Has anyone gotten over to Baltimore CC?

[Jerry Kluger]

I haven't been able to get up there and I forgot to record it.  Did they slow down the greens for the tournament and how firm are the greens?  I would hate to see them take that aspect of the course out of the picture.

[JSlonis]

I saw just a bit of it on TV...What did they do to the routing and sequence of holes to get #2 to play as #18?

[Mike_Cirba]

I saw just a bit of it on TV...What did they do to the routing and sequence of holes to get #2 to play as #18?

Jamie,

They made the 3rd hole number one and then proceeded from there.

[Rob_Waldron]

I have not been there for the tournament but saw it on TV as well. The greens seemed softer than usual. I would be interested to see what they are stimping. They appeared much slower than whenever I have played! The announcers were going on and on about the severity of the slopes, yet the putts did not appear to "get away" from the players. SOmeone needs to tell the announcers that Timonium is nowhere near the "Eastern Shore" of Maryland.

[Jerry Kluger]

Nothing like dumbing it down for the best players.  Ben must be really pleased to see what they've done.  Such a great golf course and the Golf Channel elects to show 2 hours during the day and the LPGA at primetime and then repeat the Valero Open.  Wonder why more people aren't watching and playing the game.

[Jim Franklin]

They slowed the greens down to 9.5 and they also cut the rough to 3". The course played so much harder for us than it did for them. I was not happy. The shots that Funk, Watson, and Roberts hit on #18 (#2 normally), would never have been advanced to the green 2 weeks ago. I was very disappointed that someone got to double digits under par, but I picked Roberts earlie in the week because he is such a good putter. I will give them credit, those guys are good.

I can't wait to see how bad the course is for our member/member tournament next week. Hot damn, 3 more years of this . At least I had fun in Columbus.

[Jim Sweeney]

Jim,

Can any if the course set up be attributed to weather conditions- i.e., protecting the course from abnormally high temperatures and drought- or was it all due to the tournament? What will it take to get the course back to where you like it, as it normally is for the members?

[Cabell Ackerly]

They slowed the greens down to 9.5 and they also cut the rough to 3". The course played so much harder for us than it did for them. I was not happy. The shots that Funk, Watson, and Roberts hit on #18 (#2 normally), would never have been advanced to the green 2 weeks ago. I was very disappointed that someone got to double digits under par...

Jim - why were you so disappointed? Do you think the winning score is a reflection of the quality of the golf course?

[Jim Franklin]

Jim,

Can any if the course set up be attributed to weather conditions- i.e., protecting the course from abnormally high temperatures and drought- or was it all due to the tournament? What will it take to get the course back to where you like it, as it normally is for the members?

That is a good question. They had the rough at 6+ inches in a lot of spots for us and then hit the mowers at 3" for the pros. I don't get that. I don't want to hack out of the rough all year long. I did not go to the event so i do not know how beat up the greens were, but I am sure they came out okay since they were not cut too short. I hope the course is back to normal next week.

I guess this is our first foray into a big pro event and hopefully our Super will know what he can and can't do next year before the event. Now that we have our new irrigation system, maybe he does not have to drown the grass ever opportunity he gets.

[Jim Franklin]

They slowed the greens down to 9.5 and they also cut the rough to 3". The course played so much harder for us than it did for them. I was not happy. The shots that Funk, Watson, and Roberts hit on #18 (#2 normally), would never have been advanced to the green 2 weeks ago. I was very disappointed that someone got to double digits under par...

Jim - why were you so disappointed? Do you think the winning score is a reflection of the quality of the golf course?

Good question. Do I think it is a reflection to our quality, no. I think it is a reflection of the Senior Tour not wanting to embarrass their players by playing a hard course. Those guys are fantastic players and it is a shame they have to be coddled and pampered like that. Let them play the course like we played it and see what happens. It is a major for God's sake.

[james soper]

jim, what yardage did they play from? what yardages do the members typically play from?

[Jim Franklin]

jim, what yardage did they play from? what yardages do the members typically play from?

They played from 7003 most days (par 70), but I did see they were up on #18 a few times and I am not sure if they were up any other days on any other holes. I left town because I would rather play than watch and I was still able to watch some on the tube anyway. Most members play the blue (one box up) and the older members will play the white. David Carroll and I and quite a few more will play the blacks like they did. The club championship is from the blacks so I might as well play them while I can and while I still think I can do well in the tournament.

[David Stamm]

I just wanted to post this link to Shack's site. Floyd comments sounds ominous to me.  


http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/golf/bal-golf1008,0,472378.story?track=rss

[Jim Franklin]

David, what did he say? The site didn't work.

[David Stamm]

Here's Shack's site with the quote.

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/

[Phil Benedict]

David, what did he say? The site didn't work.

That the greens have too much slope for modern green speeds.  Suggested "buffering" but nobody seems to know what the hell he means by that.

[John Shimp]

Jim,
He said that they need to "buffer" the greens, which was taken to mean remove some contour so that green speeds could be increased.  

[Jim Franklin]

Thanks guys. And waaahhhh to the Seniors.

[Mike_Cirba]

What the hell is Ben Crenshaw talking about when he said that Floyd "may be right" about "buffering" (read, "Castrating") the greens at Five Farms??  

My understanding is that similar to San Francisco Golf Club, a number of the most severely tilted greens have had their backs lowered and fronts raised in the past couple of years (under Keith Foster's tutelage).  

Playing in September, the greens were a heckuva lot faster than 9.5 and were very fun and playable.   The rough was also 6 inches and wet.

I don't understand why courses are made easier for the pros, and then they still bitch.  Even Gentle Ben, for cryin' out loud!  

[Jerry Kluger]

Mike:

I tried watching the tournament and I had to turn it off.  I too played the course within the last few months and you really have to think your way around the course but the pros want it dumbed down.  The announcers over and over talked about the green contours and how putts can get away from you if you're not careful but it never happened.  I also found it interesting how far they were supposedly hitting the ball.