[Bob_Huntley]

Spent a brief time out there today and was somewhat surprised how the course was dumbed down.

The first hole, playing as a par four at 461 yards and played from the members forward tee allowed Daly to use a driver, sand wedge.

Saw two eagles on the par 5 6th, Daly and Hoffman.

The par three 9th hole was played from the Members tee at 207 yards, not the back marker at 241 yards used by the California State Amateurs in 2008.

The greens were slowed to have the same stimp as Pebble Beach and Spyglass. Looked like 10-11, not the usual 12-13.


More tomorrow.

Bob

[Sean Leary]

Any cameras out there Bob? Doubt it, just curious...

[TEPaul]

Bob:

Your course got some of the greatest rave reviews on the tube today I've ever heard.

[jeffwarne]

Bob,
 Very common. par threes are often moved up-God forbid they hit a wood or long iron.

Some genuis with the USGA years ago decided a 460 yard hole was harder than a 535 hole (where else would pros hit a long iron?), and many people and tournament organizers bought into it.

[Kevin Pallier]

Bob

How did the potential "congestion" around the 4th green go ?

[Mike Benham]

Pace of play was right around 5 1/3 hours for the early groups ...

[JLahrman]

I wouldn't think they'd want the greens rolling too quickly, all those amateurs would be out there all day.  Maybe they could move the tees back if they wanted, but the rounds in this tournament always take so long anyway, and it doesn't look like the scoring at the Shore was much different than the other two.

[Jason McNamara]

Bob, it sounds as if with the conditions you should have gotten on the course for a game of Wolf.

[Bob_Huntley]

Kevin,

I didn't make it to the front nine today.

I spent time at the sixth green and then went round the loop 7,8,9 and ten and back to our tent adjacent to the shelter. Had a quick gin and tonic and stood at the back of the sixth green. For those of you who know the hole, the pin was way back and center. Hoffman had the ball twelve or fifteen feet feom the hole in two. I then watched  Stuart Applebee, who was ten yards off of the right front edge of the green, walk to the back of the green, examine his upcoming shot and walk back to his ball. The reward for   such preparation was a foozled shot into the bunker, nowhere near the site of his target. The subsequent bunker shot was long by some three of four feet, he two putted from there. My heart bled for him.

Hoffman sank his part for an eagle three with a degree of nonchalance that was very unTigerish. 

Bob

[ChipRoyce]

Bummer - usually the website for the tournament lists all the non pro/celebrity participants. For some reason, they aren't listed this year.

[Chuck Brown]

Pairings:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/10/SPTB1BUVBM.DTL

For those who get all the way through the list, I can save you a trip to Google.  No, the "Madonna" who is a 17 is not a lady pop singer.  It's a guy named Jon Madonna.

[J_ Crisham]

Bob,  How did the 8th hole defend par? As I recall, this was a brute of a par 4- possibly your #1 hndcp hole? Looks like Bill Murray had a fun day at the Shores Course. Please keep up with the daily updates-My hope is that MPCC will be left in a reasonable condition when the circus leaves town!
                                    Wsih you well,   Jack

[rjsimper]

Did they grow the rough up off the edges of the course like they did for the Cal Am, or is the grass wall-to-wall playable?

[Bob_Huntley]

Jack,


In one of the strangest things I have seen in PGA Tour events is that the 8th hole was absolutely roped off from spectators. Viewing the events at the par three seventh was somewhat constricted but there was no access to any part of the eighth hole, one of the best holes on the course and considered the hardest.

I wanted to catch up with a friend at the ninth tee and had to walk along the 17 Mile Drive to do so and was still separated by ropes etc.

There is much to do to make the routing spectator friendly.

All in all though, it is thought to be a wonderful venue..

Bob

[Pete_Pittock]

Glad you're having good weather. Isn't it ironic that the low score at MPCC, a 64 by Charley Hoffman, is listed as being two strokes behind  the leader and also lagging behind two 65s. Course looked good. H

[Scott Henderson]

Bob,

Thank you for the inside scoop.  Keep up the great reporting.  It will be interesting to see how things settle out after everyone has played the course.  The few shots I saw on television made the course look great.  I have to agree with TE Paul that the reviews I saw on television and those I read in the newspaper all rave about the course.

