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GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture Discussion Group => Topic started by: Mike Hendren on June 19, 2014, 10:38:14 AM

Title: The Women's Turn
Post by: Mike Hendren on June 19, 2014, 10:38:14 AM
Why not the same level of interest this week, particularly since they'll be playing a game we are more familiar with?   I am particularly intrigued as to whether the Asian automatons (I use that term with admiration and respect) can adapt their game to meet the more creative demands of the greens and their surrounds. 

Also, the general opinion has geen that the real difference between the men's and women's professional game is not distance but rather the short game.   Have the women caught up in that aspect of the game?

I went with -6 for the men's champion.  I'm going with +6 for the women.

Your thoughts?

Bogey
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Joe Bausch on June 19, 2014, 10:40:21 AM
Really looking forward to it Bogey.  I'm thinking the ladies will surprise us and the winning score will be under par.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Howard Riefs on June 19, 2014, 12:01:21 PM
I'm very interested. And more would be, too, if the USGA/ESPN/Golf Channel/NBC made an effort to broadcast more of it.  As of now, it's on:

Thurs/Fri -- 3 to 7 pm ET on ESPN2
Sat/Sun -- 3 to 6 pm ET on NBC

http://www.usopen.com/women/en_US/champ_experience/viewing_schedule.html (http://www.usopen.com/women/en_US/champ_experience/viewing_schedule.html)

I continue to post updated coverage here:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,58347.msg1382826.html#msg1382826 (http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,58347.msg1382826.html#msg1382826)

Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Cory Lewis on June 19, 2014, 12:25:19 PM
Just got back from the tournament.  I sat on 3/5 for most of the morning wave and it took 7 groups to see the 1st birdie on #3, Jessica Korda.  Natalie Gulbis was directly in front of the 5th green in 2, 30 feet from the pin and didn't get her pitch to the hole and it rolled about 60 feet into the bunker on the left.  Everybody in her group ended up in that bunker.  If you miss your 3rd shot 5 feet to the left you will end up in that bunker. 

Holding the 6th green is almost impossible for the ladies.  You can't run it on and if you land it in the center of the green, you end up over.  +6 seems to be about right based on what I saw today.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Gary Sato on June 19, 2014, 02:01:22 PM

I'm going with +6 for the women.

Your thoughts?

Bogey

Stacy Lewis was 3 under today with no bogeys.  She may pull a Kaymer and destroy the field.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Jud_T on June 19, 2014, 03:33:28 PM
I'm shocked that the women, like the men, insist on chipping with lofted wedges off tight greenside lies.  Just watched Wei skull one across the green and into a bunker for a bogey on a reachable Par 5.  Get the god darned hybrid or putter out ladies.  If you didn't spend the week practicing that shot, then shame on you.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Brent Hutto on June 19, 2014, 03:35:54 PM
I know I was like, "Hey ladies. Guy who was 9-under last week never touched a wedge around the green. Guys who were over par last week chipped around the greens. Which one of these, it's such a tough call".

If I'd been there watching Kaymer last week and had to play the course right now, I'd be putting out the darned bunkers if necessary.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: David Bartman on June 19, 2014, 05:04:46 PM
Why not the same level of interest this week, particularly since they'll be playing a game we are more familiar with?   I am particularly intrigued as to whether the Asian automatons (I use that term with admiration and respect) can adapt their game to meet the more creative demands of the greens and their surrounds. 

Also, the general opinion has geen that the real difference between the men's and women's professional game is not distance but rather the short game.   Have the women caught up in that aspect of the game?

I went with -6 for the men's champion.  I'm going with +6 for the women.

Your thoughts?

Bogey

At 6200 yards the winner will be better than +6
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Mike Hendren on June 19, 2014, 06:05:35 PM
Interesting, David.  USGA website lists the course playing at 6,649 yards.  Is it possible that the USGA wanted to ease the players onto the course to yield an apples-to-apples comparison then cinch it down with added distance, pin placements and drying out over the weekend?   I'd think they like today's scoring for starters.

