Are you enjoying Oakland Hills as much as I am?

[Mike Mosely]

OK I know it's only day one, but I really like what I see of this course.  I like the par 4.5 eighteenth hole, I like the lines of 4 and 5.  I'm not crazy about how long the par-3s are at 9 and 17.  9 looks goofy.  But I'm seeing a lot of variety in the design and a really interesting piece of property.

[Phil Benedict]

Why does it have to be so hard?  The fairways are too narrow and the rough too high.  The set up is overwhelming the architecture.

The winning score will be over par.  I've been watching Cabrera, Harrington and Trevor online.  Cabrera looks like he's playing really well but it's such a slog.  I'm surprised because the PGA of America is usually pretty balanced in their set up.

[John Kavanaugh]

I find the course more beautiful than Royal Birkdale.  Michigan was one hell of a state in its day.

[John Nixon]

Why does it have to be so hard?  The fairways are too narrow and the rough too high.  The set up is overwhelming the architecture.

Yep, I'd love to be seeing this with things toned down just a notch. Maybe "9" on the Hard-o-meter instead of "11".

[BCrosby]

Pretty course. Pretty clubhouse. Boring golf. Where is the gallery?

I would be interested to see how scoring would change if they widened fw's to normal widths. More people would risk shooting at pins. Given the hard as rock, highly contoured and well protected greens, some will succeed and others will pay a stiff price. As it is everyone is playing for the middle of the greens.

My guess is that average scores would be only a little lower, with more under par scores, but also more higher scores. There would be wider scoring spreads. And the golf would be a ton more interesting.

Bob

[Phil Benedict]

The genious of Mike Davis is that he has been able to create interesting golf even though scoring hasn't been any lower (285 at Oakmont and 284 at Torrey Pines).  The PGA is getting high scores without any of the excitement.

Geoff Shackleford commented on how small the galleries were yesterday.  That's golf without Tiger.

[John Nixon]

That's golf without Tiger.

Or in an area suffering the legacy of the US auto industry. Or both.

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

Small Galleries -- two words: Michigan Economy.  I grew up there, my mom still lives there and she has horror stories on how bad the governor's policies have depressed the state.

[Sean_A]

That's golf without Tiger.

Or in an area suffering the legacy of the US auto industry. Or both.

Michigan looks worse and worse each time I go back these past ten years.  The entire Detroit area is an eerie place.  If you look at the big 5 (no other cities were remotely close to the size) cities in the States back in 1950 it is remarkable how Detroit has fared.  It's population has nearly halved in the past 50 years.  Only Philly is remotely similar in its decline and judging by my visit this past spring Philly ain't looking too good either.  Of the big 5 LA is the only one with any real growth and it was mamoth.  It wasn't too far doubling its population this past 50 years - incredible for a city that was already huge.  Now its really the big 3 with Detroit and Philly taking a dive.

Still, OH is a terrific course which could be one of the very best if given a chance.

Ciao

[Matt_Ward]

I have to say that cramping the architecture seems to be the trend at OH/S this week. I have to preface my previous comment by saying that I am not on site and I'm only throwing forward a comment from the comforts of my living room.

Don't know why the fairways have to be that narrow or the rough that deep. Kerry Haigh generally understands that allowing the players to truly play is what makes for entertaining golf and viewing.

There's more to the week so it will be interesting to see if the PGA of America (thru Haigh) make any significant adjustments.

[Jon Heise]

Personally I like the course, got to see the practice rounds Wed.  It is a very "big" course for the size of land they've got.  I'd definitely like to see it if the fairways were opened up a bit, though some holes it doesnt appear like theyve got the room to do so (11?)

Sad to say as a metro Detroit resident, but things are real tough around here.  Awful, awful leadership.  But we'll just continue to take pride in the good things we've got, OHCC is definitely one...


First post too!  Hi!

