[Steve_Lovett]

Much has been made about this year's US Open, which clearly was one for the ages.  However, as I watch the replay I can't help but be struck with how far off line Tiger drove the ball on many holes.  In many cases with few exceptions (notably the 1st on Sunday) he hit it so far from the fairway that his ball had a nearly ideal lie in trampled grass and allowed for recovery shots almost as if they were played from the fairway.

I've got to think that from what I recall from the broadcasts over the years, if this year's Open would've been played at, say, Shinnecock, the way he drove the ball Tiger would've spent a lot of time hacking the ball out of knee-high rough and may not have been a factor in the tournament at all.

How can golf course architecture address this and properly penalize drives which are hit "all over the farm"?  Or, should these shots be penalized?

 

[Mike Bowline]

The severity of the penalty was reduced due to the gallery presence. If Tiger had been playing on a Tuesday morning with no gallery    to trample down the rough, you are absolutely correct, he would have had a much harder time with the rough. I was screaming at the TV watching him be so very far off line he was getting nice lies, while the guys missing the fairway by 5 yds were getting creamed. So much for the USGA's graduated penalty..... It just goes to show you, I have always said Tiger would score nearl;y the same playing from any of our mediocre tee shots - his strength, creativity, and short game are so good.

Architecturally, I believe the way to penalize these wayward shots for the average golfer is to make the angles into the green from wayward shots be more difficult. Not more rough, more trees, nor more bunkers; just tougher angles. Also, extremely wayward tees shots also usually come to rest farther from the green than the "straight" shot.

[John_Conley]

Much has been made about this year's US Open, which clearly was one for the ages.  However, as I watch the replay I can't help but be struck with how far off line Tiger drove the ball on many holes. 

Steve, I kept thinking Tiger would have had a hard time breaking 80 with all the penalty strokes he'd have added if he played some of the courses I play.  Of course, on holes set up like that he wouldn't have strayed as far.

One time he drove in another hole's bunker and still hit the green.  I don't think there's any question Torrey doesn't penalize people enough for the way lefts.  Or way rights.  When Mediate missed a fairway he was at least on his hole.

[Jim Nugent]

If the course had been tighter, or more penal, Tiger would have adjusted his play. 

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Remember Ballesteros in his prime?

[Adam Clayman]

How can golf course architecture address this and properly penalize drives which are hit "all over the farm"?  Or, should these shots be penalized?

You raise an excellent question. I'm glad I went back 5 pages to find it.

This is the crux of the argument that Mike Davis and the USGA need to heed. Thrilling recoveries do NOT happen from knee high(or even ankle) rough. Tiger's shot from the bunker on 9, in the playoff, might have been the shot of the tourney. The irony of having Rocco drain the putt on top of him, was the thickest drama. If the players can play from bunkers on the wrong holes and from trampled rough, why have any areas where recovery is nearly impossible? Certainly, creativity of the golfer is highlighted in these specific instances, which IMO is desirable.

[TEPaul]

If I'm understanding what Adam Clayman is saying just above, I agree with him.

In theory, the idea of "graduated" penalty to make the penalty more severe the farther off line a golfer hits a ball seems OK in theory but to actually do something like that on most golf courses and most holes can and probably would inherit a whole lot more design problems than the theory of "graduated penalty" would be worth and perhaps even severely so.

An example of a golf course where something like that may work well without inheriting design problems on any holes would be something like Sand Hills which, amazingly, with it's fairly tight green to next tee distances the golf course itself is on something like 550 acres which means there is tremendous separation between the main body of most all the holes.  I guess one could call this "triangulation" in its most effective architectural and playable form!

[Mike Hendren]

On the other hand, I like the concept of the golf course as a playing field where every square foot can be utilized for play or penalty - not unlike a 150 acres putting green where the winner of the previous hole gets to choose the next flag to play to.  Golf played cross country over hill and dale, around trees and randomly placed bunkers and native vegetation growing wild in patches here and there. 

It's a shame the steward of the Sheep  Ranch failed to meet us at the gate at the appointed time.

Mike

[jeffwarne]

Much has been made about this year's US Open, which clearly was one for the ages.  However, as I watch the replay I can't help but be struck with how far off line Tiger drove the ball on many holes.  In many cases with few exceptions (notably the 1st on Sunday) he hit it so far from the fairway that his ball had a nearly ideal lie in trampled grass and allowed for recovery shots almost as if they were played from the fairway.

I've got to think that from what I recall from the broadcasts over the years, if this year's Open would've been played at, say, Shinnecock, the way he drove the ball Tiger would've spent a lot of time hacking the ball out of knee-high rough and may not have been a factor in the tournament at all.

How can golf course architecture address this and properly penalize drives which are hit "all over the farm"?  Or, should these shots be penalized?

 

Steve,
Shinnecock had galleries too.

And the USGA had them cut the bluestem/fescue for some strange reason

[Jay Flemma]

I noticed the same thing in this article...driving accuracy was not rewardeed as much this year, but putting was...on flattish greens.

http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/the_us_open_at_torrey_no_fairways_no_greens_no_problem

[Tim Nugent]

Jay, I noticed the same when I played Medina 3. The new RJ greens are much flatter than the older greens. 

[Tim Bert]

On the other hand, I like the concept of the golf course as a playing field where every square foot can be utilized for play or penalty - not unlike a 150 acres putting green where the winner of the previous hole gets to choose the next flag to play to.  Golf played cross country over hill and dale, around trees and randomly placed bunkers and native vegetation growing wild in patches here and there. 

It's a shame the steward of the Sheep  Ranch failed to meet us at the gate at the appointed time.

Mike

While it is an absolute blast to play, and it is somewhat like the image you paint above...

Sheep Ranch isn't a 150 acre "putting green" by any stretch of the imagination.  I lost the first shot I hit there, and there were plenty of areas of long grass along the way to send a poorly struck ball to its demise. 

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