[Patrick_Mucci]

Now the PGA is going to have the fans vote on where hole locations will be ?

Fans will decide which one of four locations will be used.

Is this possibly the worst direction for golf to go ?

What's next ?

[John_Conley]

I am all for it since the PGA's goal is to increase the awareness and understanding of course setup.

[Pete_Pittock]

http://www.mercurynews.com/golf/ci_23726471/golf-fans-can-vote-hole-location-pga-championship

http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/course/2013/tour/15

[Mark Bourgeois]

No big deal as it's bounded choice. In other words, it's rigged. They went out on the green and came up with X hole locations they could go for. They are indifferent among these four locations; they have no preference. Gives voters the appearance of choice without really giving them meaningful choices. Like in the real world. 

Now, if they just made it wide open -- stick the hole anywhere you want -- that'd be something.

[Matthew Rose]

It's multiple choice.... it isn't like people are going to vote for something bizarre.

I'm willing to bet that those are the four hole locations already chosen for the tournament, and whatever one "wins" would have been used anyway.... it's just that this contest determines what day it gets used on depending on the winner.

The hole they picked is basically a no-brainer anyway... your basic run-of-the-mill water par-3.

[William_G]

I like it

[Patrick_Mucci]

I am all for it since the PGA's goal is to increase the awareness and understanding of course setup.

John,

How will voting for one of four choices increase awareness and understanding of course setup ?

Have you ever selected hole locations for a significant tournament ?

Do you know what's involved in the process ?

How will voting for one of four locations educate viewers ?

[Pete Blaisdell]

   I do NOT like this at all.

   What genius in the PR Dept. came up with this farce??

[Terry Lavin]

It denigrates the work of a great setup guy. Then again, sometimes they do that on their own!

[Mark McKeever]

It generates publicity for the least watched major championship.  Simply put.

Mark

[Mark Bourgeois]

It denigrates the work of a great setup guy. Then again, sometimes they do that on their own!

Somebody had to choose those four hole locations. I'd assume it was the setup guy his own self.

[William_G]

It denigrates the work of a great setup guy. Then again, sometimes they do that on their own!

Somebody had to choose those four hole locations. I'd assume it was the setup guy his own self.

correctomundo

[Ed Brzezowski]

Maybe a logical extention of this new idea would be fans making up the pairings. Since this appears to be a " get the fans involved" move the pairings, Thursday and Friday, are the next step. Let's have Ben Crane and All Day with Sabatinni, I would pay to see that two days in a row. Hell a hockey game could break out

All in all just another moronic idea from the PGA, didn't these guys also come up with the speed lanes and dual ropes at events?

[jeffwarne]

It denigrates the work of a great setup guy. Then again, sometimes they do that on their own!

getting back to the days when the "setup guy" is known as the setup guy, rather than by name, would be a good step for all the majors, then perhaps we could get back to the courses being the stars

[JLahrman]

How will voting for one of four choices increase awareness and understanding of course setup ?

The mere act of voting won't. However, if the strategic implications of each hole location are laid out for the voters, there is no reason that this couldn't educate any voter who wants to learn.

It denigrates the work of a great setup guy. Then again, sometimes they do that on their own!

It actually enhances it. Instead of four hole locations for the week, he selects seven. And four of them get presented to the viewing audience along with why they were selected and the implications of each.

[Jason Thurman]

It's unfathomable to me that anyone would care at all about this, aside from the people interested in voting.

The fact that people do care and are talking about the PGA Championship two weeks in advance is proof that it's a good idea.

[David Stewart]

It's unfathomable to me that anyone would care at all about this, aside from the people interested in voting.

The fact that people do care and are talking about the PGA Championship two weeks in advance is proof that it's a good idea.

+1. This does no harm to the tournament and could enhance interest/viewership.

[Patrick_Mucci]

How will voting for one of four choices increase awareness and understanding of course setup ?

The mere act of voting won't. However, if the strategic implications of each hole location are laid out for the voters, there is no reason that this couldn't educate any voter who wants to learn.

How would the strategic implications be laid out if the viewers never played the hole ?

How would the viewer gain an appreciation and understanding of the elevation changes when the camera flattens the image ?

[Mark Bourgeois]

How will voting for one of four choices increase awareness and understanding of course setup ?

How will voting for one of four locations educate viewers ?[/size][/color]

Yeah, it won't. It's analogous to magazine rankings. Very low information transfer (learning). Now, on the other hand, if they make a big production out of this and after the contest explain the merits of each location blah blah blah -- but let's be real: does anyone remember last year's broadcast? Easily the worst broadcast of a major I can remember. As in: ever.

[Mark Chaplin]

If 20 people in the UK are interested it may double the viewing figures here 

The contribution from amateurs in this years majors show why the PGA is by far the most boring major.

[bstark]

 I voted for D.

Back of green, brings all the features of the hole into play. Seems like a fun idea to generate interest. It's not like they are allowing arm chair cowboys to lay the whole course out.

[Michael Ryan]

For any Americans, it's too bad that they didn't allow us to do this for 17 at Medinah on the final day of the Ryder Cup-our captain made a pretty bad call on that in respect to his team and their preferred shot shape.

As someone who is an amateur architecture fan but a professional sports marketer with a specialty in golf-this is a brilliant move by the PGA of America.  As has already been stated in this thread, the fact that people are talking about the event at Oak Hill already makes this a successful promotion.  For those of us who have an idea of how the set up people do their job-this has no impact on the Championship.  In effect, people think they are doing more than we know they are. 

The growth of the game has stalled and I believe entering a very dangerous time-anything like this that has people more engaged is good in my mind.

[Charlie_Bell]

Good call on Medinah.  Ach, what a grating memory...

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