[Richard Choi]

Just announced...

"Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore., will host the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and the 2011 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship, June 27-July 2, 2011. This will be the first time that the Amateur Public Links Championships are conducted jointly."

Pretty cool news. The amateurs are going to get their full dose of true links golf with 2010 US Am at Chambers Bay then 2011 Pub Links at Bandon.

I wonder what kind of modifications they will make to the course (if anything at all), for the preparation.

[JC Jones]

I just saw that too.  Im surprised they aren't having the women play at Pacific (isn't that where they played the Walker Cup?).

Congrats to the resort though. 

[Tom Huckaby]

It just says the resort is hosting each, doesn't it?  Or does it say somewhere which exact courses are to be used for each?

Because you know... EIEIO.... hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Garland Bayley]

I just saw that too.  Im surprised they aren't having the women play at Pacific (isn't that where they played the Walker Cup?).

Congrats to the resort though. 

CURTIS CUP

[JC Jones]

I just saw that too.  Im surprised they aren't having the women play at Pacific (isn't that where they played the Walker Cup?).

Congrats to the resort though. 

CURTIS CUP

Hahaha ... thats what I meant.  Although I bet they played from longer than the 5192 tees....

[Tom Huckaby]

yes the Curtis Cup was held at Pacific; the Mid-Am was held over Dunes and Trails.

So again my question... were the exact COURSES announced for these two pub-links?

They're gonna have to use at least two (if not more) given huge number of contestants (two fields combined)....

[Tom_Doak]

They have discussed which courses to use quite a bit (internally), but I don't think they have decided yet which courses to use, and certainly not publicly.  Talk has been strongly in favor of using Old Macdonald for one of the two competitions, but obviously they don't want to announce that before the course is even finished.  So, they'll decide later.

[Tom Huckaby]

Excellent - that makes perfect sense and is what I expected, Tom.  JC's post made it sound like the decision had been made.

TH

[JC Jones]

My post was based on a quick read of the article, not any knowledge.  In the future, you can always assume I have no idea what Im talking about.  You'll be right 9 times out of 10.

[PCCraig]

Cool, now I have something to practice for! 

Seems the USGA is starting a trend of hosting back-to-back men's and women's events on the same venue.

[Tom Huckaby]

My post was based on a quick read of the article, not any knowledge.  In the future, you can always assume I have no idea what Im talking about.  You'll be right 9 times out of 10.

LOL!  I feel the same about myself.. assume others always know more!

Man it would be cool if this was spread among all four courses... yowza....

[Tom_Doak]

Pat:

Just to clarify, the two events at Bandon will be played simultaneously, not back to back.

[JC Jones]

My post was based on a quick read of the article, not any knowledge.  In the future, you can always assume I have no idea what Im talking about.  You'll be right 9 times out of 10.

LOL!  I feel the same about myself.. assume others always know more!

Man it would be cool if this was spread among all four courses... yowza....

Very cool indeed.  Although I, selfishly, dont want the resort to get too much good press.  I havent been there since 2004 and I dont like the idea of having to book 1 year in advance to get decent tee times.  Im afraid if people get to see all four courses on NBC they might start coming by cruise ship!!

[PCCraig]

Pat:

Just to clarify, the two events at Bandon will be played simultaneously, not back to back.

Wow, very interesting. Wouldn't they then need to use all 4 courses? Doesn't most USGA Am events use two courses for qualifying and one as the match play venue?

[Tom Huckaby]

JC... well... maybe I shouldn't type this... don't want to ruin your delusions....

But the "having Bandon pretty much to yourself" ship sailed at least 4 years ago.  Sadly one does need to book a year in advance for pretty much all summer, if not most of winter.  And it's of course only going to get worse once EIEIO opens... I guess what you do having going for you is bad economic times might keep SOME crowds down... but of course that presents other problems.

BTW, Publinks isn't televised, is it?  Or if it is, well it sure ain't an NBC big ratings event.

 

TH

ps to Pat - yeah that is typicallly how Publinks goes...two courses, use both for stroke play qualifying and then one only for match play part.. so with two events simultaneous it is logical they'd need four courses...  although they certainly COULD logistically do this over three courses.. or two if they got really crazy...mashing in times dawn to dusk...

