they may look alike, but they dont play that way.
I think what the tour players actually do is more instructive than what they say.
I stood on #16 on a Tuesday during tournament week and watched the players play shots to that green, trying to figure it out. guys hit several shots apiece, and there was no crowd so i could hear their dialogue with the caddies, their reactions, and see what they hit.
the guys played 5 and 6 iron straight at the flag, or in one case hit a big hook. they were jumping on it trying to get as much spin as they could, judging by the dialogue.
I''ve also watched tour players play AN's #16. to get to the back left they dead-hands an 8 iron and try to feed it along the ridge in the green.
these are not similar holes to me...
Rob,
I take your points...but then again, I never said they play alike (now) - the yardages are different and MV's green appears to be rather benign. I certainly concede those points. However, with Jack being such a proponent of reigning in the golf ball, I would still argue that this is
his version of ANGC's 16 (minus the fantastic green contours) in terms of angles and yardage
as it used to play...remember what club he almost holed out with '86? Yup, 5-iron.
I too have seen 50 or so shots played on ANGC - I have
not seen shots played to the new MV hole - and, other than the front left bunker not present to bail out an aggressive shot hit short to a left pin, the aesthetics are nearly identical. I'd love to hear others chime in on the theory that Jack's (and MVGC's) connection to Augusta possibly led to this particular redesign. I won't pretend to know what he was thinking, but come on!
Cheers