US Am at Olympic

[Glenn Spencer]

Glenn,

I just think there's some kind of disconnect when only 5-10% of guys are hitting the green in regulation.

The difficulty is that it's incredibly hard to land a ball on the green and stop it, but there's no way to run it up, either.

I just think that if we expect guys to approach from 200+ yards, there should be some way to play a shot with a reasonable chance of hitting the green. The evidence from this past week is that guys don't have a reasonable chance of hitting that green from over 200 yards away.

Realize that a 200 yard approach assumes a drive of 291, uphill, into the wind, in heavy air! So 220 yards or more is a distinct possibility, which would require a 5-wood or a 2-hybrid into the green.

If our response is that, well, a guy can just lay up if the green is too hard to hit - I agree, but in that case we should call it what it is: a par-5.

Obviously, you know the green much better than I do, but I do think it is nice to see some guys have to play some shots that people had to years ago. One other thing, I think it is a hole that brings the cream to the top as a par 4. Knost was and is the better player and he handled it like a champion at the right time. I like that in a golf hole that late in the round. Everything you said makes a lot of sense, it is hard to disagree.

[Mike Benham]

Let's all thank God that he didn't play the hole that way. I like Colt a lot and in fact won a bet on him winning the thing, but to call him a gunslinger for attempting to hit the green from 220 or 230 is a little much. Are you under the impression that any self-respecting golfer in Colt's position would actually play the hole the way that you described?

Glenn -

You obviously missed the tie in of "gunslinger" to Colt's name, perhaps I should have used "ponied up" instead.

You do realize they were playing match play?

I guess that David Toms is not a self-respecting golfer ...

And gambling is illegal at Bushwood ...

Mike

[John Keenan]

Tom H

On the attendance I do not think the USGA did much in the way of local publicity. I saw very little in the SF Chronicle. In addition nothing that I caught on TV except the final winner. No radio interviews or anything to help get the word out. Admittedly amateur golf is not as big a draw as the PGA but to be frank match play is a lot of fun to watch.

On a personal note I liked having smaller crowds than you see at a PGA event. My son and I both commented on how close to  the actual play you are at the US AM. This was my second time attending a finals and both were excellent.

[ed_getka]

My son and I really enjoyed ourselves at the Amateur for the reasons John cited. I went home and looked up future Am and Walker Cup sites to start attending instead of US Opens.

[Glenn Spencer]

Let's all thank God that he didn't play the hole that way. I like Colt a lot and in fact won a bet on him winning the thing, but to call him a gunslinger for attempting to hit the green from 220 or 230 is a little much. Are you under the impression that any self-respecting golfer in Colt's position would actually play the hole the way that you described?

Glenn -

You obviously missed the tie in of "gunslinger" to Colt's name, perhaps I should have used "ponied up" instead.

You do realize they were playing match play?

I guess that David Toms is not a self-respecting golfer ...

And gambling is illegal at Bushwood ...

Mike

Mike,

You do realize that Toms was not playing match play, right? Comparing the two situations is  reallly showing a lack of understanding about how to play the game. Toms could lose it on 18 at AAC. Knost couldn't have lost on 17 at Olympic. Now, do you see? ANY self-respecting golfer would "go" for that green in Colt's position.

[Glenn Spencer]

My son and I really enjoyed ourselves at the Amateur for the reasons John cited. I went home and looked up future Am and Walker Cup sites to start attending instead of US Opens.

Ed,

I went to the WOMEN'S amateur this year and enjoyed the hell out of it. I don't blame you or your son one bit. I still maintain all of the Amateur events should be on TV somewhere. It is so much fun to watch compared to another damn stroke play event on the PGA Tour.

[Tom Huckaby]

Tom H

On the attendance I do not think the USGA did much in the way of local publicity. I saw very little in the SF Chronicle. In addition nothing that I caught on TV except the final winner. No radio interviews or anything to help get the word out. Admittedly amateur golf is not as big a draw as the PGA but to be frank match play is a lot of fun to watch.

On a personal note I liked having smaller crowds than you see at a PGA event. My son and I both commented on how close to  the actual play you are at the US AM. This was my second time attending a finals and both were excellent.

JK - thanks.  Oh heck yeah in terms of watching golf this would have been the only way to go.  Of course the negative is you're not watching the best players.... but those guys are good enough.

I was just wondering how attendance stacked up.  I figured it wouldn't come close to pro events, even contrived ones like that WWOG match.  I guess I figured correctly.

TH

[John Keenan]

Glenn I could not agree more regarding armature tournaments. The aspect of match play adds an element of drama that, for me at least ,is missing from the PGA.  Conceding putts, lay up versus go for it all seem far more significant in match play.

Then again maybe the Fed Ex Cup will add that element of drama.