Pacific Dunes vs. the NCAA

[Eric_Terhorst]

Is Pacific Dunes beating the flat-bellies?  Weather seems benign, maybe a little windy.  Nevertheless, Pac Dunes is producing average scores >74 shots over 250 rounds.  Could the locals advise--Have they "prepared" the course a la Merion?  Course seems to be standing up to the bombers rather well...or is this group just not that talented?  Top ten hardest holes relative to par for three rounds below...par 3s 10 of 30!

Full Stats here: http://www.golfstatresults.com/public/stats/?tournament_id=4667

round 1 
hole  par  yards  average relative to par 
4  4  449  +0.61 
14  3  145  +0.45 
18  5  575  +0.43 
5  3  199  +0.39 
16  4  338  +0.36 
8  4  400  +0.31 
9  4  406  +0.31 
15  5  539  +0.30 
7  4  464  +0.29 
13  4  444  +0.25 
 
round 2 
hole  par  yards  average relative to par 
11  3  148  +0.76 
4  4  449  +0.68 
17  3  208  +0.58 
13  4  444  +0.55 
14  3  145  +0.44 
2  4  368  +0.39 
7  4  464  +0.36 
1  4  370  +0.30 
5  3  199  +0.29 
6  4  316  +0.23 
 
round 3 
hole  par  yards  average relative to par 
7  4  464  +1.10 
13  4  444  +0.66 
4  4  449  +0.52 
17  3  208  +0.46 
8  4  400  +0.45 
14  3  145  +0.36 
1  4  370  +0.34 
5  3  199  +0.31 
16  4  338  +0.23 
11  3  148  +0.19 

[David_Tepper]

Here are the scores from last year's tournament. Looks like it was played on Old MacDonald:

http://scores.golfweek.com/scores.asp?ACTION=Tournament&TournamentID=6694

[Emile Bonfiglio]

The course was in normal shape a week ago when I was there. Greens were actually slow in my opinion, but its not easy to make 5 footers on!

[Pete_Pittock]

http://golfstatresults.com/public/leaderboards/team/static/team4667.html

only three top 50 teams. About half the teams finished at 50 over or above

[Bill_McBride]

Those par 3's really hold up.  14.......what a bugger.   I made a par once.  Hit the green once.  Maybe ten rounds since 2002. 

[William_G]

championship golf at under 7000 yards all day every day at Bandon, nuff said

[Garland Bayley]

Those par 3's really hold up.  14.......what a bugger.   I made a par once.  Hit the green once.  Maybe ten rounds since 2002. 

Seems to me 14 favors lefties. Weak slice left is survivable, but long draw right isn't. However, for righties, weak right is bad and long left is bad too.

[Tom_Doak]

They rarely set the course up with the tees all the way back, they usually put the black markers up on #13 in summer and on #18 in winter.  From all the way back it is plenty of golf for most.  But so are most courses, really ... The idea that courses have to be magically prepared and set up for tournaments is at least half b.s.

[William_G]

They rarely set the course up with the tees all the way back, they usually put the black markers up on #13 in summer and on #18 in winter.  From all the way back it is plenty of golf for most.  But so are most courses, really ... The idea that courses have to be magically prepared and set up for tournaments is at least half b.s.

at least at Bandon

[Scott Weersing]

I am surprised that hole no. 1 is playing over par. I guess they don't realize it is better to take a hybrid off the tee. No. 14 must have lots of double bogeys.

[Rich Goodale]

As Peter said above, this is not an elite field--just a middling sample from the NCAA universe.  The scores do not surprise me at all.

[PCCraig]

Not an elite field, but still decently high scores for a "short" golf course. I'm guessing the F&F fescue conditions probably took some time to get used to for young guys conditioned to wet winter courses back home. Even still, you could make PD pretty darn difficult if you sped up the greens a little bit and tucked a few pins.

[David Davis]

We could argue that they do not know how to play links golf. Where might they have had the opportunity to practice it before?

With the exception of the Europeans and Oregonians playing. That would certainly make a big difference in scoring.

[Brent Hutto]

I remember watching a young friend of mine who was (and still is) an outstanding golfer here locally play his first-ever links golf in the Amateur Championship a few years ago. He had two days of practice rounds then the two day of stroke play (did not make it to match play).

He felt that realistically he'd need to spend two or three weeks over there playing in links conditions every day to re-calibrate everything from his ball strking to his shot selection to his chipping and pitching.

So yeah, I'd think a lot of these guys are still trying to find their backside with both hands when it comes to playing links golf.

[Pete_Pittock]

I am surprised that hole no. 1 is playing over par. I guess they don't realize it is better to take a hybrid off the tee. No. 14 must have lots of double bogeys.

That is the most puckering tee shot on the resort.

