WHO PLAYS AUGUSTA?

[Sean_A]

This thread has taken a left field turn...practically out of the gate.  That said, I am not sure why anyone gets the impression that the GCA.com crowd is hating on Augusta.  Practically every negative comment comes couched in the context of the course being great and people wanting play or even visit regardless of green, brown or blue.  Keep things in perspective.


Back to the main point I was trying make.  With the extraordinary high percentage of play (whatever that number is) connected with tournament golf, do people think the changes the club makes to the course are justified?  I am saying people have to like the changes, but are they justified given the tournament pedigree of he course?  If so, is August about the course on the planet which can possibly make such a claim?


Ciao

[Bill_McBride]

This thread has taken a left field turn...practically out of the gate.  That said, I am not sure why anyone gets the impression that the GCA.com crowd is hating on Augusta.  Practically every negative comment comes couched in the context of the course being great and people wanting play or even visit regardless of green, brown or blue.  Keep things in perspective.


Back to the main point I was trying make.  With the extraordinary high percentage of play (whatever that number is) connected with tournament golf, do people think the changes the club makes to the course are justified?  I am saying people have to like the changes, but are they justified given the tournament pedigree of he course?  If so, is August about the course on the planet which can possibly make such a claim?


Ciao

I hate to say this but I think Mr. Mucci is correct.  There is such a huge difference between championship and member tees, and green speeds too, that I think it evens out between members and PGA tour players. 

[Jfaspen]

Back to the main point I was trying make.  With the extraordinary high percentage of play (whatever that number is) connected with tournament golf, do people think the changes the club makes to the course are justified?  I am saying people have to like the changes, but are they justified given the tournament pedigree of he course?  If so, is August about the course on the planet which can possibly make such a claim?


Ciao

Although I think Augusta is the course most connected to a particular tournament, I don't believe it stands alone in that regard.  I think both TPC Sawgrass as well as Erin Hills were built with major level tournaments in mind.  Obviously the amount of public/resort play at those courses distinguishes them from ANGC, but I feel their primary purpose is to host a tournament and test the best in the world, not the rest.

[Sam Kestin]

"Justified" is kind of a tough word. I suppose that would depend on what Augusta's priorities are--and (from way outside) it would seem to me like the Masters is the chief priority. They close the Club down every summer (no idea how many other clubs do this--but I would think very very few) and use that opportunity to make relentless improvements to the player and spectator experience at the Masters. They spend millions on millions acquiring property to make changes to the parking, hospitality and media experiences. I would argue that the Masters comes first and then the Membership comes second.


Even still--how dramatically different is this golf course for the Members as compared to maybe 15 or so years ago?


Have they compromised the experience of playing the golf course from Members' tees?


I'm not saying they haven't--but other than the trees down the right of 11 and 15/17 I'm not sure I can think of any real dramatic changes for someone who is playing the course from the Members' tees.

[MClutterbuck]

From the members tees I donīt think recent changes have been too dramatic.


In fact, the loss of Ikeīs tree and the decision not to replace it, has certainly made one hole easier. I might be corrected, but I believe Ikeīs tree had a second tree behind it, in the same line of play. I though that would stay and "replace" it. I believe it was also taken down, and not by the storm. If this is the case, there appears to have been a conscious effort to make this hole wider, more forgiving and allow for more choice of the tee. I only get this impression from photos and might be completely wrong about the facts.

[MClutterbuck]

The second tree is visibile in this photo. By the way, I also believe that tree was not there for many years, so a deliberate effort was put in to have a replacement, and then to take it out. Again, I am speculating as to motives and might not even have my facts right.