Pacific Coast Am at Olympic

[Matt_Cohn]

One of the seminal figures of new wave, Adam Ant (born Stuart Leslie Goddard) had several distinct phases to his career. Initially, he explored a jagged, guitar-oriented post-punk with his group Adam and the Ants before giving way to a more pop-oriented, glam-tinged musical direction that brought him to the top of the charts. After that had run its course, he refashioned himself as a mainstream singer, which enabled him to stretch his career out for a couple of years. Once it seemed that his musical career had evaporated, he made an unexpected comeback in the early '90s as an adult alternative artist. During all this time, he recorded several great pop singles and had a surprisingly large impact on alternative rock.

Henry Liaw, on the other hand, is an excellent golfer.  

One other reason Henry might not have stressed about the practice round is that he's turning pro in a few weeks and has tournaments and sponsors lined up already. Other than his own satisfaction, it doesn't matter very much what he shoots this week!

[Tom Huckaby]

Matt - love it!

But that gets more to the heart of the matter.  Henry is treating the event as a cool non-stress fun competition.  That to me sounds pretty damn cool.

BTW, his name is more familiar than I let on... college golf somewhere in CA... or maybe some other huge am success...  I can't place it and won't cheat by doing a search!

TH

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I am surprised the Ocean is playing that hard. I find the Lake to be several shots harder.

[Anthony Butler]

Kevin -

I was just looking at the stats ... pretty tough stretch of golf from 2 though 5 ...

For this player of golfer, I don't think the clearing of the trees on the right would make the hole that much easier, primarily because I don't expect them to miss right as the average golfer.  And if they are hitting 3-wood off the tee, the aren't trying to cut the corner or play along the tree line ...

How much harder will #2 play when the new tees go into play?

Hole   Yds  Par   Average   Rank
2   394   4   4.456        5   
3   229   3   3.567        3   
4   438   4   4.578        2   
5   457   4   4.489        4

4 and 5 will do a number on you... you NEED a draw off 4 and Fade off 5 just to stay in the fairway.

BTW-Randy Haag is an awesome player but he must be getting up there... I would say early 50s. His putting was always what kept him going. Played with him in a NCGA event in Pleasanton about 10 years ago. Our long games were almost identical the same, yet he had 67 and I shot 75.

[David_Tepper]

Tom H. -

Since I have never have competed (and never will!) at a high level of amateur golf, I don't know what the practice & preparation habits of the top players are. However, with this being the top amateur event on the West Coast and a possible Walker Cup spot on the line, I would think most of the entrants would want to play as well in the event as they possibly can.  

To the best of my knowledge, both OC courses were available for practice rounds on Sunday & Monday.  I would have thought that most out-of-town contestants would have arrived in the Bay Area this past Saturday or Sunday and made some attempt to play (or survey) one or both of the courses.

Heck, the one year the Presidio GC won the NCGA Saturday Team League, we went down to San Luis Obispo GC a day early to get in a practice round on their course for our semi-final match!

Since young Mr. Liaw soon is turning pro soon, he may very well have other priorities at this point. I have no problem with that.

DT

[Tom Huckaby]

David:

I too have little or no exposure to top-flight competition... It's just curious that my impressions seem to be very opposite from yours!  My assumptions are/were that most of these guys have jobs and real lives, and thus likely cannot devote an entire week to this... with the other assumption that those who have legitimate Walker Cup hopes are few and far between.

And of course the NCGA Saturday League playoffs would REQUIRE practice rounds.  If that glorious day comes that my beloved Santa Teresa team every qualifies for such (and it won't be this year), damn right we go a day early and practice, and I don't care if we're playing Eureka Muni!

 

Seriously though, my assumption was totally different - and that is that most out of towners would have enough problem taking three competition days away from their real lives... such that adding one or two more for a practice round just may or may not be a reality.

But I may well be VERY clouded with bias from my own example!  I shun two-day tournaments out of fear or my wife and employer.

 

[Matt_Cohn]

I mentioned this just briefly but guys did hit driver almost all the way around, including 2, 4, and 5. It will be interesting to see if they change their strategy tomorrow.

Was there any controversy about #4 fairway in past Opens?

[Kevin_Reilly]

Driver was almost never used on #4...I always saw 3 wd or long iron.  Mike Benham was telling me yesterday that Els used a 4 iron off that tee.  

[Kevin_Reilly]

PS, not to violate any vendor-customer confidentiality, but what kind of irons did Buddy Marucci buy from you?  

[Matt_Cohn]

On #4 I guess the difference is that you can run it through the rough right now - Henry hits it so straight that I told him he could a draw driver if he wanted. I have him a target 10 yards into the left rough, he hit it right there, and ended up on the right side of the fairway. He made 3!