[Greg Tallman]

The only team in the event that competed here at Cabo del Sol in the fall was Weber State and they scored better here at Cabo del Sol.

Ocean Course - 304
Desert Course - 286
Ocean Course - 308

Both courses played right at 7000 for the event and hole locations were rather easy with the exception of the 14th on The Desert Course and the 7th on The Ocean Course for the final round. Simply couldn't help myself, set the 7th up at about 98 yards with a tough hole location... a few 2's and lots of 4's.

[Chris_Hufnagel]

I am surprised that hole no. 1 is playing over par. I guess they don't realize it is better to take a hybrid off the tee. No. 14 must have lots of double bogeys.

That is the most puckering tee shot on the resort.

I couldn't agree more.  I have never liked that shot and I have hit everything from driver to 5 iron.  I opt for hybrid most often and am usually wandering the dunes and service roads on the right a few minutes later...

My favorite course at the resort and my least favorite opener. I would take bogey five every time and run to the second tee...

[Tim Bert]

I am surprised that hole no. 1 is playing over par. I guess they don't realize it is better to take a hybrid off the tee. No. 14 must have lots of double bogeys.

That is the most puckering tee shot on the resort.

I couldn't agree more.  I have never liked that shot and I have hit everything from driver to 5 iron.  I opt for hybrid most often and am usually wandering the dunes and service roads on the right a few minutes later...

My favorite course at the resort and my least favorite opener. I would take bogey five every time and run to the second tee...

I would take bogey five every time, run to the second hole, and promptly top my tee shot into the blow out area between the tee and the fairway.

[William_G]

I am surprised that hole no. 1 is playing over par. I guess they don't realize it is better to take a hybrid off the tee. No. 14 must have lots of double bogeys.

That is the most puckering tee shot on the resort.

I couldn't agree more.  I have never liked that shot and I have hit everything from driver to 5 iron.  I opt for hybrid most often and am usually wandering the dunes and service roads on the right a few minutes later...

My favorite course at the resort and my least favorite opener. I would take bogey five every time and run to the second tee...

you guys are crazy

[Garland Bayley]

I am surprised that hole no. 1 is playing over par. I guess they don't realize it is better to take a hybrid off the tee. No. 14 must have lots of double bogeys.

That is the most puckering tee shot on the resort.

I couldn't agree more.  I have never liked that shot and I have hit everything from driver to 5 iron.  I opt for hybrid most often and am usually wandering the dunes and service roads on the right a few minutes later...

My favorite course at the resort and my least favorite opener. I would take bogey five every time and run to the second tee...

you guys are crazy

No they are not. What Pete wrote is absolutely true. So much for the gentle handshake for the directionally challenged.

[jeffwarne]

They rarely set the course up with the tees all the way back, they usually put the black markers up on #13 in summer and on #18 in winter.  From all the way back it is plenty of golf for most.  But so are most courses, really ... The idea that courses have to be magically prepared and set up for tournaments is at least half b.s.

+1
see more goofy things in preparation and setup for big events than you ever do in events that just play the course as is
justifcation of existence is a real thing

PCraig,
I suspect that if green speeds were raised, the scores would be LOWER, not higher

[Bill_McBride]

I am surprised that hole no. 1 is playing over par. I guess they don't realize it is better to take a hybrid off the tee. No. 14 must have lots of double bogeys.

That is the most puckering tee shot on the resort.

Why?  You can't see anything!   

[Scott Weersing]

Ahhh, the first one at Pacific Dunes. It is unique and special.

How many courses have a first hole where you can't see the green from the tee? Pacific Dunes and Bandon, (hidden by the buildings).

How many other holes at Pacific Dunes where you can't see the green from the tee? No. 8, No. 9, No. 18. So it is a trend.

When I was there in February, I pulled a three wood and then tried to hit a second shot from the left over the greenside bunker. Nope, and took a double. I quickly learned to hit a hybrid off the tee, stay below the hole and two putt for par.

I noticed that No. 6 played under par on day 1 and then over par on day 2. I guess there were a lot of doubles as players missed the green with their second shot.

I also noticed that a player who practices at Chambers Bay won the tournament. J. Sanders of UW shot a 67 on Day 2.

[Tom Bacsanyi]

I am surprised that hole no. 1 is playing over par. I guess they don't realize it is better to take a hybrid off the tee. No. 14 must have lots of double bogeys.

That is the most puckering tee shot on the resort.

I couldn't agree more.  I have never liked that shot and I have hit everything from driver to 5 iron.  I opt for hybrid most often and am usually wandering the dunes and service roads on the right a few minutes later...

My favorite course at the resort and my least favorite opener. I would take bogey five every time and run to the second tee...

Ah the memories.  My first round on Pacific I hit a shrimp into the right dunes and it went all the way to the bottom.  It took me two to get back up on top and then a few more from there.  Welcome to Bandon!!!