56 from the tips

[Garland Bayley]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/former-college-golfer-shoots-56-56-par-72-173251163.html

I guess some people know how to go low.

[Tom_Doak]

I guess that's what happens if we limit ourselves to 6500 yard courses!  But, I don't have a problem with it.

The one thing in the story that doesn't quite ring true ... it says he holed putts of 30 feet and 20 feet on the last two holes.  The last hole is a 486-yard par-5 ... so he had to hole a 20-footer for his 4?

[Mark Bourgeois]

What happens when a flogger crosses over to play one of our sport's golf courses. No different than a D Leaguer dunking on a 8 foot goal.

[Jim_Kennedy]

I guess that's what happens if we limit ourselves to 6500 yard courses!  But, I don't have a problem with it.

The one thing in the story that doesn't quite ring true ... it says he holed putts of 30 feet and 20 feet on the last two holes.  The last hole is a 486-yard par-5 ... so he had to hole a 20-footer for his 4?

Tom,

I looked at the aerial of the course and there's a pond at 265 / 305 w/OB or trouble to the left and right. If he laid up to it he'd have about 240 to the middle of a green which has 6 or 7 bunkers around it. He may have put his second in one of them and left the 20 footer.

[Tom_Doak]

Tom,

I looked at the aerial of the course and there's a pond at 265 / 305 w/OB or trouble to the left and right. If he laid up to it he'd have about 240 to the middle of a green which has 6 or 7 bunkers around it. He may have put his second in one of them and left the 20 footer.

Jim:

Thanks, that explains perfectly.  Quite a finishing hole for somebody trying to protect a record score!  Talk about opportunities to choke it away ...

[John_Conley]

Last summer Rhein Gibson shot 55 if I recall.  This year it is the 56.  Henry Liaw once shot in the 50s when he was about 12 or something. 

What surprises me is how these ultra-low scores do not foretell greatness.  The 59 shooters on the Web.com (Buy.com, Nationwide, Nike, Ben Hogan) Tour usually don't even win that week.

[Mike Hendren]

Interesting that the tour record for lowest nine holes is owned by Corey Pavin - not exactly a bomb-n-gouger.  

Where would the game be today if the ball and equipment had been rolled back after Mike Souchak's 27 in 1955 at Breckenridge Park?  

If a tournament wants to generate some buzz, why not announce in advance that the course will be set up at 6500 yards to see how low the players can go.  I'd watch a track meet where par drops a shot to the field.  It's still golf, no?

Bogey

[Andrew Buck]

Last summer Rhein Gibson shot 55 if I recall.  This year it is the 56.  Henry Liaw once shot in the 50s when he was about 12 or something. 

What surprises me is how these ultra-low scores do not foretell greatness.  The 59 shooters on the Web.com (Buy.com, Nationwide, Nike, Ben Hogan) Tour usually don't even win that week.

Nothing really illustrates the depth of quality golfers, nor the separation between top "mid-amateurs" and professionals than the web.com tour.  Whenever they get to a "members course" like Boise, with good weather several challenge 60.  It also amazes me how some make it and others don't.  Having played in the Missouri Valley at the same time Zach Johnson did, you could tell he was a very solid player, but never could have expected he'd be top 25 in the world and major champion. 

Still, regardless of the course, you have to make the putts, and 56 is truly special, imo. 

[Tom_Doak]

If a tournament wants to generate some buzz, why not announce in advance that the course will be set up at 6500 yards to see how low the players can go.  I'd watch a track meet where par drops a shot to the field.  It's still golf, no?

I'd like to see that, too, but mostly because I think it would show that the difference in length isn't worth as many strokes as the USGA and PGA think it is.  If they'd played Merion at its traditional length of 6500 yards, do you think anybody would have shot in the 50's?

[Philip Caccamise]

If a tournament wants to generate some buzz, why not announce in advance that the course will be set up at 6500 yards to see how low the players can go.  I'd watch a track meet where par drops a shot to the field.  It's still golf, no?

I'd like to see that, too, but mostly because I think it would show that the difference in length isn't worth as many strokes as the USGA and PGA think it is.  If they'd played Merion at its traditional length of 6500 yards, do you think anybody would have shot in the 50's?

Hell no they wouldn't. I doubt there would even be a 64 out there.

Course ratings are a joke. I played Victoria National last Thursday and it is rated about a 74/143 from the hybrid of tees around 6600 yards we played. Compare that to the local muni at virtually the same length (which has hosted USGA events), which is rated 71.9/129- there is NO WAY VN is only 2 shots harder "on average". It's probably 6 shots harder for a professional, 12 harder for a 5 handicap, and 20 harder for a 20 handicap.

[Garland Bayley]

I shot 56 for nine holes last Saturday.