Thoughts on two courses used for match play portion of tournament.

[Bill Shamleffer]

I am interested on thoughts from those who have played in match play championships, per the use of two different courses for the match play portion of the event.

The USGA is conducting both Junior championships (Girls & Boys) at Trump National this week.  The girls will play the first round of stroke play on The Old Course & the second round of stroke play at The New Course, while the boys will be on the opposite courses for each round.  For the first round of match play the girls will be on The Old Course, but will then play the remaining five rounds of match play on The New Course.  Conversely, the boys will be on The New Course for the first round of match play and for the Quarters, Semis & Finals, but will be on The Old Course for the second and third rounds of match play.  (The second and third rounds of match play are scheduled for Thursday.)

Having split courses for qualifying is not unusual.  However, I have never seen two course used for match play.  I appreciate that to pull off having these two events together it is necessary to use two course for the early rounds of match play, and I also appreciate that part of competing in a tournament is accepting the conditions and schedule as laid out.

However, I am curious if those who have competed in match play championships would consider this as an added burden to have to alternate courses in the match play rounds.

     Would it be disruptive to win a match on one course, then change to a different course,
     and then after two more matches have to go back to the prior course?

     Once match play begins do you only want to have to know one course,
     or does the course not matter since each match is one-on-one with the opponent dealing with the same course changes?

[John Moore II]

Yeah, it would be a slightly additional burden for the player, but not moreso one than another. So its even for everyone. I would wonder why exactly they are doing this, but either way, it will play out fine. I have played a club match play where golfers could play their matches on either of the two courses at the club. So, it wouldn't be some huge ordeal.

[Tim Gavrich]

I don't have a problem with playing the stroke-play part on both courses, but I really don't see a reason to hold each match play competition on both courses, alternating each round or each day.  It seems a bit pretentious to go to the trouble of setting up both courses for the boys and the girls on alternating rounds or days.

[JohnV]

This is the third time the USGA has had both junior championships together.  The first two were the very first one at Wilmington CC and the 2000 editions at Pumpkin Ridge.  I don't know about WCC, but at Pumpkin Ridge they did something similar.  For the days where they play two rounds, they are on the same course for both of them.

It is a bit of a problem and I'm not sure I'd like it a lot as a player myself.