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Jeff_Brauer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Medinah #3
« Reply #25 on: June 19, 2009, 08:33:11 AM »
Since I got into golf by playing Medinah No. 3 as my very first round of golf (sneaking out on a Monday with my friend, whose father was a member) I know that the members in the 70's debated very hard on whether to host the '75 Open.  They were against it, having tired of giving up their course even as part of the Western Open rota in existence then.  Perhaps those and the '49 Snead Lost It Open were enough for that group of members, but times obviously change.

Matt, if you go back far enough, P2 changed its routing, grasses, etc.  Overall, I would say both courses have about the same amount of changes throughout their history, but there is really no sense in arguing.

My sense is that the overall complaints about the current version of  Medinah were that the greens still had to be kept wet and were not in top shape for the PGA two years ago.  That was a direct result of NOT rebuilding all greens to USGA specs, but just doing 7 of them.  I would think most in the biz, Rees included, would tell Medinah that ALL of the greens should have been rebuilt for consistency for major events. 

There may still be a smaller problem in that I have seen 5 year old USGA greens play a lot differently than 1 year old USGA greens.  I hope that on those other 7 greens, that they at least strip  off the top few inches, add in the new sand and re-grass with the same seed.  I think both members and players in big events would appreciate the consistency.
Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach

Matt_Ward

Re: Medinah #3
« Reply #26 on: June 19, 2009, 11:20:11 AM »
Jeff:

The sum total of changes at both courses is balanced by what the outcomes have meant. Pinehurst #2 has seen fit to maintain what's been there since coming onto the major championship scene. Medinah is still going through major changes to hopefully get to a final version that will have some staying power -- we shall see when the work concludes -- or if there is more work after that.

Ryan Potts:

Oh, thanks for your wonderful correction -- that's right -- the ONLY key changes made at Medinah 3 were the 17th and 18th. Just the final two (2) holes of a big time venue. That's all -- that's nothing at all -- I completely agree. ::)

Oh, and yes, the club also turned a "nothing par-4" into a par-5. Any others you care to add ?

Ryan, keep on telling yourself and others that my original comment was in error. Major changes have happened at the course and its holes. In regards to your final comment -- if the course has improved so much -- clearly the sheer array of changes speaks loudly to the fact that what was done previously was not sufficient.

I wish Medinah well with its efforts -- clearly the membership is making a vast effort to bolster its standing -- both internally and for the larger golf audience that is watching so that its overall placement for future big time events is maintained.