Buddy bought the last generation of Taylor Made TP forged irons - the cavity back-type, not the newest muscle-back ones (which the third guy in Henry's group was playing). He also bought a Bushnell tournament edition rangefinder.

It had a hard time getting used to guys using the rangefinder. They just walked up to their ball, pulled out the rangefinder, and hit it. Zero pacing whatsoever.

[Kevin_Reilly]

So this tournament is being played with rangefinders?  Interesting...I didn't know that.

[Mike Benham]

I have to ask:  when was he supposed to get in such practice round?  The club was generous to offer such prior to the tournament, but space was very limited (from what I read).  And if he's not from the area and/or has no way to access the club, well...

There was plenty of opportunity to play practice round, there was +2 hours per day of tee times.

I played on Sunday, a few holes ahead of the practice rounds and on the 9th green (I was on 18 tee), Randy Haag, an O Club member and PCA participant, was giving his playing partners the skinny on how to approach the green based on the hole location.

[Tom Huckaby]

Kevin - I believe damn near all tournaments allow range-finders these days.  And of course not that I am one to say I told you so - oh screw that, I love it - but for all the naysayers back in the argument about rangefinders decrying how this would slow down play, well... I told you so.  Read Matt's post.  Walk up, shoot, hit.  Net gain on time taken previously to pace things off.

Mike - I certainly meant no offense.  But of course utilizing one of those times presumes Sunday presence in the area, which was more what I was doubting, at least for a large portion of the field.

TH

[Mike Benham]

Then consider the 3 par 5's.  The 11th is slighly shorter but plays on average more difficult than the others, with a massive scoring spread.  There must be a variety of hazards that come into play on this hole.

The 11th, that requires an uphill, into the wind tee shot over a barranca, also has OB left and unplayable wide right.  The approach to the green is deceiving as a bunker fronts the green but is 15 short of it.

Joseph Bramlett, perhaps the finest 18-year old in NorCal, took 10 strokes to navigate #11 on his way to a 5-over 76 and out of contention for the individual title.

[Matt_Cohn]

The leaders, at least, played more as expected today with a few rounds in the 60's.

Buddy managed a 75 with his new irons. Of all the iron sets I've sold, this is the first one I could find the guy's score the next day on the internet.

Henry shot 69 to get within 3 of the lead. I'll be back on his bag tomorrow, so that will be fun. He tees off at 9:45. If any of you guys are out there watching tomorrow, I'll be easy to find! (Although not quite very free to talk.)

[peter_p]

I've watched Adam Hagen play since he was a peewee. Usually underestimated, somehow gets it done.

[Matt_Cohn]

misunderestimated, would you say?

[David_Tepper]

Looks like one (1!) guy broke par today on the Lake Course. I guess all the new ball & club technology hasn't made all of the classic courses obsolete just yet.

[James Bennett]

Analysis or rounds 1 and 3 on the Ocean course, in a readable size (thanks Mike Benham for the advice).  Tables first, then charts.  Can't discuss the outcomes now - have to go and play golf now (in mid 60's temperature  with sunshine, in the middle of winter .  I'll post the Lake course rounds 2 and 4 tonight.  Look forward to some analysis and discussion then.

James B

[Matt_Cohn]

Somewhat more difficult day today - slightly tougher pins, slightly firmer golf course, and more wind, too.

The average pin was 6.5 paces from the edge so it was challenging but could get tougher. Next summer with 5 inches of rough, it will be tougher.

I got a card ride to the gate from a member of the grounds crew who mentioned that for the U.S. Amateur the rough will be grown extra long around the lips of the bunkers. The plan is for 9 inches of rough (!!!) in these areas.

[Joel_Stewart]

I got a card ride to the gate from a member of the grounds crew who mentioned that for the U.S. Amateur the rough will be grown extra long around the lips of the bunkers. The plan is for 9 inches of rough (!!!) in these areas.

Thats about as stupid thing one could say.  He's an idiot.  The rough lines for this tournament are the same as the Amateur.  The USGA is already doing site inspections and I'm sure they must be pleased.

With a new tee on #2, #3 and #5 the course will be all they can handle.  They don't need to grow any rough, but then again this is the USGA.

[Matt_Cohn]

Joel, just to be clear, the rough lines will be the same - I haven't heard anything about fairways being narrowed, and my gosh, they don't need to be! - but the collars of the bunkers (I think that's the right term) will be grown out to give them that "bearded" look, a la Pebble Beach in 2000. (Remember Tiger making 7 on #3 on Saturday?). The person I spoke to - I don't know his name - mentioned the visual intimidation factor.

Unless I misunderstood your remark, I don't think the groundsperson is an idiot. I think he was just passing on information that I can only assume is correct.

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