[Jay Flemma]

I have to say that cramping the architecture seems to be the trend at OH/S this week. I have to preface my previous comment by saying that I am not on site and I'm only throwing forward a comment from the comforts of my living room.

Don't know why the fairways have to be that narrow or the rough that deep. Kerry Haigh generally understands that allowing the players to truly play is what makes for entertaining golf and viewing.

There's more to the week so it will be interesting to see if the PGA of America (thru Haigh) make any significant adjustments.

That's an astute assessment, Matt.  Nevertheless, there is some serious architecture and some serious hills.  To quote McDonald's, "I'm lovin' it."

[Ray Richard]

I've been enjoying my Direct TV golf coverage-they give you one channel that follows 1 group from the first tee to 18 green with no commercials. A great way to see the course in a new perspective-if you can put up with the small talk. I read a magazine while they walk to their next shot.

[Phil Benedict]

I just saw Vijay make a double on the 9th after being on the green and pin high on the hole in regulation, his last.  He under-read his first putt, a right-to-left breaker, which took a sharp left turn and rolled off the green. 

Vijay needed two putts to finish 9 over.  If JB Holmes bogies either of the last two holes, he will finish 1-under, which I bet will be the leading score when the round is over.  So he would have  been within the 10-shot rule.  Bummer.

Playing with Vijay, Daly birdied the hole to finish 9 over.

[Tim Gavrich]

Oops, never mind.  10-shot rule applies after all.

[Jay Flemma]

Tim, I don't think it does. I checked the pga.com site and asked some of the other guys and they said only top 70 and ties.  Check here:

http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2008/scoring/

[Phil Benedict]

I think Jay is right about the top 70 and ties. 

[Mike Mosely]

OK but how are you guys liking you see of the course.

[Darren_Kilfara]

Tiger would be eating this course up - none of his drives would end up in the thick stuff, as all of his bad drives would be wide enough to get into the "gallery rough". THAT is the real crime with this sort of course setup; if you're going to narrow the fairways, widen the roughs, don't just let the gallery come closer and only truly penalize the golfers who just miss the target.

I get the sense that Oakland Hills is one of those courses which must be much more interesting to see in person than it is to watch on TV. Winged Foot must be similar in this regard; I've never been to either course, but on TV you don't really get a sense of the contours that must make them interesting. Instead, all you get is lots of green grass and white sand; it might as well be last week at Firestone, really.

Cheers,
Darren

[Matt_Ward]

Nuff of the narrow fairway motif -- how bout the folk in charge realize that golf should be entertainment -- that's what previous PGA's under Kerry Haigh have been.

This event is shaping up as a

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

It's time for more width and allow the players to play and for the shotmakers to emerge instead of the predictable ho-hum march down single file fairways.

OH/S can play much better -- see the '79 PGA and the Senior Open won by Nicklaus.

Guess the folks at OH/S prefer to have another all-star name in the likes of Andy North and Steve Jones emerge with the Wannamaker Trophy.

A pity.

[Jerry Kluger]

You just don't see any "brilliant" shots - the birdies I've seen have only been a result of a fortunate bounce.  they are going to have to soften it up over the weekend to bring more players into the mix by giving them the ability to move up the leaderboard as opposed to just not falling down.

[BVince]

I disagree....

I love the setup, IMO its exciting to watch.  Phil has hit some fantastic shots today but failed to take advantage of a few good opportnities. 

[cary lichtenstein]

1st time ever, I did not watch even 1 shot the 1st 2 days.

That would never have happened had Tiger been playing.

I do plan to watch it Saturday and Sunday.

[Jay Flemma]

I do feel what everyone else is saying...that it is more boring with less birdies...that's true.  I just like the course, not what they did to it for the tournament.

As rees said to me yesterday - "The day after the tournament they'll cut the rough and you'll have a lot more room out there."

[Bradley Anderson]

There is a lot about Oakland Hills to admire.

The greens are spectacular.

The bunkers are deep and they seem to be very well placed.

We walked around every hole on Tuesday and I was blown away.