Subtle Change to Strategy @ Riviera's 6th?

[Sam Kestin]

Geoff Shackelford just posted a nice video on his relocated blog showing a tiny change to the famed 6th at Riviera.

Here's the link:
http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2011/2/15/quick-and-also-rough-look-at-rivieras-6th.html

Grew up playing most of my golf at Riviera and the 6th was always one of my favorite holes. Obviously, the tenth is unreal but I've always been partial to the sixth if for no other reason than I'm quite a little guy and as a kid I went through a few years where it was the only hole I could reach in regulation!

As you can tell from the video, they shaved the back bank behind the green so now shots that end up beyond the putting surface come back down the hill and collect onto the green.

I can't tell if I love it, hate it or don't really care one way or another. What do you guys think?

[Lynn_Shackelford]

I too have to think about this.  It seems it will play easier if a ball struck long comes back.  I supposed one thought if one is putting around the top of the bunker in the green, one is afforded more surface to use.  As for the pros they chip anyway so that wouldn't matter.

[Bob_Huntley]

Sam,

I think it plays easier than when I was there many years ago.

Bob

[Sam Kestin]

Lynn,

I think I definitely agree with you that it will play easier. I always thought that one of the things that made the back hole locations so tough was that knowledge you had standing on the tee that anything long was dead--both to the back-right and back-left pins.

That little element and how it factored into club selection was always something that I thought "kept me honest" back on the tee. Without that rough, I feel like now I could just fire away at the back fringe and know it's coming back either way. I wish we could somehow get the information on historical hole-by-hole scoring averages broken down by pin location. I'd be curious to see if there is a noticeable change from the norm to both of those pins this year.

It may be mitigated somewhat by the impending wet weather. If balls plug on those back banks or hang up in the moisture it could be a totally different story.

Either way, I'm bummed that we probably won't get to see much about it on the telecasts since rarely do either the early or weekend TV partners show much of the 6th. I'm stuck back on the east coast so if you're going to be heading out there and end up making your way all the way back to that side of the property I wouldn't mind hearing about it.

All the best,

Sam

PS--I'm sure you don't remember, but you and I teed it up one morning a long while back (close to a decade probably)...sometime around that era where 6 was the only hole I could reach! It may have even been during the previous era, where I'd fly a driver 4 inches short of carrying the big front bunker and sigh in dismay every single time...  

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

Is this something they're doing just for the Northern Trust or is this a new maintenance feature?  I'll be there for a return engagement in mid-March and am intrigued to see it in person as well as the changes (alst year) to #8.  I know there was a big discussion about this last year... how has that area "grown in"?

And, to actually play the 16th... that hole is always closed when I'm there!

WW

[Mike Benham]

Quite frankly, it’s the easiest hole on the course.

And for those that have seen Bob's fluid swing, one can assume that in his youth this shot was no more than a smooth 7 iron.

[Adam Clayman]

Easier ?  Who cares?  More fun I would bet. Since I've not played the hole I can't comment but on the replica at Bayside the rear bank is the fun shot. That was until it was THE SHOT in their last tourney last year. Into a stff gale with pin on the rear plateau Elton had everyone trying crazy stuff since it was a 2 man 4 ball format. And yes, the thump is the key to figuring out what to try and how best to execute.

[Joe Perches]

And for those that have seen Bob's fluid swing, one can assume that in his youth this shot was no more than a smooth 7 iron.

I believe that was an expensive little trophy...