Atlanta Athletic Club criticism getting old

[Jim Nugent]

Sam, probably that Jay Blasi did most of the design work. 

[Sam Morrow]

Sam, probably that Jay Blasi did most of the design work. 

Thanks Jim, that's all I really wanted to know.

[Carl Rogers]

A few too many lakes and bunkers for my liking. I don't loathe water par-threes like some do, but I think four is overkill, especially when they are 200+. I'm mixed about the number of bunkers.... also seems like overkill, although I'm seeing more players drive into bunkers in one tournament than I have in recent memory.... and part of me is enjoying that.
....
I think if 18 was a par-five, nobody would be complaining.

The water, the holes and bunkering are just too too much of the deja vu thing all over again.

If the 18th was a par 5, fifty yards longer, no fw bunkering and a shorter carry across the pond / stream (maintaing water that close to green), that wouls create some lay up options. If some one is able to separete themselves from the field, the finish will be an ad for sleeping pills.  Wonder what will happen this evening ...

[RJ_Daley]

It seems to me that if someone in the last 4-5 groups shoots low enough to post a 2-3 shot lead in the clubhouse, it could get pretty crazy.  At that point I don't see any sominex moments.  It could get to be like watching those shot up B-29s coming back from their runs over the channel, trying to land it on a wing and a prayer. What is the playoff hole order?   Like you say, 'we'll see'.

[Garland Bayley]

...

Garland isn't allowed to give this course a chance--it has fake ponds. It could be brilliantly creative otherwise and he wouldn't be able to get past that. I think the water is great for the tournament because its one of the few hazards that actually makes the pros think a bit. They don't usually care about bunkers because the recovery isn't that difficult for them.

It's too bad the pros just mindlessly play around Oakmont, otherwise it might be able to hold some tournaments of note.

[Garland Bayley]

...

I think when this championship is over everyone will/should have a greater appreciation for AAC as a MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP venue.  Look at the huge breadth in scoring.  OH BY THE WAY, someone tied the major championship scoring record and the former world number one shot 77---ON THE SAME DAY.  We have a bunched up leaderboard going into the weekend and a final four finishing holes that promise to create drama on Sunday.  OH, but wait--the pros can't play a topped 7-wood into a 430 yard par four because there are bunkers and a pond fronting the green.  GIVE ME A BREAK.

You want to GIVE ME A BREAK! "Huge breath in scoring" AND "bunched up leaderboard" used at the same time to promote the greatness of the course? You understand don't you that you contradict yourself? Apparently you don't understand these are somewhat random occurrences.

PLEASE everyone! Drop the "look at the exciting finish, the course did its job" nonsense. You can hold a tournament at some goat pasture, and have an exciting finish. The players did their job! They played to a high level (or stumbled in like a bunch of bums), and provided drama as to who would be the winner. The course has nothing to do with it. To claim so is just uttering gibberish.

[Andy Troeger]

I'm going to say this in part to be controversial, but I found this tournament more interesting to watch than this year's Open Championship or the US Open. Rory was in total control at Congressional, and while I was happy for Darren Clarke winning, as soon as Dustin hit it OB that one was over because he seemed to be able to bail out to some large area and try to two-putt from off the green. I don't think the last few holes at AAC deserve many points for amateur golf playability, but for a pro tournament I think it does just fine.

Garland,

First off, what does Oakmont have to do with anything? I don't think anybody's claiming AAC is a top ten course. I also have a hunch without having been there that Oakmont's greatness is far more about the greens than it is the bunkers, or at the very least its a combination of factors. If your concern is playability, I also would guess you and I would shoot just as high (perhaps higher) scores there under tournament conditions than at AAC. You'd just rinse fewer golf balls.

[Garland Bayley]

Andy, Andy, Andy! Where's the shaking one's head icon when one needs it? I guess you have to figure out this hybrid:
 

[Andy Troeger]

Andy, Andy, Andy! Where's the shaking one's head icon when one needs it? I guess you have to figure out this hybrid:
 

Looks like gibberish to me, kind of like your previous posts    Lets just agree to disagree...

[Garland Bayley]

PLEASE everyone! Drop the "look at the exciting finish, the course did its job" nonsense. You can hold a tournament at some goat pasture, and have an exciting finish. The players did their job! They played to a high level (or stumbled in like a bunch of bums), and provided drama as to who would be the winner. The course has nothing to do with it. To claim so is just uttering gibberish.

Andy,

Which part of this gibberish didn't you understand?