The Squire on the good Doctor

[TEPaul]

I did not know Mackenzie and Sarazen had something of a spat about architecture. I wonder how Mackenzie felt about Sarazen's criticisms because Mackenzie (like Macdonald) was one of those who did mention that "controversy" was actually a very benefical thing to create with architecture.

On the other hand I believe I have seen at least one article from Tillinghast who seemed to be quite concerned about negative feedback on his courses or greens from some well known pros.

Of course we do know a more recent architect, Pete Dye, not only seemed to not shy away from criticisms of his architecture from well known pros, he seemed to actually enjoy it! 

[Bill_McBride]

Sarazen was credited with designing one of the Diablo Grande courses (Patterson, CA...off the 5) with Nicklaus.  Are there other Sarazen courses out there? 

{yes, don't worry, I realize that probably neither he nor JN spent much time in Patterson}

I think he shares design credit for Chateau Elan north of Atlanta, but not sure with whom.  I haven't played there but have heard it's good.

[Greg Murphy]

Imagine what the USGA (and others) would have to do to courses, to keep the pros from demolishing par.

Jim,

It is kind of fun to imagine what they would do.

I can't imagine they would play tournaments on greens or with pin placements as flat as they do today. Hey, maybe the classic courses would have their greens restored with slopes 4% and above, perhaps even greater than they were in Mackenzie's time.

I imagine greens would be rebuilt with truly freakish features, huge undulations and elevation changes, and topsy turvy and willy nilly internal contours. I imagine the fat or centre part of the green could become the most dangerous place to aim.

But most weeks one or two guys would get hot, combining near perfect ball striking and putting, and it would be far more common for par to be demolished by outstanding play than it is today. So they would have to change the attitude that offense is bad, which to some extent I think they've started doing the past couple of years in their championship course set ups.

I think one other effect for all players would be greater acceptance of less than perfect greens and a lowering of maintenance costs. I believe players don't crave fast greens so much as they crave greens with a true roll in the sense that their putts "finish" into the hole rather than wobble erratically near the hole. Fast greens tend to finish better into the hole. A larger hole would diminish the impact of wobble, making less than perfect greens more acceptable.

[Neil_Crafter]

TE
Mackenzie was a little defensive about the criticism as the course was still very new, less than 2 years old when it hosted the qualifying. He was annoyed that Sarazen criticised the course after his poor round and hadn't given it any respect by not bothering to even have a practice round on it beforehand. 'The Guardian' also criticised the course and its designer - without mentioning him by name - and said that he had "constructed hazards which called for freak golf". Apparently there was also a westerly gale during qualifying which also did not help matters.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Neil,

What exactly is "freak golf" 

Kind of an intriguing term!

[Neil_Crafter]

Golf for freaks, Jeff.
Don't you know anything!

[TEPaul]

Jeff:

Terms like freakish holes or greens were used all the time back then. There were some pretty interesting of-an-era terms back then like if someone asked you how you were doing you might say "Jake" or "in the pink." I wouldn't mind finding out what the real etymology of those terms is.