Compare, Contrast & Comment

[Mike Hendren]

[Tom_Doak]

I wish I knew how to post a picture of a bowling alley.

[Andy Hughes]

Never realized Oakmont's hole was uphill to that extent.  Guess I wasn't paying enough attention when George P. was 'splainin' it.

First pic seems to have more width in the landing area, or at least short of the bunkers. The second course seems to have a horribly constricted landing area at all distances.  I can't imagine anyone tries to hit one side or the other when it's that skinny. Does the same happen at Oakmont's hole?

[John Kirk]

I decided to delete the kid jumping in front of the bowling alley.  No emoticon necessary.

[Brent Hutto]

Skee Ball vs. Bowling Alley

I suck at both

Next question...

[Matthew Hunt]

The first one looks a lot better.

[Kirk Gill]

Interesting Michael.

Compare: They both have very narrow landing areas, uphill approaches to their respective greens, and bunkering on both sides. Holes played in consecutive US Opens.

Contrast: One is a par 4, the other a 5. At Torrey the bunkers are only in play on the approach, and have a symmetrical quality that bothers my eye. One is on a course that is almost universally lauded, the other on a course that is gets less love from many.

[Kalen Braley]

Michael,

I understand what your trying to do with this, but don't agree with your m/o. 

I can take a picture of my arm, and my arm only and compare it and contrast with a picture of George Clooneys arm and I'm sure I wouldn't be too far off on the sexiness scale. But trust me, if one has a view of the whole thing, him vs. me then rightfully so there is no comparison.

A 18 hole compare and contrast between these two courses would likely reveal that these courses are nowhere close to being in the same league.

[Kyle Harris]

Challenge the pews and have a less blind shot in.

Bail out right, and have no view or depth perception.

[Sean_A]

Challenge the pews and have a less blind shot in.

Bail out right, and have no view or depth perception.

Hmmm... Less blind shot?  This must be Pennsylvania speak.  As always with these pix deals, I can only judge the look of a hole.  Both fail to inspire many positive thoughts. 

Ciao

[Mike Hendren]

I can take a picture of my arm, and my arm only and compare it and contrast with a picture of George Clooneys arm and I'm sure I wouldn't be too far off on the sexiness scale. But trust me, if one has a view of the whole thing, him vs. me then rightfully so there is no comparison.

Kalen, would both arms not function in the same manner?  Isn't that all most of us ask of an arm?

Mike

[Peter Pallotta]

Nicely done, Kyle.

Just to be superficial (because I've got no choice): the fairway mow-lines. On TP, there's lot of rough on both sides; you could cut it all as fairway, but I can't see that it would make much difference. You wouldn't be in the rough, that's true.

Peter

[Chris Garrett]

Both pictures leave a lot to be desired.  I saw Oakmont some 14 years ago, so I'll plead guilty in not knowing what these two holes look like in person.  The narrowing fairway at Oakmont is understandable as trouble comes into play as fairway rises to the green - there is error for getting too greedy (landing area).  Based on the picture, the TP hole looks as though one should be able to run the ball up.  However, the extremely tight/narrow fairway essentially takes that play out of the bag. 

[John Mayhugh]

I haven't seen Torrey Pines in a long time, but didn't mind the look of this hole on the ground.  The view in the photo isn't very attractive, especially when compared to the one of the third at Oakmont.  From a fairway perspective I would think the Torrey bunkering wouldn't look as harsh.

The biggest difference seems that the bunkers at Torrey aren't going to be in play nearly as much.  You can't hit a tee shot on 3 at Oakmont without confronting the bunkers.  At Torrey, you can always lay up short of them with your second shot. 

[Matt Varney]

The Church Pews at Oakmons are kind of like the water at #17 TPC Sawgrass.  They are in your mind all the time so the golf gods have a way of getting you in them so you have to experience them as part of your round.

On the other hand, those five bunkers short of the green at Torrey really are not play for these pros.  They make the hole seem tight like an alley.  Lets get real these tour pros are going to hammer a driver and then hit an iron onto that green.  They might just might hit the ball through the green into the back left bunker.

Oakmont is all intimidation that is its reputation.  Torrey Pines can be tough and we are going to see how tough it plays in the US Open in a few weeks.

[Matt_Cohn]

I keep thinking that they cleaned out the edges of the canyons at Torrey...but I think actually they just narrowed the fairways so now they're 20 yards from the canyons instead of 10.

[Mike Hendren]

I will stipulate that the Torrey Pines hole is uglier than a bowling shoe. 

Continue.

[Jim Johnson]

I wish I knew how to post a picture of a bowling alley.

[TEPaul]

The "contrast" part is probably impossible to tell with those photos. To truly understand the first photo you just have to understand the green itself, what the back portion of it is like and what it's like behind it. If you want to ask someone who would know how that hole really can play from tee to green and behind that green---eg recovery et al, ask Tiger Woods. If it hadn't caught him up in the final round last year he may be the defending US Open champ today! 

[Mark Bourgeois]

The problem isn't the width of the holes, it's the size of the golfers.  The scale is off; they need to grow the golfers.

Like this -- fee fi fo fum!


Mark