Does Tiger's record at Torrey Pines confirm that

[David Ober]

some courses just suit the golfer's eye, ergo his mind, thus influencing/affecting his play ?

And that other courses don't suit a golfer's eye resulting in mediocre to poor play ?

Are there courses that you find exceptionally user friendly, and conversely, courses that you dread playing because you're uncomfortable on them ?

Absolutely, and almost all of them have one thing in common: Trees.

Courses with lots of trees "force" lots of tee shots. I have always been most comfortable playing a low fade off the tee, and therefore any course with more than a couple holes with trees immediately to the left off the tee were very difficult for me to play well because the visual intimidation factor of those trees looming left would generally result in some very medicore to poor drives for me.

So, personally, I can tell you that there are definitely courses that suit my eye and others that definitely do not....

[Patrick_Mucci]

David,

I know that I certainly feel comfortable on certain courses and uncomfortable on others.

The reason you cited is probably one of the more common reasons.

Would someone who hit a low draw embrace some of Nicklaus's early designs ?

[David Ober]

David,

I know that I certainly feel comfortable on certain courses and uncomfortable on others.

The reason you cited is probably one of the more common reasons.

Would someone who hit a low draw embrace some of Nicklaus's early designs ?

Most of Nicklaus' courses are fairly open off the tee. Most of the courses that dictate shot shape off the tee are older courses where the trees have overgrown into the fairways a bit (bunch?)....

[Patrick_Mucci]

David,

One of the things I've noticed on a number of courses is how the indiscriminate growth of trees has altered the playing corridors and affected many golfers for the worse.

[Pat Burke]

My experience is more directed at courses that do NOT fit my eye.
For instance, I played my first tournament of 2012 at Champions Tour qualifying.
We played Bear Creek in Murrieta, CA., what I would call a typical Nicklaus course from it's time.

Even though only an hour from my home, I had never played it until my first practice round, a week-and-a-half before the start of first stage.

When I finished my first round, there were seven, yes 7, holes that looked like Chinese arithmetic to me.
Every course has a hole or two I need to figure out, but 7?  Now, keep in mind, I really don't think the course is bad,
it just looked unbelievably awkward to me on many shots.

There are courses (Kingston Heath, CPC, Atlanta CC to name a few) that I felt instantly comfortable on.  I was always comfortable moving the ball both directions, so I really don't have an answer to why.  Insanity is a plausible answer

[Nigel Islam]

Plus are there courses that don't suit your eye initially, but after playing them several times you are able to change youcr comfort level? Bobby Jones at St Andrews would be one that comes to mind.

[David Ober]

Pat,

Bear Creek is my home course, and you're right, for the uninitiated, there are several holes that really screw with the eye: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 11, 14, 17 are all holes that I know many guys have problems on. Only with repeated play have I finally figured out how to play each hole. The funny thing is that the course is actually quite wide open off the tee!!

David

My experience is more directed at courses that do NOT fit my eye.
For instance, I played my first tournament of 2012 at Champions Tour qualifying.
We played Bear Creek in Murrieta, CA., what I would call a typical Nicklaus course from it's time.

Even though only an hour from my home, I had never played it until my first practice round, a week-and-a-half before the start of first stage.

When I finished my first round, there were seven, yes 7, holes that looked like Chinese arithmetic to me.
Every course has a hole or two I need to figure out, but 7?  Now, keep in mind, I really don't think the course is bad,
it just looked unbelievably awkward to me on many shots.

There are courses (Kingston Heath, CPC, Atlanta CC to name a few) that I felt instantly comfortable on.  I was always comfortable moving the ball both directions, so I really don't have an answer to why.  Insanity is a plausible answer