[Kalen Braley]

Which holes are being televised at MPCC?  9 and 18 as per the usual arragangement for SH and PH?

[Jeff Spittel]

What a spectacular course. I had the good fortune to play it about a month ago and the greens were lightning. I wonder if they slowed them a little for the pro am format.

[Chip Gaskins]

Bob-

Your course looks fantastic on TV!  What a place!

Chip

[Robert Thompson]

I had the great pleasure of playing a handful of holes with Bob last year at MPCC Shore. It was neat to see some of it on the GC last night, but man I wish they'd had more than a singular camera on the place, so at least we wouldn't have to watch JB Holmes' ridiculous pre-shot routine over and over again. Oh, and when we did see the Shore course we saw George Lopez bludgeon the par-3 7th (if I recall correctly), and hear Frank Nobilo talk about how he had no sense of the course previous to this year despite having played in the AT&T a number of times. I'm always fascinated by the fact pros rarely care about any course other than the one they are going to play.

[Jerry Kluger]

I was snowed in yesterday so I really tried to watch the golf on TV but it was too painful.  I saw a few tee shots on 17 and 18 but that was about it - just a bunch of commercials, celebs and putting.  I really wanted to see Bob's course but no such luck. To think they showed more golf at Torrey but this week when they have some great venues they blow it on junk.  Don't they understand that their core audience doesn't care about celebrities or putting.  Come on Golf Channel - WAKE UP!

[Bob_Huntley]

I am still in the office and will go out about 11.00am and walk the first six holes and then cut over to the twelth fairway, then continue to eighteen.

Sean,

I saw a bunch of cameras but I am not sure which ones were with the braodcaster. If anyone caught the flubbed lob shot of Bill Murray on the ninth green I was in the background wearing a light blue sweater.

TEPaul,

All the players that I spoke to, were complimentary about the course. However, I think a lot of the gushing is because they were glad to be rid of Poppy Hills; which in a way is a pity, as the facility brings affordable golf to the general public.

Ryan,

The course and conditions were benign compared to the State Amateur.

Kalen,

I will find out today.


Bob

[David_Tepper]

Jerry Kluger -

"Don't they understand that their core audience doesn't care about celebrities or putting.  Come on Golf Channel - WAKE UP!"

I would suggest that the powers that be at the Golf Channel know very well who their "core audience" is. It is likely not you or me.

DT

[Pat Burke]

I had the great pleasure of playing a handful of holes with Bob last year at MPCC Shore. It was neat to see some of it on the GC last night, but man I wish they'd had more than a singular camera on the place, so at least we wouldn't have to watch JB Holmes' ridiculous pre-shot routine over and over again. Oh, and when we did see the Shore course we saw George Lopez bludgeon the par-3 7th (if I recall correctly), and hear Frank Nobilo talk about how he had no sense of the course previous to this year despite having played in the AT&T a number of times. I'm always fascinated by the fact pros rarely care about any course other than the one they are going to play.

Regarding Nobilo, it is true, there are very few guys that will play other local courses during a normal tournament week.  For me, monday was typically a travel day, tuesday early practice round, lunch, practice for a few hours.  Weds was usually a pro-am (sometimes on a different course depending on players' status).  Thursday/friday warm up (2 hours) play, practice after (most days).  Normal schedule left little time for exploration for me, and I AM a golf course fan.  
That's normal schedule.  At AT&T, there are 2 more challenges, daylight, and 3 courses to see in practice rounds.
For the record, I WAS able to squeeze in a round or two at CPC, always seemed easy to skip practice day at Poppy

[JLahrman]

I'm always fascinated by the fact pros rarely care about any course other than the one they are going to play.

I'm not sure why they would...if they're in the business of doing as well as they can in the tournament, then why go play a course other than the one you're going to be playing during the tournament?

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