipment on the spot.

DT
 

[Jim Franklin]

I know I add a hybrid when I play PV or CPC or any other course with a 230+ par 3 and I will take out my 52 and 57 degree wedges and replace with a 54. I like my low bounce LW for firm sand which is most of what I have seen recently. If the sand is fluffy, then I will throw ina higher bounce LW.

[JESII]

Along the lines of what David Tepper said...I think the "regular" tour guys switch wedge specs frequently to best suit the conditions...

[JC Jones]

Does specific architecture features alter the type of equipment you play?  I play The Ocean Course 9 out of 10 rounds I play so I have wedges (52 and 58 degrees) with virtually no "bounce" to play off hard pan and cochina cart paths.  I find I run into a bit of a problem using those wedges on our other courses.  

A number of the pro who were here for the Senior PGA found they were having problem playing off the hard sand here.  They're used to the soft, white, fluffy stuff.  Thoes who play here a lot don't seem to have a problem with the hard sand like the pros did.  I think the pro were using wedges with big bounce features and trying to play them like regular bunkers.

Do you think the guy here for the 2012 PGA will figure out that they're going to have to alter their sand game and equipment or do you think we'll have whiners like the Senior PGA guys...?

I think absolutely, if the course you play regularly requires it.  If the course you play 7+ times out of 10 has firm turf and firm sand, I think youd be foolish to have a LW with 9* or more of bounce.