The PGA Tour Returns To Silverado.....

[David_Tepper]

....after 34 years.

http://www.sfgate.com/sports/golf/article/Johnny-Miller-restores-Silverado-s-PGA-Tour-5807760.php

Has anyone actually played there in the past couple of years?

[Joel_Stewart]

I played it about 3 weeks ago. 

I agree with Miller that winning score will be between 12 and 18 under. 

The two nines are very different.  The front is more hilly and the back nine is dead flat. 

They have grown the rough to toughen it up but to the pros it probably won't make a difference.

The new bright white bunkers are deep and in certain cases steep. The sand is soft.

Most of the par 5's are reachable and many of the par 4's you (and certainly the pros) have a short iron into the greens.

Troon now manages the property.

The course is in decent shape, they do have a slight kikuya problem.

It's a 4 or 5 on a 10 point scale.   

[David_Tepper]

Joel -

Thanks for the report.

It is funny how much "under the radar" Silverado has been over the past 5-10 years when anyone discusses golf in the SF Bay Area. Maybe hosting this event will raise the resort's profile, which is probably why they are doing it.

DT

[Brent Hutto]

The new bright white bunkers are deep and in certain cases steep. The sand is soft.

Do you think the bunker sand is so soft that pros will complain about it?

[Joel_Stewart]

The new bright white bunkers are deep and in certain cases steep. The sand is soft.

Do you think the bunker sand is so soft that pros will complain about it?

Doubt it. I played it 3 weeks ago and the sand has probably settled nicely.  Plus I never underestimate the ability of the pros.

Currently -10 is leading after 36 holes. 

[Matt_Cohn]

Any thoughts post-tournament? I've never played it, and it doesn't seem to be generating much discussion here!

[David_Tepper]

Matt -

I watched a bit on TV. The course seemed to hold its own vs. the players, but there is not inspiration there.

http://blog.sfgate.com/ongolf/2014/10/12/johnny-miller-tiger-rory-will-make-next-years-frys-like-a-different-tournament/

DT

[Joel_Stewart]

Any thoughts post-tournament? I've never played it, and it doesn't seem to be generating much discussion here!

One thought was the course looks much better in person then on TV.

The crowds were small and I'm sure Frys and the PGA are disappointed.  It was basically the same thing going back to the Kaiser Invitational and the Transamerica.

I'm told the pros liked Napa and the environment of the Napa Valley.  Who doesn't?

[Bill_McBride]

Silverado was a strong 18 hole course when I was a young guy.  Then they added a second 18 of weaker holes and folded them into a North and South course with done ok'd and done bee.  The result is weaker and less interesting than the original course.  Meh.