[David Stamm]

I just heard on TGC that Holmes drove it OVER the green on the 17th at CPC earlier this week. Holy cow!!!!!!!!!

[Dan Moore]

This begs the question of whether technology has improved the hole. 

[Mike Hendren]

I seem to recall reading that Nicklaus drove the 17th in the 60's.  Can anyone verify?

Mike

[Kalen Braley]

According to Google Earth, thats about 370 yards...and at sea level in the heavy Nor Cal air.  The carry is about 330 yards, crazy indeed.

It could have been wind aided though...and in that case, piece of cake right?  

[Mike Benham]

I just heard on TGC that Holmes drove it OVER the green on the 17th at CPC earlier this week. Holy cow!!!!!!!!!

And why would you even try it during competition?  Wouldn't a 310 yard 3-wood give you a nice simple pitch to the green?

[Kalen Braley]

Mike,

From the aerial, and using Google Earth, there doesn't appear to be a safe place to lay up to for that distance.  Have to go left of those trees in the fairway which pinches in at that distance, or you would have to fly them, which is very risky.

Interesting exercise...

[RJ_Daley]

And, who was he playing with?  Probably a two dollar nassau or dollar skins with Bubba or Boo or somebody... 

[Kyle Henderson]

According to Google Earth, thats about 370 yards...and at sea level in the heavy Nor Cal air.  The carry is about 330 yards, crazy indeed.

It could have been wind aided though...and in that case, piece of cake right?  

Yesterday a caddie in his group said he can carry it 310 in the cold, damp, sea level air of Monterey.

370 requires wind.

[Adam Clayman]

And what was his score on the hole?

How about #9, any reports?

[Kyle Henderson]

Do many of the pros find a way to get on at Cypress during tournament week? That must be a nice "little" perk.

[J_ Crisham]

What would Hogan  or Venturi say about this?

[Stan Dodd]

I  was playing there last spring with a player on our high school team, who flew the trees to about 10 yards off the front edge.

[Bill_Yates]

WOW! Now we have two of the world's greatest Par 3's back-to-back.

[Jim Sweeney]

When JB hit his tee shot 359 in the playoff at the FBR, the announcers saud his clubhead speed, measured by Shotlink, was 139 mph.

At 109 mph, the modern ball goes about 290 yards.

Add 2-3 yard per mph, and the modern ball goes 60 to 90 yards farther at 139, for a total of 350-380 yards.

Seems the talent required to move the clubhead at 139 mph trumps improvements in ball technology when it comes to producing prodigeous drives.

[Mike Hendren]

I  was playing there last spring with a player on our high school team, who flew the trees to about 10 yards off the front edge.

Stan,

Would that have been R. J. Harper's son.  I hear he's long.

Mike

[Lou_Duran]

I understand that Daniel Chopra flew the ball  pin high on the green at CPC #9 with a 3-metal.  These guys are not only really good, but unhumanly long.  Without wind, CPC is defenseless for these guys.

[David Stamm]

WOW! Now we have two of the world's greatest Par 3's back-to-back.

Make that 3.

[Tom Huckaby]

I'm with Adam Clayman on this.  It's one thing to make a silly unconscious play... I too want to know what Holmes's score was on 17.  There's no way he held the green even if he did fly on to it - and over that green means either a bunker with a downhill lie to a sloping away green, or worse.  And heck, it's not THAT big of a deal.. there's been a story of Tiger hitting the very top of the seawall going back several years.

As for 9, Nicklaus many years ago used to routinely drive it to the top level of the green, or so the story goes.  Heck even I can get it to almost to the front right.  But Jack said it best - he'd never try the shot in competition - it's not a smart play.

I don't doubt today's big boys can hit the ball insanely far.  I just will not say CPC is defenseless.  Let me set the pins and I'll give them something to think about.  And therein lies the key.  One does drive for show and putt for, well... you know the rest.

[JohnV]

When did JB play there?  I was there on Monday and there was about a 20-30 MPH wind that made the tee shot on 17 to the green straight downwind.  I figured that a really long hitter could do it pretty easily.  It was a cross wind on 16.  15 was a gap wedge with that wind.

[JohnV]

I'm in charge of the starters this week at the ATT and our starter on #10 at Spyglass said that JB took it over the trees and had a flip wedge into the green on Thursday.   I haven't played there in a number of years, but he was definitely impressed.

[Tom Birkert]

That's ridiculous... My mate probably would be able to drive 9 as he is long, but 17 is a completely different ballgame, and I completely agree that being long of that green is not fun, I went in the back bunker and it cost me a bogey.

[Dean Stokes]

I'm so glad the modern day equipment is not making a mockery of these great golf courses.....

[Adam Clayman]

My impression is that "these guys" get just as giddy about playing on this hallowed ground as we plain folk do.
Tempting these guys to go for it on 17, adds one more option, to the many already there.

John, It was likely Monday, since once Tuesday hits, these guys are entering their weekly routine.

[Kyle Henderson]

I'm in charge of the starters this week at the ATT and our starter on #10 at Spyglass said that JB took it over the trees and had a flip wedge into the green on Thursday.   I haven't played there in a number of years, but he was definitely impressed.

He did. It was ludicrous, specially for an opening tee shot. He also pulled his drive on #1 but was lucky enough to sneak through the trees. I don't think it's possible to shorten that hole
(a dogleg left) any farther. He had 240 to the green on a 595 yard hole...

[Rick Shefchik]

When JB hit his tee shot 359 in the playoff at the FBR, the announcers saud his clubhead speed, measured by Shotlink, was 139 mph.

At 109 mph, the modern ball goes about 290 yards.

Add 2-3 yard per mph, and the modern ball goes 60 to 90 yards farther at 139, for a total of 350-380 yards.

Seems the talent required to move the clubhead at 139 mph trumps improvements in ball technology when it comes to producing prodigeous drives.

I have to agree with Jim on this one.

What does it matter that a J.B. Holmes, with his 139 mph swing speed -- or jack Nicklaus, back in his glory days -- could do ridiculous things to classic golf holes? I can't do that, you can't do that, and 99.9999 percent of players who ever stuck a peg in the ground can't do that.

I'm as alarmed about what modern equipment is doing to the pro game as the next guy, but CPC is still a perfectly valid golf course, regardless of what the freaks can do to it.

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