Sandy Tatum on The Belfry

[Geoff_Shackelford]

If you haven't picked up Sandy Tatum's new book "A Love Affair With the Game," here's a teaser in light of this week's event at The Belfry:

"When you consider all of the sensational links courses that so distinguish the game in that part of the world, and indeed tie the playing of the game to its origins, it is puzzling, to say the least, that the venue selectors would select a course in the English Midlands which looks like it was transplanted from a resort in Florida."

"I am moved to add that the visage of a water fountain playing in the middle of an artificial lake fronting the 18th green violates my sensibilities. Fountains belong in civic plazas and parks, and formal gardens."

[Jeff_Lewis]

Here, here Sandy!

[Jim_Kennedy]

Geoff,
I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments expressed by Mr. Tatum but I don't believe it's puzzling.

[Tim Weiman]

Geoff:

I'm reluctant to disagree with Sandy Tatum, but I think The Belfry is perfect for the Ryder Cup. It's a big corporate event for professional golfers - exactly the folks we ought to keep off classic courses.

Rather than criticize The Belfry's architecture, I think we should be happy the event is being held there. So far I haven't seen much good come of trying to hold professional events at the the courses we cherish.

[Paul Daley]

Shack:

I'm getting twitchy observing the ball being screwed back when approaching from the rough. Such a stunt is not really in the spirit of the game.
 

[redanman]

Call me a cynic, if you please, but do any of you gentlemen believe that the staging of anything in professional golf is about anything but the money anymore?

[Bob_Huntley]

Apart from the money, the Europeans know the greens backwards and have a distinct advantage.

[hickorygolf (Guest)]

Personally, after Woods' comments about the event being overhyped and not as important as individual tournaments (with a number of other agreeing), I think we have a bunch of over pampered cry babies on our hands. He would rather be playing for another Million in a no name PGA tournament? The professional game of golf is starting to be more like baseball, a "sport" I refuse to watch anymore.
The last thing that should be done is design courses for these guys. I think the focus should be on the scratch through bogey player. The pros are probably going to tear up the course anyway, who cares if they go 12 or 32 under? And those players over 18 handicap don't have the skills to play the architecture anyway. I don't know if most of the architects have a handicap target for their designs, but would be interested to know.

I hope the pro's can find there way back to playing the game for fun, because from where I sit they don't seem to.

My 2 cents worth.

[Geoff_Shackelford]

Jim, BillV,
No, not puzzling, Tatum is being kind there because he knows the reason the don't go to any links. And we all know the reason they play The Belfry, or The K Club. That said...

Tim,
You make a great point and I'm in agreement for the most part. I guess I just believe that you can create compelling golf without butchering sound designs. (The Country Club worked out, but it was in good hands). The elements that make golf exciting seem to be lost on those doing the setup and doctoring. Or, they understand, and just don't like it because birdies indicate that the players are good, and it makes crowds pay more attention to them than the people doing the setup.  The way Torrance got involved in setup was a bit sad too. I liked Gallagher's remarks, he just turned it over to the referree.That said...

The golf course stayed out of the equation in the negative way we've seen lately, where some bizarre maintenance or design quirk influences the outcome. What a difference, to see inspiring play decided by the players, and yes, Bob, they did read those greens beautifully, which I thought was great since the pro game has been reduced to a putting contest  Oh, and was it me or were the hole locations today dreadful? It was hugely disappointing to see #10 lose its luster. Somehow, watching the Americans play (attack is not the word) the course, I sensed they are locked in such a stroke play, one-dimensional mindset, and that many still would not have driven 10 if played on the 272 tee. Robotic golf caught up to the Americans it seemed, and thank God for that!

Paul,
You didn't think the conditions were fast and firm?  How about the highlights of past Ryder Cups at The Belfry. The course played so much faster and not nearly as lush.
Geoff

[Tommy_Naccarato]

I watched all of about 7 minutes of the Ryder Cup this weekend and I'm feeling that I should go some sort of virus scan or de-programming.

Yesterday I happened upon seeing two of the Euros driving the green on #10, only to see Davis Love and Tiger Woods, (two of the longer players in the game) play it safe and lose the hole. Then this morning I happen to see the very last where the Euro's closed it out, Sergio Garcia in what could best be described as an badly acted epyleptic trauma, and the aptly described spoiled crybabies showing great sportsmanship by complaining to some official.

Somehow I agree with Tiger Woods. He shouldn't be wasting anytime with such nonsense and neither should I. I would much rather be watching the Walker Cup, or is the USGA screwing that event up too?

Trust me, I'm not a bitter American, in fact I was probably rooting for the Euro's to win. I'm just disgusted with golf as a whole--make that professional golf!

