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John_Conley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Bay Hill #6: The time has come for an island tee
« on: March 20, 2016, 02:51:59 PM »
Yesterday Johnny Miller praised the hole for its strategic value.  Jason Kokrak's aggressive tee shot has garnered quite a lot of positive attention, almost as loud as the fervor when John Daly carded an 18 in 1998.

I propose the addition of an island tee.  It wouldn't seem out of place.  There's probably a location where you could arrive at the ultimate in risk-and-reward for the game's longest players: the drivable-reachable-or-safe-3-shot Par 5.

I envision it roughly 30 yards perpendicular into the lake, possibly 45, from the back tee.  It wouldn't make the hole easier.  In fact, it could really make it difficult as a two-shotter because the shape of the horseshoe may mean the tee closer to the green is actually further from the safety of the fairway.

Like a short-stacked poker player contemplating an all-in call to possibly triple up at the final table, the strategic options presented would turn this one up to 11.  In use for the final round, the expression immediately would be that the tournament doesn't really begin until Hole #6 on Sunday.

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Bay Hill #6: The time has come for an island tee
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2016, 03:18:17 PM »
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO....
Eventually someone is going to do it.
About 335 to the front of the green.
It will actually be noteworthy for a short while-let's not cheapen it.
Once they built the island, "fairness and excitement" would dictate that they make another island where MORE players could go for it.
The same as many par "driveable" par 4's are shortened and the longer hitters are actually between clubs and hitting fairway woods and long irons. Takes the novelty out of it. IMHO it should take an extraordinary shot by a long hitter to drive a par 4,
 a par 5? maybe a once a year or even decade shot.


The fact that it's johnny Miller's favorite par 5 (he said that today) kind've says it all....

"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Carl Rogers

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Bay Hill #6: The time has come for an island tee
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2016, 11:24:58 AM »
It would "novel", but would it be any good?  Has the Pro game come to the point of an expanding "media trick shot circus act"?  Has strategy, patience and persistence become an outmoded concept?

This got me thinking about starting another thread.
I decline to accept the end of man. ... William Faulkner

Joe Andriole

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Bay Hill #6: The time has come for an island tee
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2016, 12:12:11 PM »
For what it's worth the green has been driven from the championship tees several times (not in the tournament) by Sam Saunders, Hank Haney and others. I witnessed a long drive champion "airmail" it. Last Saturday I played there with a 17yo pro who had never seen the course. Laser in hand he scoped the green and calmly pronounced "329 -seems very doable"


As an aside Greg Norman liked to play the hole via the 3rd fairway.

Jason Thurman

  • Karma: +1/-0
Re: Bay Hill #6: The time has come for an island tee
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2016, 12:29:14 PM »
For what it's worth the green has been driven from the championship tees several times (not in the tournament) by Sam Saunders, Hank Haney and others. I witnessed a long drive champion "airmail" it. Last Saturday I played there with a 17yo pro who had never seen the course. Laser in hand he scoped the green and calmly pronounced "329 -seems very doable"


As an aside Greg Norman liked to play the hole via the 3rd fairway.


Google Earth shows the Norman route to be much shorter, and the angle of the water on the tee shot also seems less risky. I'm surprised more players don't go that direction.


Count me as another vote opposed to the creation of an island tee. The current hole is fine. Hell, it might even be great... I can't really decide. I'd say it's already reachable enough from the tee.
"There will always be haters. That’s just the way it is. Hating dudes marry hating women and have hating ass kids." - Evan Turner

Some of y'all have never been called out in bold green font and it really shows.

Jeff_Mingay

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Bay Hill #6: The time has come for an island tee
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2016, 12:33:47 PM »
That's very interesting, Joe .. I just checked at Google Earth and got about 348 yards from the back tee to the centre of the green over the lake. I've played Bay Hill but never clued into that "option"  ;D
jeffmingay.com

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Bay Hill #6: The time has come for an island tee
« Reply #6 on: March 21, 2016, 01:06:33 PM »
.........Has the Pro game come to the point of an expanding "media trick shot circus act"?......


At the top echelon, if not there yet then on track.


Atb

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