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Rob Rigg

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Another interesting thought, IMO so bear with me, comes out of Charlie's tree thread.

Has modern technology forced GCAs to dumb down their designs and put less of a premium on shot making, especially off the tee?

I know technology is supposed to make the average golfer better. But it is more difficult to work the ball off the tee with a 460cc head that has no feel whatsoever versus even a 350cc head. The newer irons are designed to make it easier to hit the ball straight, and thus make it harder to work the ball on approaches.

Is technology minimizing the ability of golfers to be creative on the course and thus architects forcing architects to create more direct, target oriented routings?

Jeff_Brauer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: GCAs - Is modern technology forcing you to dumb down your designs?
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2008, 08:50:46 PM »
Rob,

I still design as if someone would take the suggestive cues I offer to draw, fade, etc.  But, I played today and a former college golfer, using the newest Callaway driver said he could barely shape a shot.

Perhaps working the ball is the newest gca myth, replacing "the ground game." :o
Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach

paul cowley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: GCAs - Is modern technology forcing you to dumb down your designs?
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2008, 09:04:34 PM »
Especially when dealing with wooded corridors, developing straight line strategies has been a key design component during the last 5+ years of golf design....at least for me.

And its all based on equipment performance.....because good players will always find a way to work to the equipments capabilities.

It's pick a line for success....not shape a shot.
paul cowley...golf course architect/asgca

Kalen Braley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: GCAs - Is modern technology forcing you to dumb down your designs?
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2008, 09:56:02 PM »
I don't know what kind of game you guys play...but I can still slice the hell out of a ball with my Taylor Made R7 using a ProV.

paul cowley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: GCAs - Is modern technology forcing you to dumb down your designs?
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2008, 12:26:06 AM »
....hows your draw?
paul cowley...golf course architect/asgca

Kalen Braley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: GCAs - Is modern technology forcing you to dumb down your designs?
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2008, 01:01:14 AM »
....hows your draw?

Still working on that one..never could really figure out how to hit one without snap hooking..  ;D

Doug Siebert

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: GCAs - Is modern technology forcing you to dumb down your designs?
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2008, 02:17:11 AM »
I can draw and hook a modern driver fine (its easier unintentionally, however ;)) but I can no longer hit a proper power fade.  The only way I can make it curve right is by hitting it with an open clubface, but it loses enough distance hit that way that I can almost match it distance wise with a power faded 1 iron.

To be honest I pretty much just play everything straight, and will sometimes try to draw a drive as a "bonus" but only when I can set things up such that if the ball goes dead straight its perfectly fine.  No trying to curve around tight doglegs where a straight ball would go crashing through the trees on the far side, I just go over the corner in such a case.

I played with a Big Ten college golfer yesterday and he played all his drives straight, other than a few unintentional hooks.  There are a couple sharp doglegs left on the back nine, on the 90* dogleg he took a 3W and just hit straight to the corner, on the other one which isn't quite so sharp he hit driver over the corner, dead straight.
My hovercraft is full of eels.

Charlie Goerges

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: GCAs - Is modern technology forcing you to dumb down your designs?
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2008, 08:43:18 AM »
Doug, have you tried moving the ball back in your stance, just 2-3 inches ahead of center? I do this to make sure I am a bit "late" back to the ball, thus leaving the face a fraction open.
Severally on the occasion of everything that thou doest, pause and ask thyself, if death is a dreadful thing because it deprives thee of this. - Marcus Aurelius

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