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Mike Vegis @ Kiawah

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Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« on: August 14, 2011, 08:27:57 AM »
Here's Kerry's thoughts on how he'll be setting up The Ocean Course for next year's PGA Championship:
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/aug/14/14_haigh_1on1/
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Phil McDade

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2011, 11:01:08 AM »
Mike:

I see he ducked the question on bunkers as waste areas vs. bunkers: "We have not made that decision at this point and we usually don't make that decision until literally the week before."

Why the wait? It's not as if the PGA hasn't had some experience with this issue: ;D

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45542.0.html

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,45553.0.html

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RJ_Daley

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2011, 12:21:18 PM »
Not really GCA related.  But, I am curious as to how they plan to shuttle the crowds from parking areas, and where those parking areas might be?  Are they going to park on one of the other course FWs?  It seems to me that with 25-30K a day spectators, it will be harder to squeeze them in since the Ryder Cup, since there is so much more developed, yet the tidelands are still an obstacle to cross by basically one road.  No criticism, just curious. 

One other stupid question....  ;) ;D  Will they somehow wrangle out all the gators in the tidelands?  ::) :o
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Joe Bausch

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2011, 01:15:39 PM »
Quote from: RJ_Daley on August 14, 2011, 12:21:18 PM

One other stupid question....  ;) ;D  Will they somehow wrangle out all the gators in the tidelands?  ::) :o

This is no worry:



This perhaps a little bit so!:



Those are both from a photo tour of the Ocean Course last January from a Dec, 2010 visit I made to the island:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,47005.0.html
« Last Edit: August 14, 2011, 01:17:57 PM by Joe Bausch »
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@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Jud_T

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2011, 01:20:16 PM »
Mike,

Good news is that the course is certain to look phenomenal in comparison to this year's connect-the-dots affair...
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Golf is a game. We play it. Somewhere along the way we took the fun out of it and charged a premium to be punished.- - Ron Sirak

Howard Riefs

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #5 on: August 14, 2011, 09:54:05 PM »
Quote from: Joe Bausch on August 14, 2011, 01:15:39 PM


Those are both from a photo tour of the Ocean Course last January from a Dec, 2010 visit I made to the island:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,47005.0.html

Joe,

Thanks for posting the link to your great OC Photo tour. It makes me even more eager to hit the course when I'm at Kiawah next month.
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"Golf combines two favorite American pastimes: Taking long walks and hitting things with a stick."  ~P.J. O'Rourke

Mike Vegis @ Kiawah

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2011, 05:34:50 PM »
All the parking will be in the land we own near Freshfields Village out by the traffic circle.  Everyone will take a bus out to the course.  There will be no on-island parking for spectators.

As for those gators, it's very rare you'll see them in August as the are cold blooded so it's too warm for them to be out roaming about...

Re: the bunkers, they've always been played as transition areas for events we've held here.  It will be interesting to see if that will change.
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Phil McDade

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2011, 05:41:42 PM »
Mike:

Even clearly greenside bunkers? Do you think the PGA will really allow some guy who plopped a shot in the sandy area next to the 18th green on the final round with the lead to test his lie and remove all those little seashells? ;D (Serious query, actually...)
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Mike Vegis @ Kiawah

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2011, 04:12:59 PM »
Unlike virtually any other course in America, all the sand is natural with pebbles, shells, and no consistency.  It's not shipped in from some distant beach and sifted for consistency.  If you're playing out of a transition area, you're playing from sand that's alway been there (or blew in from another part of the island).  The only challenge will be for determining how to play the couple of dozen areas where there's tended grass all around the sand (i.e. not an area that's transitional from course to dunes).  That will be the biggest challenge and Kerry's most difficult call.
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Phil McDade

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2011, 04:21:29 PM »
Mike:

Thanks for that information. Question -- how many of those areas ("tended grass all around the sand") are there at Kiawah? At least one per hole? Or is it scattered throughout the course?
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Mike Tanner

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2011, 04:24:32 PM »
Mike,
Is Pete Dye finished tinkering with the course for now? Are there any changes yet to be made prior to the event?
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Life's too short to waste on bad golf courses or bad wine.

Anthony Gray

Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2011, 04:35:22 PM »


  I think this will be an awesome venue for the PGA. Too much emphasis on spectators.

  Anthony

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Kalen Braley

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #12 on: August 16, 2011, 05:21:05 PM »
Not sure if Joe was messing around or not..

...but is spectator safety really an issue with gators and all?

P.S.  Good thing its not being held in Cali, there could be Cougar trouble...especially if Spaulding showed up!
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David Cronheim

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #13 on: August 16, 2011, 05:28:24 PM »
Quote from: Kalen Braley on August 16, 2011, 05:21:05 PM
Not sure if Joe was messing around or not..

