Pebble - Quit Whining and Give Me A Solution!

[Alex Miller]

Right now there are multiple threads detailing various design and setup flaws at PB. Personally I think they're mostly overblown. Yes there are a few things that could be tinkered with to make the course better, but does Pebble deserve all the criticism we are throwing at it? Currently it's a course of modest length that asks for a superb touch and great putting, yet the longest hitter in the field is leading! Obviously it manages to test all aspects of the game and it is truly worthy of the Open.

So, this thread is an open invitation to layout what you would change on the course, instead of continuing to complain we can agree on could be done to make it better.


My changes:

Reverse the fairway bunkering on hole 3.
Shave the area left of 9 green to allow for approaches which could land long left of the bunker and feed on. (Makes the front left pin reasonable)
Move 11's fairway back and put a single fw bunker on the left side 260 off the tee.
Give the 12th more recognizable redan characteristics so there are options for getting the ball on the green.
Enlarge the flat spot on the right side of 14's green to create a new pinnable area.
Get rid of the bunker in 15's fairway, perhaps re-contour the fairway to make two distinct levels in the landing area, high right and low left. The drive must avoid hitting the slope and rolling into the left traps.
Expand 17's green by 5-8 ft. on all sides.

There you have it, a longer list than I expected when I sat down, but that's what I would do to Pebble.

[Phil McDade]

Nothing at Pebble is as remotely bad architectureally as the 18th at Bethpage Black.

[Mike Nuzzo]

An alternative way for someone without Johnson's talents to get it close to the front pin on 7.

[Mac Plumart]

Alex...

I love the idea of your thread.

Frankly, I like what I am seeing at Pebble.  I haven't played it, but it is on my "must play" list...and up to now I haven't been overly pumped to get out there soon, but this tournament is changing my mind just a bit.  

Obviously, the views and the small greens have to be the calling card of golf at Pebble (not to mention the history).  But I think I saw a 500 yard par 4 and a 284 yard par 4 there yesterday.  Pretty nice mix.  Also a 99 yard par 3 and some longer ones.  Seems like it might test all aspects of someone's game.

But to your point, people are complaining about 14 and 17 a lot.  Personally, I like 14...but if they want to enlarge the pinnable area of the green, I think that might give the players a little more margin of error on approach shots and/or recovery shots.  That doesn't change to area of someone's game that is being tested...so fine.  Change it.  On 17, the green does look a little small and narrow.  Ok...make it bigger...no big deal.

But in all, this course is something special.  It seems like a great test for championship caliber golfers.  Long hitters have their chances to make hay as do the short and straight short game masters.  That seems like a nice test of golf for all types of golfers.  Maybe I am smoking something wacky, but I wouldn't change too much at all.

[Wayne_Kozun]

An alternative way for someone without Johnson's talents to get it close to the front pin on 7.

Wind blowing off the Ocean instead of towards the ocean will change this.  Saturday's wind direction was unusual, wasn't it?  When you hear about having to hit a 5 iron to that green then hitting the front of the green in those wind conditions isn't an issue.

[noonan]

Get rid of the fescue around 17. Do not penalize good shots. The green size is ok...but it makes getting up and down impossible.

[Alex Miller]

An alternative way for someone without Johnson's talents to get it close to the front pin on 7.

Wind blowing off the Ocean instead of towards the ocean will change this.  Saturday's wind direction was unusual, wasn't it?  When you hear about having to hit a 5 iron to that green then hitting the front of the green in those wind conditions isn't an issue.

I don't think the wind was unusual, besides the fact there wasn't much of it! The green and course are normally much softer than current conditions, I don't know if I'd touch the seventh.

[Jon Wiggett]

Maybe playing the course as you find it and accepting the good as well as the bad

Jon

[Wayne_Kozun]

Get rid of the fescue around 17. Do not penalize good shots. The green size is ok...but it makes getting up and down impossible.

Didn't Watson prove that it was doavle 28 years ago and would you still remember his shot if the rough wasn't brutal?

[Todd Bell]

I see more flaws in the players strategy than the golf course.  Just make par.  

D Johnson isn't the only player with the talent to hit that shot on #7.  

[Tom_Doak]

Get rid of the fescue around 17. Do not penalize good shots. The green size is ok...but it makes getting up and down impossible.

Didn't Watson prove that it was doavle 28 years ago and would you still remember his shot if the rough wasn't brutal?

Wayne:

Tom Watson hit a fantastic shot that day, but he was lucky to get a fluffy lie up in the grass instead of down in it.  And still the only chance he had was to hit the flagstick square on, or he would have been looking at 6-10 feet for par.