Televisions impact on GCA

[Eric Franzen]

I was just reading Tom Fazio's "Golf Course Designs" where the author mentions that the early days of televised tournaments resulted in a bunch of courses where the clients frequently put emphasis on the designs of the four last holes, since the TV coverage back then usually was limited to that part of the course.

Have any similar trends, or just unique cases, evolved during the 70's, 80's, 90's or now, where the possibility of potential TV coverage dictates or more or less influence parts of the design?

[Tony_Muldoon]

On GCA we may love to see a ball snake along the ground but TV loves a splash.  So the Island Hole will never be anything but no 17th at Sawgrass. To my eye it also explains why the 18th looks exactly the same on all the other regular tour courses.

At Augusta the water around the turn shakes things up and then real tension starts – can X hold on?  I’m just guessing but have the TV audience become conditioned to tune in and see thrills and spills on the finishing holes. Whereas for the Masters we’re all in our seats early?

[Adam Clayman]

Watching the final round of the HSBC, today, I felt as sick as the player's looked while playing the home hole.

Watching the best of the best throw-up all over themselves, in that manner, has only poor gca to blame.

[Pete_Pittock]

  When John Fought was designing his course at Reserve Vineyards sight-lines and camera positions were built into the equation. If I am misinformed on this, please correct me.
  I suspect this might have affected bunker placement, their contouring and facing.
  The prospectus drawing had the 18th holes of his course and the Cupp course sharing a large green. I wonder if this was shelved for architecture or agronomics reasons, or if it would have had a negative impact on crowd control and granstands.

[JESII]

Watching the final round of the HSBC, today, I felt as sick as the player's looked while playing the home hole.

Watching the best of the best throw-up all over themselves, in that manner, has only poor gca to blame.

I didn't get the chance to see the actual manner with which these guys were covering themselves in throw up but...blaming poor GCA for all of it seems a bit of a stretch...who designed the course?

[Brian_Ewen]

...who designed the course?

Nelson & Haworth

[Garland Bayley]

I assume this includes television announcers impact. I was watching a telecast of an event with a horseshoe shaped green with contours to allow you to putt from one side to the other. The commentator called it goofy golf and said all that it was missing was the clown face with the big nose and mouth to putt through.

[Doug Braunsdorf]

I was just reading Tom Fazio's "Golf Course Designs" where the author mentions that the early days of televised tournaments resulted in a bunch of courses where the clients frequently put emphasis on the designs of the four last holes, since the TV coverage back then usually was limited to that part of the course.

Have any similar trends, or just unique cases, evolved during the 70's, 80's, 90's or now, where the possibility of potential TV coverage dictates or more or less influence parts of the design?

I am not completely certain of this, but after having seen several TPC courses, I am of the mindset that they are designed for television, especially the last several holes.   Examples which come to mind are River Highlands, Avenel and Jasna Polana.  I'll have to think about this a little more, but usually, they include a near-driveable par 4, a par 3 with water well in play, and a tougher 18th hole.  I think Jasna Polana is the only one of the three mentioned with the 18th as a par 5, however, it plays downhill and, although it's been a few years for me since seeing it last, it may be reachable in two, but with some water fronting the green.  

[Brian Laurent]

Not so much design related...but TV has definitely brought on Augusta-itus.  Perfectly manicured and greens that run 16 on the stimp.

[Tags:]

Tags: