If 7,000 yards

[Adrian_Stiff]

Adrian,

Do you really think there are any 5 handicappers overpowering their golf courses? I believe, by definition, that these players are shooting in the mid-high 70's or low 80's...are you seriously suggesting they be forced to play a ball that goes 85% as far?



Melvyn,

Is it the price of modern equipment that has you turned off? Again, I apologize for any difficulties, but I can't seem to make sense of your complaints other than the ruling bodies not doing something for the sake of doing something...

Yes of course there are plenty of 5 handicappers that some short courses no longer present a challenge, at my club we have over 200 5 handicappers or better as members, but we are a long course. Category 1 in the UK is up to 5, certainly when you get to 2 and 3 handicap almost all the UK courses are bordering obsolete, golf is getting more expensive, moving hazards back into play is merely wasting money. A limited ball for use on a local basis would be the most cost effective way of resupplying the original challenge.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Jes

I must give you 10 out of 10 for your excellent impression of

Nero, fiddling while Rome burns

Enjoy your game.

[JESII]

A limited ball for use on a local basis would be the most cost effective way of resupplying the original challenge.

And that's the rub isn't it? Which "original challenge"are you referring to?

The course's? Or yours?

[JESII]

Jes

Enjoy your game.

Maybe that's the basis of my blindness...I do, and do not see any regulatory ruling helping to enjoy it more!

[Adrian_Stiff]

A limited ball for use on a local basis would be the most cost effective way of resupplying the original challenge.

And that's the rub isn't it? Which "original challenge"are you referring to?

The course's? Or yours?

The orginal challenge = the way the course was set up by the architect, so it plays as he put the hazards in position.

[JESII]

A limited ball for use on a local basis would be the most cost effective way of resupplying the original challenge.

And that's the rub isn't it? Which "original challenge"are you referring to?

The course's? Or yours?

The orginal challenge = the way the course was set up by the architect, so it plays as he put the hazards in position.

That's ambitious...would we use a different set of rules for each course?

[Adrian_Stiff]

A limited ball for use on a local basis would be the most cost effective way of resupplying the original challenge.

And that's the rub isn't it? Which "original challenge"are you referring to?

The course's? Or yours?

The orginal challenge = the way the course was set up by the architect, so it plays as he put the hazards in position.

That's ambitious...would we use a different set of rules for each course?

Nothing to do with rules, this is just about a limited flight ball.

[JESII]

A limited ball for use on a local basis would be the most cost effective way of resupplying the original challenge.

And that's the rub isn't it? Which "original challenge"are you referring to?

The course's? Or yours?

The orginal challenge = the way the course was set up by the architect, so it plays as he put the hazards in position.

That's ambitious...would we use a different set of rules for each course?

Nothing to do with rules, this is just about a limited flight ball.

Really?

Some of the older courses around 6000 yards are not likely to be played on a regular basis by 'the new breed of big hitters', it is these courses that need to perhaps have their own ball that is limited to say a 80 or 85 or 90 % flight in order to recreate the problems originally intended by the architecture. This 'local ball' does not need to be used by all, perhaps compulsory as a local rule for category 1 golfers (hcp 5 or better) and at the discretion of other players.

[Randy Thompson]

Pete Dye is the master living golf course architect for designing courses for the big boys. I bet if we call him, tell him we have got a great piece of land and an unlimitted budget and we plan to host a PGA tour event in the year 2012 and its close enough to his house for him to want to accept the job, then my bet is in two years we will have a course of minimum 7,600(from the back tees) yards and possibly up to 8,000. The rest of us will continue to design in the 7,200 range and if a developers lets us, hide some tees that will allow the course to be streched to 7400. Why, because like previously stated, the average golfer is driving around 250 and buying real estate around the golf course.

[Sean_A]

was a challenging tournament yardage for a golf course in 1985, shouldn't it be about 7,800 yards now?

This question seems to suggest that a 7000 yarder can't be challenging for a pro.  Now, I am nt quite sure how you use the term "challenging".  It seems we all have different idea, but I do think a guy can shoot 67 and be challenged.  Score and challenge are not directly related.

Adrian - I would think that by definition a 5 capper is challenged by nearly every course.  They may think the challenge is one dimensional or limited, but I find it difficult to take this line of thinking seriously from a 5 capper - they just aren't that good to spend a lot of time worrying about challenge. 

Ciao

[Adrian_Stiff]

Sean & Jes- I am trying to say that the modern players (it can be cat 1 golfers ie 5 or better) or (12 handicappers that hit it a long way) no longer are challenged by positioning of hazards on older golf courses. I am not saying that their approaches will be accurate or even that these courses are easy, merely from the tee a number of golf courses have had their architecture compromised by the ball going further. In that respect the easiest way to bring those hazards back into play is to reduce the distance the ball travels, so I am suggesting compulsory up to a certain standard. It is no different really than golfers playing from forward tees in order to enjoy course.... this means the bigger hitters can enjoy the 'many' older golf courses.