What Would Donald Ross' Review Be?

[Terry Lavin]

Amidst all of the plaudits and potshots directed at the C&C restoration, we've heard various contributors here and elsewhere talk about the architect's intent in building this golf course.  For those who believe that this is a faithful restoration, do you think that Ross would look at the week's play and say that it represented the kind of challenge that he envisioned?  Do you think that Ross would embrace the native, sandy areas that were omnipresent?  Would he slyly smile when an 8-iron hit in the middle of the green, but one foot outside the safe zone, bounded thirty yards or more into the "stuff" or into a bunker?

For those who might be on the other side of the fence, do you think that Ross would suggest taming the greens somewhat?  Would he champion more gnarly vegetation, or would he look for a mix of rough and native stuff?

Finally, over the past week, did we see the kind of golf on and around the greens that Ross saw when the course finally reached its peak during his lifetime?

[John Kirk]

I think he'd say:

1)  "The course looks great."  (I don't think anybody here has criticized the restoration or the presentation.)
2)  "I can't believe how strong the players are.  They hit the ball so far!"
3)  "Looks fine.  I need time to watch this modern game before I offer any suggestions."

[Matt Bielawa]

"The course looks great, but I didn't build it to run 12.5 on the Stimp, and I didn't build #3, #7, or #13 to be driven."

[Mac Plumart]

Honestly, I'd think he'd love the tee to green aspects of the course.  But I really think he'd "restore" some of the greens as well.

[Peter Pallotta]

T - can't offer anything really (and there are several Ross experts around here who can). But I've been reading a little about the North-South Open played at Pinehurst No 2 up to 1951. The prestigious list of North-South winners/mulitple winners (e.g. Hogan, Snead etc) would rival any major championship's from that era, and it appears that it was a hard course back then, a genuine test. And when I combine that with the reality that, for much of Ross' life, both at home in Scotland and then in America, he saw top golfers winning open championships with 300+ scores, I think he would be pleased by the way the course played in 2014.

Peter 

[cary lichtenstein]

"What was I thinking"?

[John Kavanaugh]

He would wonder why last year the critics and experts decried the softening of the greens at Merion while today they universally call for his greens to be "restored".  Odd that they are fine for resort play and even the first two days of a US Open. Two days of poor bounces and the sky is falling. His review would conclude with..."Send me back."

[Greg Tallman]

I imagine he would lament that this was not "his" Pinehurst #2 yet concede that the work done restored his concept of how the grass and native interacts while acknowledging it was done in a manner that best challenges the modern players with modest changes in daily practices (turn water off and speed the greens a touch).

In other words... "all in all, job well done"