[Jeff Fortson]

Tommy,

As much as I value your opinion I think I have to disagree with you about the disgustingness of golf, or professional golf due to the Ryder Cup.  

I thought the Ryder Cup was great.  Sure, they could have definitely played the matches on a much better course.  I personally think the Old course at St. Andrews would be the ultimate sight for a Ryder Cup.  They think 18 at the Belfry is exciting...  imagine 17 and 18 on the Old course in a Ryder Cup!  The ampitheatre on 18 would be an amazing theatre for the Ryder Cup.  Sure, Davis Love was being a little too sensitive about Garcia making a mockery of sportsmanship on 18 the way the Americans did to Olazabal on 17 at Brookline.  But Davis WAS right, Sergio should have waited until that match was over.  He owed the players still playing the respect to finish their matches.

I thought the Ryder Cup was actually quite exciting.  I was almost in tears when Azinger holed out on 18 from the bunker.  It was almost as if Payne Stewart was talking to Azinger like Obi-Won Kenobi, "Use the force, Paul".  That shot was eerie to me.  Then, Furyk almost does the same thing.  If Furyk holes that bunker shot or McGinley misses that putt I think the US team would have tied the matches and kept the cup.  

I guess I am a total sucker for the drama and I can look past some of the ridiculous behavior of the players in the event.  Even though Hoch, Cink, and Strange are two of my least favorite professional golfers ever, I was still rooting for them as if they were on my team.  Maybe I still have the ability to look at the US team proudly and feel that they represent my country, even if they are a bunch of crybabies sometimes.  

To me the Ryder Cup isn't about how the pros want their money or how they think it doesn't matter or even the event being played on an abortion of a golf course.  It's about drama, guts, emotion, and exciting golf.  Seeing people crack or be clutch under the most intense pressure in the game is what does it for me.  I am zoned in on the TV every time it is played.  Maybe it's because I have always dreamed of playing in one, who knows?

I do think the Ryder Cup is better than the Walker Cup by a mile.  The Walker Cup is a "Rookie All-Star Ryder Cup" because the players are 90% college kids who are about to turn professional anyway.  They need to have a Walker Cup/Mid-Amateur and then it would be a true amateur team competition to me.  At least the Ryder Cup doesn't sell itself as something it isn't.  The Walker Cup does just that.

Anyway, to all of those that lost faith in the Ryder Cup, I say take a look at all the amazing shots, putts, chips, emotions, etc. over Sunday's matches, and the first two days as well, and you will see a lot more than egos and money grubbing crybabies.

Jeff F.

[Rick Shefchik]

I have to agree with Jeff here. For all its shortcomings, the Ryder Cup once again provided great entertainmnet (and I'm not just trying to justify getting up at 7 a.m. on Saturday and 6 a.m. on Sunday -- I took my nap after the Cup was won, so I'm of reasonably clear mind now.)

Lessons learned (for me, anyway):

The home course advantage has become almost too much for either side to overcome. The pressure is obviously greatest on Sunday, and putting under pressure is a bit easier when you know the greens better than your opponents and have the crowd rabidly in your corner.

The Europeans care more than the Americans. It might be just as well to send a team of mid-level U.S. pros like Flesch, Estes, Hart, Funk, Lickliter, etc., who would be thrilled to participate in these matches, and might match the enthusiasm level of their opponents. I really don't need to see Davis Love sleepwalk around another Ryder Cup competition, only to finally show some emotion when griping about the other team celebrating too much when the jig is up.

Curtis Strange is going to get flayed for letting the Euros get off to such a fast start -- wasn't he watching at The Country Club last time around? -- and I think it's fair to say he needed to make sure he got at least two wins in the early matches. But that said, I don't think the pairings made a lot of difference. The Euros were on fire, and looked like winners no matter who they matched up with.

[TEPaul]

That's odd about the Americans (Love and Woods) not trying to drive the 10th at the Belfry. I was at The Country Club at Brookline a few weeks ago and one of the people there involved in that Ryder Cup said that most of the long hitting Americans tried to drive #6 there while all the Euros were laying up and playing it safe on that hole!

I don't know that much about Sandy Tatum but I sure have been hearing lately some wonderful stuff that he said to others about golf and architecture!

[THuckaby2]

TEP:  if you get a chance please do try to read Mr. Tatum's book, which came out relatively recently... He is indeed a hero of American golf.

TH

[Bob_Huntley]

With all due respect to Sandy Tatum, I cannot see Spanish Bay as being a triumph.

[THuckaby2]

True... well said, Bob.  Call that his foible.  Reading his book though, I can live with calling him a hero of American golf.  If a different truth exists outside of what the book portrays, I don't want to know about it!

TH