Bogey
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Terry Lavin on June 19, 2014, 06:07:15 PM
The course looks much better with women on it.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Paul Gray on June 19, 2014, 06:21:46 PM
I, for one, am hugely enjoying the women's event.

Sure, it's not quite as quick but in part I'm sure that's to do with the women hitting the ball less heavy. It's something I still, as a grown man now, have to consider when playing the links. As a kid I just didn't get the big bounces because the force just wasn't there. It was an easy game then! It's actually one aspect of play where the amateur with a slower swing speed has an advantage over the Tour Pros.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: David Bartman on June 19, 2014, 06:32:18 PM
Interesting, David.  USGA website lists the course playing at 6,649 yards.  Is it possible that the USGA wanted to ease the players onto the course to yield an apples-to-apples comparison then cinch it down with added distance, pin placements and drying out over the weekend?   I'd think they like today's scoring for starters.

Bogey

click on a player and the scorecard show 6296, I should have put 6300 on my previous post. 

Virtually ALL tournaments list the longest they will possibly play the golf course, and yet rarely does any tournament in any round play the yardage they list. 
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Howard Riefs on June 19, 2014, 06:34:30 PM
Interesting, David.  USGA website lists the course playing at 6,649 yards.  Is it possible that the USGA wanted to ease the players onto the course to yield an apples-to-apples comparison then cinch it down with added distance, pin placements and drying out over the weekend?   I'd think they like today's scoring for starters.

Bogey


The number on the card is the maximum for each hole.  For the men last week, the course set up for each day didn't come within 130 yards of that figure on the card, which was 7,562 yards:

Thursday: 7,360
Friday:     7,428
Saturday: 7,422
Sunday:   7,349
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Greg Tallman on June 19, 2014, 06:43:19 PM
Anyone here ever had a putt for eagle and walked off with double bogey?
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Terry Lavin on June 19, 2014, 09:47:42 PM
Anyone here ever had a putt for eagle and walked off with double bogey?

Close. Putting for birdie on the first hole at Chicago Golf Club with greens running at 15, I made a double. It happens.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Bill_McBride on June 19, 2014, 10:01:05 PM
Anyone here ever had a putt for eagle and walked off with double bogey?

Five putts?   Ouch.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Brent Hutto on June 19, 2014, 10:14:41 PM
I thought the men were slow.

Stephanie Meadow's group teed off at 2:20pm. When play was suspended at 7:55pm they still had two holes to play.

That is five hours, thirty-five minutes to play 16 holes in threesomes.

I just picked that group because I happened to know the timing, they were right on pace with the rest of the tail end of the afternoon wave. Good grief.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Keith Doleshel on June 19, 2014, 10:30:59 PM
I actually found watching the ladies to be as enjoyable as watching the men take on Pinehurst.  Perhaps that is a reflection on Kaymer putting the field away early last week.  It seems like the ladies are having a tough time holding greens with their lower trajectory.  NBC saw a number of LPGA players on the grounds over the weekend during the Open, I too was surprised to see so many of the ladies using wedges instead up putting around the greens. 
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Tom Fagerli on June 20, 2014, 07:14:27 AM
I think it is wonderful golf-but slow golf. I did see one thing that might be interesting- pin positions- the ladies are not used to pins on the sides of the greens and they need to learn to play to the middle and putt from there unless they are wedging it. Wie can't play those aggressive iron shots at No 2 because it isn't soft tour conditions. Just to be clear- I am rooting for Michelle this week.
Also, the course looks much more brown and firm than last week.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Paul OConnor on June 20, 2014, 08:15:35 AM
Anyone here ever had a putt for eagle and walked off with double bogey?

No. But has anyone here ever had a putt for a birdie 3 and walked off with a 10?

I had a birdie putt and made 9.  15th at Idlewild.  Ridiculous greens at that place.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Greg Tallman on June 20, 2014, 09:20:09 AM
Anyone here ever had a putt for eagle and walked off with double bogey?

