[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Just because he has imagination and can move the ball all doesn't mean that he wants to use the old brain bucket.

http://tinyurl.com/3vnccwl

From the Travelers Championship 2011 Media Guide under 2010 Champion Bubba Watson, subsection Interesting Facts

Bubba's real name is Gerry, but it's pronounced Gary.

[John_Conley]

Anthony, it is my experience that many tournament golfers feel this way.  It is their job to get the ball in as few strokes as possible.  Straight-forward works well for them if they really need to focus on that.  Another hallmark of a "great course" for them is "good greens".

[Matthew Petersen]

I don't know why we should expect anything different. I wouldn't think a pro basketball player would prefer a court that was uneven with off-kilter rims.

Professional golf is a different beast and what they're thinking about is their job--it's a world away from the fun side of golf.

[John Shimp]

Anthony
Quail isn't a Tom Fazio creation.  He didn't route a single hole.  He did some redo work but it's a George cobb layout.   It's a fine course as is muirfield village.

  Bubba hits it a long way and bends it a lot.  Tpc sawgrass and harbor town are tough for his type. Have you played them?  I know you are a writer but it looks like you want to make a point that doesn't take into account who your subject is.

[Paul Jones]

I had a chance to ask a few pro what is there favorite course and they all list the ones they scored well and made a lot of money. 

[David_Elvins]

I had a chance to ask a few pro what is there favorite course and they all list the ones they scored well and made a lot of money. 

so do most amateurs!

[jeffwarne]

That picture of TPC Sawgrass is hideous and busy
I'm with Bubba on this one.

harbor Town is pretty one dimensional.
Bubba's allowed a favorite course and MV and QH aren't bad choices

One would think he would do well on a links

[Sam Morrow]

It's like when I was talking to Doug Sanders about a month ago and he told me that he thought The Old Course was a piece of crap. When you play well places you remember it and the same is true when you play poorly at a course.

[JNC Lyon]

It's like when I was talking to Doug Sanders about a month ago and he told me that he thought The Old Course was a piece of crap. When you play well places you remember it and the same is true when you play poorly at a course.

I'm guessing if Sanders hadn't choked on his two-footer on the 72nd Hole he would view St. Andrews differently.

Discussing architecture and how it is viewed by PGA Tour Pros is always a frustrating topic for me.  With very few exceptions, tour pros have a very shallow, one-dimensional view of architecture that includes no knowledge of the history or principles of golf course architecture.  Their view of golf course architecture is cold, austere, and mechanic.  That's fine.  But WHY, for the love of God, do most golfers view them as golf architecture geniuses when they are, in fact, exactly the opposite?  Probably best not for me to go on too long about it, or I might burst a blood vessel.

[JNC Lyon]

I don't know why we should expect anything different. I wouldn't think a pro basketball player would prefer a court that was uneven with off-kilter rims.

Professional golf is a different beast and what they're thinking about is their job--it's a world away from the fun side of golf.

Matthew,

All basketball courts are exactly the same.  All golf courses are different.  Generally, I don't think these cross-sport comparisons work very well.  Furthermore, I think, to it's great, great benefit, golf holds its professionals to a MUCH higher standard than other sports do.  Amateurs identify much more closely with professionals in golf than they do in other sports.

[Matt Kardash]

That picture of TPC Sawgrass is hideous and busy
I'm with Bubba on this one.

harbor Town is pretty one dimensional.
Bubba's allowed a favorite course and MV and QH aren't bad choices

One would think he would do well on a links

That hideous and busy hole you are referring to also happens to be one of the best par 5's in America. Just sayin'...

[Don_Mahaffey]

The guy works the ball on almost every shot. His instincts are far beyond most golfer's ability to think, imagine and execute a golf shot. There is no more creative shot maker on tour and yet he has to get ridiculed by some golf blogger.

Anthony, what exactly are you looking for in a pro golfer that you don't find in Bubba Watson.

[jeffwarne]

The guy works the ball on almost every shot. His instincts are far beyond most golfer's ability to think, imagine and execute a golf shot. There is no more creative shot maker on tour and yet he has to get ridiculed by some golf blogger.

Anthony, what exactly are you looking for in a pro golfer that you don't find in Bubba Watson.

Ditto

followed him 36 at Augusta
I actually would listen to his opinion on a golf course based on how he plays

[Wade Whitehead]

I wonder if, somewhere on the InterWeb, there exists a conference room planner discussion board, through which members lament that Boards only seem to care about the facilities in which they make the most money (and not those featuring the best-planned carpet or oldest light fixtures).

WW

[JNC Lyon]

The guy works the ball on almost every shot. His instincts are far beyond most golfer's ability to think, imagine and execute a golf shot. There is no more creative shot maker on tour and yet he has to get ridiculed by some golf blogger.

Anthony, what exactly are you looking for in a pro golfer that you don't find in Bubba Watson.

Ditto

followed him 36 at Augusta
I actually would listen to his opinion on a golf course based on how he plays

What about his skill makes you think he knows anything about golf course architecture?  To paraphrase Mike Young, what does Derek Jeter know about building baseball stadiums?

Bubba seems like a good dude and a great example for young players.  I just don't think we should rely on his tastes in golf course architecture anytime soon.

