"Birdie Yardage" Irony - Why not worthy of discussion?

[Carl Johnson]

Did anyone else notice that Brad Klein's article, "What's your 'birdie yardage'? (Golfweek, March 9, 2012, p. 66) backed up a full-page ad (p. 65) for the Fallen Oak Golf Club, headlined "YARDAGE: 7,487 from the back tees."  Ironic?  Which is going to have a greater impact on the average golfer?  Klein's logic or Fallen Oak's headline (with very nice pictures)?  It seems to me that the writers . . . golf thinkers . . . the "play-it-forward" crowd . . . are going to lose the changing-the-mentality battle every time to the yardage driven ads for golf courses, hot drivers and hot golf balls screaming at us from every direction.  In any case, that's my opinion.

[Carl Johnson]

Why isn't this issue worthy of discussion?

[Brad Klein]

Might be because it was in print and folks here tend to read Web stuff only, if at all.

[Mac Plumart]

It seems to me that the writers . . . golf thinkers . . . the "play-it-forward" crowd . . . are going to lose the changing-the-mentality battle every time to the yardage driven ads for golf courses, hot drivers and hot golf balls screaming at us from every direction.  In any case, that's my opinion.

Not every time!  I played nine from 5,800 yards with hickories today.  Now...if I could just find someone to play with me.   

[JESII]

The race for yardage is dead!

People are realizing they don't hit the ball any further, or straighter (at least not enough to help) and that they make more pars from a shorter set of tees.

When there were three or four sets of tees there was a real stigma playing too far forward, now that there are seven it makes no difference if you're playing the second or fourth from the back...

[Garland Bayley]

Why isn't this issue worth of discussion?

Because we read things online, not in magazines?

[Mac Plumart]

Deja Vu.

[Carl Johnson]

Deja Vu.

Mac, thanks for chipping in.  If I correctly understand what I think you mean -- and admittedly I may not -- couldn't you say that about 90% + or -, of what is "discussed" on this website?  (I started to say 99% + or -, but thought better of it. )

[Carl Johnson]

Might be because it was in print and folks here tend to read Web stuff only, if at all.

Thanks for chipping in.  Does this mean I should either (1) cancel my subscription to GolfWeek or (2) bow out of this website discussion group?  

[Carl Johnson]

It seems to me that the writers . . . golf thinkers . . . the "play-it-forward" crowd . . . are going to lose the changing-the-mentality battle every time to the yardage driven ads for golf courses, hot drivers and hot golf balls screaming at us from every direction.  In any case, that's my opinion.

Not every time!  I played nine from 5,800 yards with hickories today.  Now...if I could just find someone to play with me.  

Thanks for the reply, Mac.  But it seems to me that you're "part of the [here] crowd," not the "average golfer."

[Greg Tallman]

Carl,

It will be a long hard battle to educate those (the masses) that believe bigger is better and green and soft is perfect.

The Open at Merion could help the cause.... asuming they do not rip it apart.

[Carl Johnson]

Carl,

It will be a long hard battle to educate those (the masses) that believe bigger is better and green and soft is perfect.

The Open at Merion could help the cause.... asuming they do not rip it apart.

Greg, thanks for the insight.  Looking at it from the perspective of my initial post, my question is whether what we see, and others may "see" but not understand, going to prevail over the commercial advertising of course length and ball/driver distance.  I don't want to admit it's hopeless, but it's going to be a tough road, I think.

[Tom_Doak]

Carl,

It will be a long hard battle to educate those (the masses) that believe bigger is better and green and soft is perfect.

The Open at Merion could help the cause.... asuming they do not rip it apart.

Greg:

They have already ripped apart Merion in order to be awarded the Open.  Apparently you haven't heard about the 285-yard tee for the third hole.  So, either that wasn't the point they were trying to make, or they've completely lost sight of the point between the awarding of the championship and the preparations for it.

[Mac Plumart]

Carl...


My deja vu post was simply a response to Garland saying what Brad Klein said just a few posts before that.  Another bad joke by me.   

[Garland Bayley]

I wish I could see Brad's essay.

However, I would point out it seems at least some of what Brad may have touched on was being debated simultaneously in the thread linked below.

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,51409.0.html