[Tom Huckaby]

DELETED - inadvertent duplicate of previous post...

[Phil McDade]

BTW, Publinks isn't televised, is it?  Or if it is, well it sure ain't an NBC big ratings event.

 

Huck:

Maybe the Golf Channel could get off its duff and stop playing those lame-o product placement shows by Butch Harmon, or the insipid Big Break stuff with players no one knows, on courses no one cares about, to actually show extended footage of cool courses and true public-course players. I'd watch!

[Tim Pitner]

JC... well... maybe I shouldn't type this... don't want to ruin your delusions....

But the "having Bandon pretty much to yourself" ship sailed at least 4 years ago.  Sadly one does need to book a year in advance for pretty much all summer, if not most of winter.  And it's of course only going to get worse once EIEIO opens... I guess what you do having going for you is bad economic times might keep SOME crowds down... but of course that presents other problems.

I'm kind of hoping Old MacDonald won't be everyone's cup of tea and that the addition of a new course will help spread around the golfers.  We'll see . . .

[Wyatt Halliday]

I'm kind of hoping Old MacDonald won't be everyone's cup of tea and that the addition of a new course will help spread around the golfers.  We'll see . . .

Hey Tim,

I'm struggling to make sense of this. If OM isn't everyone's cup of tea, how on earth would it help spread around the golfers? I for one hope that OM IS everyone's cup of tea. The resort will remain as it is regardless, and I think that's a good thing.

Cheers

[JohnV]

Pat:

Just to clarify, the two events at Bandon will be played simultaneously, not back to back.

Wow, very interesting. Wouldn't they then need to use all 4 courses? Doesn't most USGA Am events use two courses for qualifying and one as the match play venue?

No, there are only 156 players in each field which means they only need two courses total.

The only USGA amateur events which use two courses are the US Amateur and the US Mid-Amateur.  All others use one course only.

[Tom Huckaby]

Aha!  Thanks, John.  That makes things a lot simpler.

But still... which two courses to pick?

That remains interesting.

 

[Pete_Pittock]

I'd lay money on the men being at Old Macdonald, women at one of the Dunes.
Unless they use the composite course of BD 1-7, PD 8-18.

I am at Bandon all of next week and will sleuth, among other activities.

[Tim Pitner]

Hi Wyatt.

My apparently contradictory statement that OM (1) won't be everyone's cup of tea and (2) will help spread out golfers, isn't too difficult to reconcile.  I'm assuming that people will play OM at least once to check it out and that some people will particularly like it and seek it out for repeat play. 

I could be wrong but I expect to like OM quite a bit and appreciate that perhaps not everyone will enjoy OM's demanding greens (for example) and also, simultaneously, that the existence of OM might free up some space on PD (for example) in the afternoon.  OM doesn't have to draw everyone away from the other courses--only some people. 

Regarding my statement that I'm (admittedly selfishly) hoping that not everyone likes OM, I'm certainly not wishing anyone ill here.  I hold both the resort and Mr. Doak in the highest regard and, frankly, I'm not worried about their success.  I just would have no objection if the average "retail golfer" preferred Bandon Dunes to OM. 

[Brent Carlson]

Does anyone know how the host courses do financially with these amateur events?

[JohnV]

Does anyone know how the host courses do financially with these amateur events?

Typically the course will need to raise between 250,000 and 500,000 for a US Mid-Amateur.  This is usually done by getting variuos sponsors to put up the cash.   There is usually no admission charge.  I'm not sure what the USGA pays for food but breakfasts, lunches and a couple of dinners are usually provided at the club at no charge to the players and volunteers.  The club normally makes little money from the event (some clothing sales and some food/alcohol).

A resort like Bandon does get to sell a lot of hotel rooms, usually at a discount over their normal prices.  This means that Bandon would be losing some money on the rooms as well as the tee times at two courses for the week.

You don't run USGA amateur events to make money.

How long will Old Mac be from the tips?  Given the men's field at the US APL is typically almost as strong as the Amateur, I think they might have to use Bandon Dunes just for the length.

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