[Chip Gaskins]

What happens when courses are set-up in ways that are not conducive to the architecture of the golf course.

Specifically, this weekend at Pebble we saw a set-up that required balls to be landed short of many greens to achieve the best result, however the architecture of that hole, specifically the approaches into the greens, were at best too narrow and at worst obstructed by 3-5 inch rough.  

What happens when you force a set-up onto a golf course that was not designed to be played in that way?

There were shots out there the best golfers in the world simply could not pull off.

This isn't a rant about fair and unfair...its more about when good intentions on the wrong courses might not work.

I will give a few examples just as thought starters:

#17



#16



#7 (especially the front pin)



I will present a juxtaposition with a few...

Oakmont #1



Pinehurst #2

Hole #3



Prairie Dunes

Hole #9

[JSlonis]

Chip,

Good post.  I posed the similar question in the Ryan Moore thread.

What happens is a rather dull tournament to watch.  Very little in the way of stellar play, exciting shots and any type of charge. It becomes a test of survival and the winner becomes the one who bleeds the least.

Basically we like the idea of fast and firm, but at Pebble, it seemed to get to the point of no return.  No return for a well struck shot.  My argument is the same as yours, if the best players in the world can't hit a green on a par 3 unless the ball lands in the rough over a bunker, there is a big disconnect between the set up and the architecture.

[Mike McGuire]

The setup issue for me at PB #17 was the rough between the green and the bunkers.

Should be poa out to the edges.

[Andrew Brown]

Chip,

Thoughtful post. IMO PB doesn't set up well for F&F. Thinking back to Sunday's pins - which ones allowed a "run in" approach?

Only 6, 8 and 13? As you point out - the design with rough and narrow openings (& tucked pins) rejects the premises and possibilities of a F&F philosophy.

But I ask rhetorically (as I watched only Sunday) - apart from No. 6, did any player try to run up any approach. I know Els tried on 13, and let go his F bomb when the ball didn't bounce (run in). But that is about all I recall.

Is this type of stroke - the run in approach -  a fable in the modern professional game?

Regards
Andrew

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