Sound and golf....

[David Ober]

I was just reading the Augusta thread, and was wondering how much sound goes into our overall golf experience.

Does golf "sound" different at Augusta? I'm guessing that with all the trees and large swales and mounds that it would sound quite unique there, but I've never been, so I'm just guessing.

Any one who's been there care to chime in about what golf sounds like at Augusta?

[Bob_Huntley]

Its quite interesting as after a while you can guess what the scoring is like from some way away.

It always seems louder when a crowd favorite is doing well.

Bob

[Wade Whitehead]

The toonamint sounds different (compared to others) because the patrons are quiet (compared to others).

WW

[jeffwarne]

Its quite interesting as after a while you can guess what the scoring is like from some way away.

It always seems louder when a crowd favorite is doing well.

Bob

Bob,
 exactly what I was typing.
Proxiimity, time of day, day of the week, intensity, and duration of roar all combine to make scoreboard predicting almost as much fun as scoreboard watching (which can be quite fun in a bleacher in a seemingly remote area of the course)

What truly stands out at The Masters is what you don't hear("you da man" gets you an escort to"da door"),
 and also how quiet 10,000 people in close proximity can be

[David Ober]

Its quite interesting as after a while you can guess what the scoring is like from some way away.

It always seems louder when a crowd favorite is doing well.

Bob

Bob,
 exactly what I was typing.
Proxiimity, time of day, day of the week, intensity, and duration of roar all combine to make scoreboard predicting almost as much fun as scoreboard watching (which can be quite fun in a bleacher in a seemingly remote area of the course)

What truly stands out at The Masters is what you don't hear("you da man" gets you an escort to"da door"),
 and also how quiet 10,000 people in close proximity can be

Good stuff, but I was more interested in how it sounds at Augusta when one is actually playing there, not watching The Masters.

[jeffwarne]

Its quite interesting as after a while you can guess what the scoring is like from some way away.

It always seems louder when a crowd favorite is doing well.

Bob

Bob,
 exactly what I was typing.
Proxiimity, time of day, day of the week, intensity, and duration of roar all combine to make scoreboard predicting almost as much fun as scoreboard watching (which can be quite fun in a bleacher in a seemingly remote area of the course)

What truly stands out at The Masters is what you don't hear("you da man" gets you an escort to"da door"),
 and also how quiet 10,000 people in close proximity can be

Good stuff, but I was more interested in how it sounds at Augusta when one is actually playing there, not watching The Masters.

The only sound I could ever hear was my own breathing, running between shots on summer evenings to get in a few holes, and sometimes more than a few, before I was spotted

[Matthew Sander]

David,

When I attended the tournament in '04 I was struck by how loud the shots sounded down in the fairway on #10.  The combination of the setting and solid ball striking (something I'm not very accustomed to!) really made for a sound I hadn't heard before.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I should greatly welcome a TV programme connected with Masters coverage, showing us the many different birds we can hear but don't see. Ken Brown would do it well - he's interested.

[Sven Nilsen]

I was just reading the Augusta thread, and was wondering how much sound goes into our overall golf experience.

Does golf "sound" different at Augusta? I'm guessing that with all the trees and large swales and mounds that it would sound quite unique there, but I've never been, so I'm just guessing.

Any one who's been there care to chime in about what golf sounds like at Augusta?

David:

When playing the top courses on my meager list, there's been one predominant theme to the sound of the course - wind.

There have been spots on courses where you feel isolated and surrounded (the stretch back in the woods at Sleepy Hollow being one example), where there are hints of echos and every little noise seems to resonate.  I'd imagine that playing the stretch from 10 - 13 at ANGC has this effect in spades.

Sven

[Dave McCollum]

I should greatly welcome a TV programme connected with Masters coverage, showing us the many different birds we can hear but don't see. Ken Brown would do it well - he's interested.

I recall some years ago CBS getting busted for running a bird audio track that included a bird song of a bird not indigenous to the region.  Might be a little difficult to match a bird shot to audio we hear.  Might be better to keep our illusions intact instead of Ken Brown searching for the actual source of audio guy's sound track. 

[Colin Macqueen]

David,

"Sound and Golf….".
In my experience it is, as Sven alludes to, the whispering of the wind through rushes, dune grasses and whins.
And talking about birds the keening of seagulls on the wing is another sound which I always associate with golf.

Cheers Colin

[Lyne Morrison]

Sound is an interesting quality of golf that is not often mentioned. I was having a chat with former Australian Open and Aust. Masters champion - now well regarded commentator Jane Crafter recently when she brought up the characteristic of the distinctive 'crack' experienced at particular courses and the impact this has on the golfing experience. Something unique to woodland courses.

Lyne

[Bob_Huntley]

David,

I am not sure if there is a difference in sound  today compared with the balatas and persimmon woods of yesteryear. I haven't played there for over forty years but the wind could really whistle.

Bob

[Scott Sander]

This does nothing to answer the initial question (sorry, Obee), but the conversation reminds me of one of my huge peeves: teevee in general does a very poor job of consistently replicating the true sound of impact.

It seems that every other tournament most of the shots sound as though they are all an inch fat or two grooves low.  Few things will make me lose interest in a televised tournament more quickly than making the best in the world sound like they hit it like I do.

Then again, I'll find myself drawn in by those that find the sonic sweet spot, even if I don't particularly care about the course or the players.

[David Ober]

The variety in sound that emanates from today's drivers is mind-boggling.

Back in the persimmon days, most drivers sounded very much alike -- especially if they were hitting a balata ball.

Today's metal drivers produce all manner of sounds, from the high-pitched and "tinny" sound of the TM R11 models to the solid, muted "thwoosh" of most of Titleist's offerings.

This does nothing to answer the initial question (sorry, Obee), but the conversation reminds me of one of my huge peeves: teevee in general does a very poor job of consistently replicating the true sound of impact.

It seems that every other tournament most of the shots sound as though they are all an inch fat or two grooves low.  Few things will make me lose interest in a televised tournament more quickly than making the best in the world sound like they hit it like I do.

Then again, I'll find myself drawn in by those that find the sonic sweet spot, even if I don't particularly care about the course or the players.