America's First 8,000 yard golf course?

[Kalen Braley]

Seems to me that 8000 yard courses make the most sense in the desert.

Consider a typical 7000 yard course layout.  To get to 8000, you only need on average an extra 55 yards per hole.

So on all 18 holes, this only really requires a back tee on each hole, as top notch players could still reach the fairways.  A small infrequently used tee would seems to add relatively little cost in relation to other solutions.  The par 5s, you could go 60-70 yards back while on the par 3s, go 30-40 yards back.  Seems doable given the space is available at a relative minimum of expense.

[BCowan]

One thing that bothers me about many people with a voice today is that in my youth when I could hit the bar long and far I do not recall a single gentleman who wished I was playing the same up tee as he. It seemed as though those who came before me admired the bigger homes, cars and breasts so enjoyed by the youth of the day. What happened where we now want our children to no longer be the best, for every child to be equal, for the grass to not only be greener on the other side of the fence but just greener damn the cost. I hope my children play 9,000 yard courses while living in 9,000 square foot homes while getting 9 miles to the gallon. That and 9% cheap beer sounds like a sweet future.

John,


Is it time to get started on the 9,000 yard course? 

[MCirba]

Nice to see all these courses following the prescient lead of "The International" in Bolton, MA, which was obviously well ahead of its time when it was built in 1954.   Who knew Geoffrey Cornish was not only a wonderful gentleman but also a prophet?   

I'm being slightly facetious, but Bob Crosby is correct that the real sin isn't the length of courses that now need to be built to effectively contain the modern game but the failure of the governing bodies to effectively contain technology.