Fazio on Cypress Point - "There have been some discussions"

[John Mayhugh]

In this week's Sports Illustrated, there is an Alan Shipnuck article in the Golf Plus section.  Titled "Winner, Winner," it is primarily an article about the Pro-Am.  Included in the article is speculation about CPC hosting a USGA event. 

The article goes on to talk about the perceived lack of challenge at CPC and includes this gem:

On the subject of retrofitting Cypress, Tom Fazio, who has overseen the lengthening of Pine Valley and Merion, says, "There have been some discussions, but nothing official.  Defiance is too strong a word, but Cypress is a unique place, and change is not a priority." 

Does anyone know how much of a role he has there?  I've heard of him doing some consultation, but the thoughts of what he could do to make the course more "relevant" scare me.  Other than adding tees that look out of character, what else might he change?

http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1964326,00.html?cid=feed-tours_news-20100216-1964326

[PCCraig]

It would be pretty neat to see the Match Play portion of the US Am played at Cypress Point.

T. Fazio does have legit experience making more classic courses play better for the tournament golf (Merion, PV) and the USGA trusts him. I'm guessing that the biggest thing he would try to do would be build/move some tees...I can't imagine he would be touching the greens or moving bunkers.

Who else would do the work?

[Bill_McBride]

It would be pretty neat to see the Match Play portion of the US Am played at Cypress Point.

T. Fazio does have legit experience making more classic courses play better for the tournament golf (Merion, PV) and the USGA trusts him. I'm guessing that the biggest thing he would try to do would be build/move some tees...I can't imagine he would be touching the greens or moving bunkers.

Who else would do the work?

Oh I don't know, maybe some with some experience "tweaking" classic Alister Mackenzie golf courses.     i don't consider whatever T Fazio has done at Augusta to be working on a classic Mackenzie course any more.

[Mike Cirba]

Oh...I don't know.....anyone who has seen the changes to the bunkers at Merion, Pine Valley, and Oakmont might say he's a bit more invasive than that, which is sort of like saying that Larry David plays a slightly self-centered man with some relatively benign personality quirks in "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

[Neil_Crafter]

It's not April Fool's Day yet is it?
 

[Jed Rammell]

Aside from the Fazio angle, if the USGA ever hosts any event at CPC (even the Women's Public Links) I will be first in line to purchase a 4 day pass; just to see the place! I had a good friend tell me that after he spent 2 days at Augusta National at the Masters he felt like he never needed to play the course to be "satisfied." I imagine that CPC would be the same.

[Ian Andrew]

Aside from the Fazio angle, if the USGA ever hosts any event at CPC (even the Women's Public Links) I will be first in line to purchase a 4 day pass; just to see the place! I had a good friend tell me that after he spent 2 days at Augusta National at the Masters he felt like he never needed to play the course to be "satisfied." I imagine that CPC would be the same.

Jed,

If you want to walk the course, send a letter to the club.
It's hard to play, but through my own experiences, they have been very gracious about walking the course.
I recommend you arrange this well in advance.

Ian

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I find the work done for the USGA on great classical course to be for the negative. The work certainly is  not consistent with the original design. I cannot think  of where Cypress can be extented other than 1 tee behind 18 green. 3 back 15 yeards. 4 back a ways could work. nothing 5 a little on 6 but trees have to go. nothing on 7. Nothing on 8,9 or 10. back 20 in 11. 20 back on 12 same 13, nothing 14 or 15. 16 and 17 could be agged onto and nothing on 18. I do not see enough yardage gain to fit usga profile other than to Shinny the greens and narraow fairways to nothing. Plezzzzzzz find Tom Fazio another gig. He is gifted and one of the best in the game. He is just not the right guy for Cypress and of course Rees puts us on suicide watch.

[Jed Rammell]

Aside from the Fazio angle, if the USGA ever hosts any event at CPC (even the Women's Public Links) I will be first in line to purchase a 4 day pass; just to see the place! I had a good friend tell me that after he spent 2 days at Augusta National at the Masters he felt like he never needed to play the course to be "satisfied." I imagine that CPC would be the same.

Jed,

If you want to walk the course, send a letter to the club.
It's hard to play, but through my own experiences, they have been very gracious about walking the course.
I recommend you arrange this well in advance.

Ian

Thank you for the information; It's likely I would appreciate the course more by only walking it . . . my average of 16 putts through the first 5 holes  might tarnish my view of the place. 

[JNC Lyon]

it would be pretty neat if...Tom Fazio did not ruin ANOTHER classic course.  Damn, only two weeks after the blitz over his hack job of the 8th at Riviera.  The fact that he has any influence at CPC is downright scary.  Maybe we should bring him over to add some "challenge" to Swinley Forest too?    Good lord.

[Bill_McBride]

Aside from the Fazio angle, if the USGA ever hosts any event at CPC (even the Women's Public Links) I will be first in line to purchase a 4 day pass; just to see the place! I had a good friend tell me that after he spent 2 days at Augusta National at the Masters he felt like he never needed to play the course to be "satisfied." I imagine that CPC would be the same.