...but is spectator safety really an issue with gators and all?

P.S.  Good thing its not being held in Cali, there could be Cougar trouble...especially if Spaulding showed up!

I've been down there in the summer and you definitely do see some gators. I don't think it will be a big issue, but being a lawyer, I have to say it's something that's reasonably foreseeable and I think the PGA should address in advance.
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Matt MacIver

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #14 on: August 16, 2011, 08:16:04 PM »
I read the article but it didn't say: can someone clarify what Mr. Haigh's role is?  Is he with the PGA course set-up? 

I enjoyed his comments on settling on the wind one hour in advance and letting the chips fall where they may, waiting 'til one week prior to determining bunkers vs. transition and considering drivable par-4s. 

I think TOC will be a great test and look forward to seeing how they set it up, and play it.  Winning score could be -10 or +10. 
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Chris_Hufnagel

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #15 on: August 16, 2011, 08:46:33 PM »
I believe Kiawah was hosting some sort of event this past month giving golfers the opportunity to play the course under "PGA Championship" conditions - back tees, green speeds, rough heights, etc. Does anyone know how this went?
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Mike Vegis @ Kiawah

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #16 on: August 16, 2011, 09:57:01 PM »
For our PGA challenge, the of the 1000 people who played it, only 156 turned in cards.  The average handicap (for The Ocean Course) was 9.  Their average gross score was 98 making the average net around 89.  The low gross was 78 by a scratch player who played a number of times in the U.S. Am.  The low net score was 75 (a 7 handicap who shot 82).

It broke down that only 1 person broke 80 (<1%), 27 broke 90 (17%), 91 broke 100 (58%) and 65 were over 100 (42%).  But, that was for those who turned in cards (156 of about 1,000 players).
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Mike Vegis @ Kiawah

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #17 on: August 16, 2011, 09:59:05 PM »
Quote from: Phil McDade on August 16, 2011, 04:21:29 PM
Mike:

Thanks for that information. Question -- how many of those areas ("tended grass all around the sand") are there at Kiawah? At least one per hole? Or is it scattered throughout the course?

There were about 18 before Pete came back about a year ago.  There's got to be around 30 now.  I'll try to count them on our aerial photos and let you know for sure...
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Mike Vegis @ Kiawah

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #18 on: August 16, 2011, 10:00:23 PM »
Quote from: Mike Tanner on August 16, 2011, 04:24:32 PM
Mike,
Is Pete Dye finished tinkering with the course for now? Are there any changes yet to be made prior to the event?

I believe he's done...
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Mike Vegis @ Kiawah

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #19 on: August 16, 2011, 10:04:32 PM »
Quote from: David Cronheim on August 16, 2011, 05:28:24 PM
Quote from: Kalen Braley on August 16, 2011, 05:21:05 PM
Not sure if Joe was messing around or not..

...but is spectator safety really an issue with gators and all?

P.S.  Good thing its not being held in Cali, there could be Cougar trouble...especially if Spaulding showed up!

I've been down there in the summer and you definitely do see some gators. I don't think it will be a big issue, but being a lawyer, I have to say it's something that's reasonably foreseeable and I think the PGA should address in advance.

There must have been a cool spell when you were here.  I've been out to The Ocean Course about a dozen or so time in the last month and I've only seen one gator who was sitting in the middle of a pond.  It was after a storm when we had 8 1/2 inches of rain so this were cooler than normal.  Our superintendent said during the middle of the storm, there was a big one sitting in the middle of the driving range.  Short of such an event, however, I doubt anyone will see a gator next August.  The just don't come out in the heat.
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Mike Vegis @ Kiawah

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #20 on: August 16, 2011, 10:12:37 PM »
Quote from: Matt MacIver on August 16, 2011, 08:16:04 PM
I read the article but it didn't say: can someone clarify what Mr. Haigh's role is?  Is he with the PGA course set-up? 

I enjoyed his comments on settling on the wind one hour in advance and letting the chips fall where they may, waiting 'til one week prior to determining bunkers vs. transition and considering drivable par-4s. 

I think TOC will be a great test and look forward to seeing how they set it up, and play it.  Winning score could be -10 or +10. 

Kerry Haigh is Managing Director of Championships and Business Development for the PGA of America.  In short, he's in charge of everything inside the ropes at all of the PGA of America tournaments, including the PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup, etc.
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Chris_Hufnagel

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Re: Kerry Haigh on next year's PGA set-up at Kiawah
« Reply #21 on: August 17, 2011, 07:31:09 AM »
Thanks Mike for the update...
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