No. But has anyone here ever had a putt for a birdie 3 and walked off with a 10?

I had a birdie putt and made 9.  15th at Idlewild.  Ridiculous greens at that place.

I actually had it inside 5 feet for birdie 3 and walked off with...


11!

James Madison Invitational 1990(?), hole 3. Second putt from 45 feet as was third and fourth. Believe I had another short putt for 7 the more 40+ footers before finally making a 3 footer for 11. Followed that up with a 5 putt on 4 which did not seem so bad at the time. Consecutive holes with birdie putts of 25 feet combined length.... 10 over par for the two holes! Believe 3 players broke 80 that day.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Wade Whitehead on June 20, 2014, 09:40:43 AM
My kids and I spent the day watching the women on Thursday.

Very few of their shots around the green ended up short (rolling back to their feet, etc.).  A greater number of their misses ended up going over).

The relative lack of spin (compared, at least, to the men) means that their challenge is in keeping the ball from going too long.  The men seemed to struggle with imparting too much spin or coming up short (at least on short shots).

Interesting contrast.

WW
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Bill_McBride on June 20, 2014, 05:06:22 PM
Anyone here ever had a putt for eagle and walked off with double bogey?

No. But has anyone here ever had a putt for a birdie 3 and walked off with a 10?

Ten years ago if I'm not mistaken!
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Mike Hendren on June 20, 2014, 05:39:27 PM
Interesting that Wie is 93rd in fairways hit and Lee is 134th.  Perhaps they owe a bottle of fine wine to Bill and Ben. 

Bogey
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Gary Sato on June 21, 2014, 01:57:15 PM
Interesting that Wie is 93rd in fairways hit and Lee is 134th.  Perhaps they owe a bottle of fine wine to Bill and Ben. 

Bogey

On Friday Wie hit 78% of the greens, 14/18 so maybe missing it in the right spot is not so penal.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: BCowan on June 21, 2014, 02:27:36 PM
Mid Pines and possibly Lawsonia would be great venues for future Woman's Opens 2019 and later??!!??
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Adam Clayman on June 21, 2014, 05:29:56 PM
Misogyny?
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Joe Bausch on June 21, 2014, 05:44:44 PM
Did Wie's group play in just over 4 hours?
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Mike Sweeney on June 21, 2014, 05:46:51 PM
Can someone explain why Amy Yang is layered up for Arctic conditions in the steamy South in June??

There are cultural issues for her to deal with, deal with it!
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Carl Rogers on June 21, 2014, 05:57:43 PM
Mid Pines and possibly Lawsonia would be great venues for future Woman's Opens 2019 and later??!!??
given the short game exhibition I have just viewed in the 3rd round, I think an easier venue is in order.
Let's face it, golf is a niche game and women's golf is a sub-niche.
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Mike Hendren on June 21, 2014, 11:13:33 PM
Just checking in to let you know that I had zero ice creams today.

Bogey
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: DMoriarty on June 21, 2014, 11:55:04 PM
Just checking in to let you know that I had zero ice creams today.

Bogey

Maybe if you had a few you could 78 at No. 2.   (That's my plan, anyway.)
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: John Kirk on June 22, 2014, 02:28:25 AM
"We have Lucy Li here after the 3rd round.  Lucy spent the day following the leaders around.  Lucy, do you mind attempting to answer a few  ridiculous questions we've prepared, that no person, let alone an eleven year old golfer, can possibly answer?"

I loved at the end, when the interviewer asked he how many ice creams she had that day.  Li said "Three.  I'm going to get another one right now."
Title: Re: The Women's Turn
Post by: Ian Andrew on June 22, 2014, 07:41:25 AM
I've enjoyed watching the Ladies as much as the Men!
For me, its all about the course and watching how they adapt.

It's why at certain venues, despite being majors, I'm not that interested in watching play.