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Don:

I was surprised that someone who says he uses his imagination on the golf course, most admires courses where his imagination is unnecessary. That Gerry (pronounced Gary) likes the 10th at TPC River Highlands better than the 13th, 15th or 6th, amazes me. That's like saying you love a good cut of beef and then taking me to Burger King for a Whopper. (hold the mayo on mine, please.)

Anthony

[jeffwarne]

The guy works the ball on almost every shot. His instincts are far beyond most golfer's ability to think, imagine and execute a golf shot. There is no more creative shot maker on tour and yet he has to get ridiculed by some golf blogger.

Anthony, what exactly are you looking for in a pro golfer that you don't find in Bubba Watson.

Ditto

followed him 36 at Augusta
I actually would listen to his opinion on a golf course based on how he plays

What about his skill makes you think he knows anything about golf course architecture?  To paraphrase Mike Young, what does Derek Jeter know about building baseball stadiums?

Bubba seems like a good dude and a great example for young players.  I just don't think we should rely on his tastes in golf course architecture anytime soon.

Why does him having great skill and wonderful shotmaking skills (that he's not afraid to use) diqualify him from being allowed to have a respected opinion on which courses he likes?
Does he need to be an 11 handicap ,hate trees and throw the words redan and eden to be qualified?

[JNC Lyon]

The guy works the ball on almost every shot. His instincts are far beyond most golfer's ability to think, imagine and execute a golf shot. There is no more creative shot maker on tour and yet he has to get ridiculed by some golf blogger.

Anthony, what exactly are you looking for in a pro golfer that you don't find in Bubba Watson.

Ditto

followed him 36 at Augusta
I actually would listen to his opinion on a golf course based on how he plays

What about his skill makes you think he knows anything about golf course architecture?  To paraphrase Mike Young, what does Derek Jeter know about building baseball stadiums?

Bubba seems like a good dude and a great example for young players.  I just don't think we should rely on his tastes in golf course architecture anytime soon.

Why does him having great skill and wonderful shotmaking skills (that he's not afraid to use) diqualify him from being allowed to have a respected opinion on which courses he likes?
Does he need to be an 11 handicap ,hate trees and throw the words redan and eden to be qualified?

Jeff,

I think understanding the terms "Eden" and "Redan" would be a good start to having a respected opinion about golf course architecture. A respected opinion about anything, let alone golf course architecture, is not completely subjective.  It presumes some serious knowledge about the subject beyond "I like this more than I like that."  

I'm sorry, but liking Quail Hollow for its different colors of grass does not qualify as an opinion on golf course architecture.  Two different colors of grass has nothing to do with architecture at all.  It's more of a maintenance practice that any qualified superintendent can probably accomplish.

I never said his skill disqualifies him from having an opinion on architecture.  There are several good players, including guys like Ben Crenshaw and Geoff Ogilvy, who are thoughtful and knowledgeable when it comes to golf course architecture.  However, my observation is that most tour pros do not know a lot about golf course architecture, but most golfers assume that they do.

[JNC Lyon]

I wonder if, somewhere on the InterWeb, there exists a conference room planner discussion board, through which members lament that Boards only seem to care about the facilities in which they make the most money (and not those featuring the best-planned carpet or oldest light fixtures).

WW

The difference is that the corporate public does not really on Boards to design and construct boardrooms.  They leave that to qualified architects.

[jeffwarne]

Bubba wasn't asked about golf course architecture .

he was asked what courses and holes he liked.

Some people hit great,creative golf shots, others memorize fancy words and pull beards.

Both are allowed to have favorite courses.

[JNC Lyon]

Bubba wasn't asked about golf course architecture .

he was asked what courses and holes he liked.

Some people hit great,creative golf shots, others memorize fancy words and pull beards.

Both are allowed to have favorite courses.

I agree both types of people are allowed to have favorite courses.  I just think Bubba's answer shows he's not that concerned with golf course architecture.  That's fine, as long as nobody views him as an expert on the subject.

[Terry Lavin]

He calls himself, "Bubba".

Nuff said.

[Bill_McBride]

He calls himself, "Bubba".

Nuff said.

"Bubba" is a very common Southern nickname. It comes from younger siblings who can't pronounce "brother" calling the older one Bubba.

So Bubba did not name himself "Bubba," a younger sibling did.

[jeffwarne]

He calls himself, "Bubba".

Nuff said.

"Bubba" is a very common Southern nickname. It comes from younger siblings who can't pronounce "brother" calling the older one Bubba.

So Bubba did not name himself "Bubba," a younger sibling did.

So it's settled,
Bubba's siblings knew nothing about architecture
but the may know about Bre-dans

[Anthony Butler]

Just because he has imagination and can move the ball all doesn't mean that he wants to use the old brain bucket.

http://tinyurl.com/3vnccwl

You might have seen the word 'focus' in the article a couple of times... by his own admission, Bubba is an undiagnosed ADD case. He's obviously more comfortable having the aim point made clear to him, then deciding how he's going to reach it, than than going through a strategic process that asks him to decide where he's going to hit it.

Having dealt with some focus issues relating to a number of sports-related concussions, I can see where he's coming from.

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