"Yes, the ground game is still relevant, but as Jeff B. and Tom D. have pointed out, it won't affect the better players most of the time."
Mike:
I don't think affecting the better player most of the time is really the point when one speaks about bringing back the relevance of the ground game. Bringing it back for players who are not so long and not so talented is really the point of recreating the relevance of the ground game. They're the ones who can use it to their advantage more effectively.
If a classic design (more open fronts than a modern design) can get a good player to use or even consider using the ground game approach option 2-3 times a round I'd say the ground game option is back for the better player.
A course like mine---Gulph Mills G.C. is pretty typicial of a ground game approach design---basically it has about ten greens with open fronts conducive to the ground game "bounce in or run-in" approaches. PVGC and Merion have about nine!
If you can get a better player to consider or use the ground game approach 2-3 times a round on those courses, the ground game is back and it's relevant again, in my opinion. With nine to ten open front greens the way to basically force the good player to consider or use the bounce in or run-in approach 2-3 times a round is simply to firm up those green surfaces and approaches and put pins in the very front of about 1/3 of those nine to ten greens with open front. That combination alone will encourage the better player to use the ground game approach 2-3 time a round and that's more than it used to be.
AGREED. FOR THE GUYS WHO BOMB THE BALL, THE ONLY WAY TO GET THEM TO USE THE GROUND GAME IS TO MAKE THE GREENS VERY FIRM. I WANT TO LET ANY PLAYER USE IT IF THEY DESIRE BUT IT WILL MOSTLY BE DONE BY THE SHORTER HITTERS AND MID-TO-HI HANDICAPPERS.
KINGSLEY HAS OPEN FRONTS ON 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, & 18, PLUS HOLES 7, 8, 11, & 13 ENCOURAGE RUN-UPS FROM CERTAIN ANGLES AND SHOTS. ONLY HOLES 2 & 9 - BOTH PAR SHORT 3'S - ARE MORE AERIAL ORIENTED BECAUSE THEIR OPEN APPROACHES ARE SO TIGHT. COMBINE THESE WITH REALLY FIRM GREENS AND FAIRWAYS AND EVEN THE BEST PLAYERS AND BIG HITTERS ARE INCORPORATING RUN-UPS AND KNOCKDOWN SHOTS THROUGHOUT THE ROUND.
SUPER FIRM GREENS WILL FORCE THE BETTER PLAYER TO PLAY THE GROUND GAME. I HAVE SEEN MANY GOOD PLAYERS IGNORE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE GROUND GAME, PROBABLY BECAUSE THE GREEN CONDITIONS THEY ARE ACCUSTOMED TO ALLOW THEM TO FLIP THEIR WEDGES IN TIGHT.
Sorry about the caps -- I was trying to insert them in your quote and it didn't go through.