Doug:
It's far from absurd, and it's not just me who sees the simple logic. Each of Jeff Brauer, Mike Nuzzo, Rich Goodale and yes, Pete Dye see how this plays out. I'd try to explain it again, for the 100th time, but you won't believe it, so let's just agree to disagree. Just easy on the exclamations, OK. I really do believe it plays out this way. It is far from absurd.
Patrick:
If that's a concession, thank God you don't run our military.
Sully:
Yes, I understand that. I still think it plays out like I've said. The example from my tournament group is far from perfect, but I just gave it so that George - who demanded facts - had something he could at least try to understand.
All of you seem incapable of grasping how golf can be different from all other sports - how a task that's more difficult can possibly favor the lesser player. Why is that so hard? Golf is different from other sports in SO many ways, why should this surprise you? And why does it work out this way?
It comes down - once again - to how golf is measured. It's not how close you get it to the hole, it's how many strokes are recorded.
Try this:
Two players putting from 25 feet. One shaves the hole, leaves it on the lip, taps in. One misses by 4 feet, never coming close to the hole - then makes the second putt.
Who is the better player?
By the way you guys are thinking about this, the first player is necessarily better. And if we are basing it on style points, he is.
But golf isn't measured by style points. It's measured by strokes. Unbelievably, against all logic, the two players are EQUAL.
And that's the basis for why this all plays out as Jeff, Rich, Mike and I have tried to explain.
I understand you don't buy it. I can live with that. It comes down to you underselling (as I see it) the skill of the better player on flat putts, and overselling (as I see it) the horrific effects of contour on the bad putter. We can and do disagree about that.
But our position is FAR from absurd. It actually makes a lot of sense.
And it comes down to the oddity of a sport where a 2 inch putt also counts the exact same as a 325 yard drive. That's pretty damn illogical also. But that's golf.
TH