Jed,

If you want to walk the course, send a letter to the club.
It's hard to play, but through my own experiences, they have been very gracious about walking the course.
I recommend you arrange this well in advance.

Ian

Thank you for the information; It's likely I would appreciate the course more by only walking it . . . my average of 16 putts through the first 5 holes  might tarnish my view of the place.  

Don't worry, Jed, the caddies at CP would never let you putt that poorly!  Those guys are good!

[Kevin Pallier]

Bill

They are indeed - pity a dill like me cant putt it where they say to 

It's such a revered place - I just hope that "discussions" don't lead to quick action.

[Bill_McBride]

Bill

They are indeed - pity a dill like me cant putt it where they say to 

It's such a revered place - I just hope that "discussions" don't lead to quick action.

Kevin, last time there I had a 25' birdie putt on #13.      The caddie gave me a line just left of the hole, I didn't really appreciate the danger of the spine I was putting up.      I have never received such a disgusted look as I did when my putt wound up 10' right of the hole.   

[Kevin Pallier]

Bill

I was too bloomin' tentative as well - I told my caddie to tell me to stop being a wuss and to hit the damn thing !!

Pity I took his advice on 9 from above the hole and had my next putt at least 30 feet away.....

[Sean Leary]

Kevin,

I liked your first putt of the day. That was funny.

[Mike Jansen]

Tom Fazio is visiting the area... had tee time at Pebble Beach just yesterday.  I will be playing Cypress  next Thursday and will report anything I see outta the ordinary... I'm sure the caddies can be a good source to learn of any rumors.

[Kevin Pallier]

Kevin,

I liked your first putt of the day. That was funny.

Sean

I thought I had been able to forget most of my bad putts that day incl. my 3 putt for bogey on 16 

Mind you the one putt birdie on the last left a lasting impression 

PS: Sorry for the slight OT.....but I hope no-one touches the greens

[Jordan Wall]

No, no, no, no, no, no!

I had heard a rumor that Fazio was going to make some changes, but why!?

If a new tee is added behind the ditch on twelve, it would be horrendous.  I know it was talked about by Fazio but I can't imagine they would legitmately do that to Cypress Point.

Fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen should never be touched, ever.  Shame on anyone who adds tees to those holes, they should be thrown in the ocean.

If the USGA has an event at Cypress, it needs to be a match play event, and that would be far more exciting anyways.

I don't even want to get started on how Fazio better not touch the greens...

[Tom_Doak]

Jordan:

There was a tee 15 yards further back on the 16th at Cypress Point when I was your age.  They abandoned it because the hole was too hard for most people back then.

Kevin:

Actually, I hope someone does touch the greens there.  They have morphed quite a bit over the years due to topdressing ... if you look carefully around the edges, you can see that they used to be much better.  They did interview a couple of other architects 2-3 years ago when they started contemplating working on the greens, but I think they will probably stick with their current consultant.  I wish he loved the golf course half as much as I do.

[Mike Nuzzo]

How do y'all know he hasn't been working there all along?

I wouldn't hire who ever was responsible for the new bunkering on the 10th at Riv -- makes me want to stick forks in my eyes

[Bob_Huntley]

Some of the best golf I ever saw played was at the 1981 Walker Cup at Cypress Point. The US team had as it stalwarts guys like Hal Sutton, Jim Holtgrieve and the star of the show was Jody Mudd. If memory serve me correctly, Mudd's match with his English opponent ended on the twelth or thirteenth hole with his opponent something like two under par.

CPC is made for a match play event without any change.


Bob

[Kevin Pallier]

Kevin:

Actually, I hope someone does touch the greens there.  They have morphed quite a bit over the years due to topdressing ... if you look carefully around the edges, you can see that they used to be much better.  They did interview a couple of other architects 2-3 years ago when they started contemplating working on the greens, but I think they will probably stick with their current consultant.  I wish he loved the golf course half as much as I do.

Tom

Appreciate the maintenance aspect - I was more referring to cutting up and reshaping side of "changes".

[Tim Nugent]

I still want to see the back tee and suspension bridge on #18

[Sean Leary]

No, no, no, no, no, no!

I had heard a rumor that Fazio was going to make some changes, but why!?

If a new tee is added behind the ditch on twelve, it would be horrendous.  I know it was talked about by Fazio but I can't imagine they would legitmately do that to Cypress Point.

Fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen should never be touched, ever.  Shame on anyone who adds tees to those holes, they should be thrown in the ocean.

If the USGA has an event at Cypress, it needs to be a match play event, and that would be far more exciting anyways.

I don't even want to get started on how Fazio better not touch the greens...

What about the newish tree on 16 that they did build? Is that OK? I think a tee farther back (if possible) on 17 would be OK. I am OK with some lengthening in general.

[Anthony_Nysse]

I know that I'm going to take a big hit for this, but I think that the bunkering at CP looks lik crap in its current form. I spent a day at Riveria during the tournament 2 weeks ago and I thought Tom Marzolf did a very good job with the bunkering, better than what was there. The scale of the bunkers is HUGE and only did I know that after seeing them up close. I love the rolled lip of sod and thought that they turned out pretty good. If everyone knew why the wash/depression on #8 looks like it does, you might understand it better.