Sony Open - Waialae CC Update

[Eric LeFante]

Tom,


Can you give us an update on the work you did over the past year and your thinking behind the changes? An hour into coverage I heard changes to 7, 10, and 18. I'm patiently waiting for the coverage to show a good view of the new 18th green...

[Marty Bonnar]

Hmm.
Captive dolphins.
Not sure.
F.


Actually, not, not sure. Quite unacceptable.

[mike_beene]

Does anyone have an old diagram of the holes (perhaps there is one in the map thread?). Curious what the old holes looked like prior to the hotel. I am getting older, but it seems like years ago we had this conversation. Has the resort been updated? Also, the place has as much OB as Carnoustie.

[Colin Sheehan]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/dAeWVJr1Pusr9fre8

[John McCarthy]

.

[Anthony Gholz]

To All:


I'm a couple weeks behind, but wanted to say something about watching the SONY tournament on TV this year and no one seemed to notice what I was seeing.



I picked this thread to bump for two reasons, first the topic heading was on my mind and second the B&W aerial photo that Colin posted was wonderful and answered many questions about the holes that were "lost" etc.  I wanted tp say thanks to Colin for that.  I've copied it for my file and will print it out to use for next year's telecast.


I thought the golf course looked much more interesting this year than in the past.  I understand Tom has been working slowly for a few years and each year I should spot something.  However, this year it seemed to come together for me even with the soggy conditions which thru firm and fast out the window.  Perhaps it was watching the best play shots in the wind which I always find interesting, but I think it was more because the course was just that much better after all T's work.  The camera angles showing the big dip on the front right of 18, where a bunker used to be, was very much in play and highlighted in the coverage.  The Redan 17th, despite the wet was more visually defined by the bunkers.  The front right shoulder actually was visible.  The Eden made more sense to me, maybe they cleared out in back or the tide wa sin or something.  Tthe short bunkers appeared more fearsome.  The old look throughout the course where bunkers and greens had no relationship was gone.  I actually enjoyed watching the tournament on tape a week later while working out.


Maybe the TV angles were different this year, but I thought the course looked great.  Next year we can hope for firm & fast and then see how it plays when the ball rolls.


One complaint about the setup of the stands.  If firm and fast the 17th should allow for a ball to bounce over and away from the green.  The stands create a blocking backboard.  I know that occurs at every tour event somewhere, but a Redan hole should be open back left.


Questions for Tom: what else is left to do that would make a difference for those of us who watch the tournament next year?


Anthony

[Tom_Doak]

Anthony:


Your last question is more for Eric Iverson, who's really the one doing the work at Waialae, but he is wise enough not to spend time here.  I don't even know what is on the club's agenda now.  I was involved in the greens reconstruction at the [tournament] 6th, 10th, 11th, 17th and 18th, which happened from 2016 to 2018, but I've begged off getting back to Hawaii every February for more work.


[I know, it sounds like "tough duty", but it is hard to combine a commitment like that with my trip to the UK next week, for example.]


This year was the first time the trade winds actually blew like they used to, since we have been working at Waialae.  The members have always said if the wind blew normally the pros wouldn't find it nearly so easy.  Unfortunately, the winds also brought heavy rain, so the course was very soggy.  There is only a little bit of sand there on top of coral -- the fairways are quite close to water table and we hit coral digging the drains for the 18th green, which are very shallow -- so there is not much that can be done drainage-wise in a sustained wet period.


It sounds like they are doing better at mowing the greens tighter to the bunkers which will make things a bit more interesting.


I agree with you about the setup of grandstands at the 17th -- last year they had the same complaint at the 18th, I'm not sure if it was moved back a bit or not.  My original idea for the 18th was that, like the 14th at St. Andrews, you'd be better off over the green than short of it, but we had to change our plan because of the grandstand issue.  There just isn't much space there between the 18th and the 1st tee and the cart barns to move the grandstands back to allow for that kind of hole, which is also the Tour's way of telling us not to do that.  We still tried to get it where there was a run-up shot available because they are hitting long clubs in and it's downwind, whereas if you try to fly it there you have to carry that sharp slope at the front right.


Likewise, there is not a whole lot of space between 17 green and 11, so if they move the grandstands back a lot, they're just going to have to be smaller.  I would not be surprised if they liked them tighter, as that's the easiest place to recover from around that green and the players do tend to hedge in that direction.