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Scott Warren

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The pros' favourite links
« on: July 13, 2014, 04:10:06 AM »
http://www.golf.com/photos/pros-reveal-their-favorite-links-courses/rory-mcilroy-st-andrews#371057

Rory likes the co-eds in St Andrews ;D (oh, and the Road Hole...).

There's a few that only serve to reinforce the stereotypes of what the pros like and why.

Ernie prefers Muirfield and Lytham because they're fair.

Arnie's favourite is Troon because "I won the Open there and played particularly well that week."

Nic Colsaerts: "Fancourt (Links). Why? First because I hold the course record there!"

Mark Calcavecchia: "Royal Troon is my favorite links course because I won the Open there in 1989!"

Jeong Jang: "Royal Birkdale, obviously because I won there at the Women's British Open in 2005."

Henrik Stenson: "Of the British Open courses, I most like Birkdale. It’s a little bit less bumpy and fiddly. St. George’s... is my least favorite out of the Open courses because you can hit it down the middle and end up in the rough."
« Last Edit: July 13, 2014, 04:59:21 AM by Scott Warren »

Ronald Montesano

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Re: Th3 pros' favourite links
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2014, 04:14:51 AM »
to quote AClay, "I nearly threw up in my mouth" when I read that piece. What a pathetic, fluff piece. No insight, nothing beyond me, me, me. What we learn is how self-centered the pros are when it comes to golf~If I won there/was successful there, it has to be proper.
Coming in 2024
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~Bonavista
~Indian Hills
~Maybe some more!!

Paul Gray

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Re: The pros' favourite links
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2014, 07:27:52 AM »
"I'm not really one for thinking too much. Growing up, and ever since, I've been very happy to spend hours just hitting golf balls on the range. I consider that to be my job, along with holing putts and lobbing balls in the air, and therefore I don't like courses which make me behave as if I wasn't on the range. My favourite links course therefore is the one most akin to target golf."
In the places where golf cuts through pretension and elitism, it thrives and will continue to thrive because the simple virtues of the game and its attendant culture are allowed to be most apparent. - Tim Gavrich

Wade Whitehead

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Re: The pros' favourite links
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2014, 10:11:31 AM »
Most professionals (and elite amateurs) care as much about golf course architecture as successful litigators might about the design of the courtrooms in which they operate.

They hit it a certain distance on a certain line.  In many cases, that's pretty much it.

WW

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The pros' favourite links
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2014, 10:38:46 AM »
I know a legendary Attorney who is very much cognizant about the design of the courtroom.  It is his stage, and he uses every part of it for practical and dramatic effect in his craft.  Other attorney's come to watch him work, and he often instructs them on what he uses as a sense of place and position of the players in that court room to present his case in the most effective manner.

Yes, there are many very successful golfers that are autonomatons that just hit it exactly the correct distance and with precision like lawn darts, and on such a surface that holds dead stop due to softness and predictable texture of ball rollout and ground response along with the desire to have no wind to have to factor in and they may just as soon hit precise shots on the range.  And we watch them win and often we are bored.  Then again there are the craftsman that play the course and conditions with discernible craftsmanship of a multitude of cleaver shots and an arsenal of tricks and ability to read the conditions of ground, wind and even temperature, and they may not hit it as far or precise in the aerial lawn dart sense, but they feel the game and evaluate the strategy to allow them to break through for a successful outcome; and we love to watch them work.  Think Corey Pavin at Shinnicock or Tom Watson at Turnberry VS many of the pros shooting sub 7-10 unders at John Deere.  

To add a bit to this mentality of precision golfers vs those that embrace the links challenge, I am personally dismayed that my hometown favorite decides to forego a trip to "The Open".  I don't know why he seems adverse to the pursuit, or if it is an aversion to links courses.  Afterall, he once won on a sandbelt course in his early career at Royal Melbourne a couple decades ago now.  I don't know if it is the autonomaton aversion to the vagueries of links golf, or this notion that is becoming trite stated by all the commentators of how he is this family guy who prefers to stay home with the kids, is semi-retired, Mr nice guy, blah blah.  Let him skip the John Deere since he already won it multiple times and get his ass to the links, and one of a few final chances considering his age to participate and maybe win a freakin "major" on a true links!  Validation, I guess some seek it and some don't.    :-\ ::)
« Last Edit: July 13, 2014, 10:48:38 AM by RJ_Daley »
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Ronald Montesano

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The pros' favourite links
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2014, 11:19:03 AM »
I don't know if it is the autonomaton aversion to the vagueries of links golf, or this notion that is becoming trite stated by all the commentators of how he is this family guy who prefers to stay home with the kids, is semi-retired, Mr nice guy, blah blah.  Let him skip the John Deere since he already won it multiple times and get his ass to the links, and one of a few final chances considering his age to participate and maybe win a freakin "major" on a true links!  Validation, I guess some seek it and some don't.    :-\ ::)

You're from Troon?
Coming in 2024
~Elmira Country Club
~Soaring Eagles
~Bonavista
~Indian Hills
~Maybe some more!!

BCrosby

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Re: The pros' favourite links
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2014, 11:52:52 AM »
Isn't this a minor twist on Pete Dye's famous quote about the pros.

If you invite them to think, be prepared for disappointment.

Bob

Phil Benedict

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Re: The pros' favourite links
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2014, 01:00:21 PM »
Saying you like the course you won on is like saying you prefer your wife to other women. Sometimes I don't get the hostility to pro golfers on this site.  My guess they don't care what a bunch of hacks think, anyway.

Pete Dye's comment about pros not wanting to think isn't that clever - it's arrogant.

Tim_Weiman

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Re: The pros' favourite links
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2014, 02:33:27 PM »
Saying you like the course you won on is like saying you prefer your wife to other women. Sometimes I don't get the hostility to pro golfers on this site.  My guess they don't care what a bunch of hacks think, anyway.

Pete Dye's comment about pros not wanting to think isn't that clever - it's arrogant.

Phil,

I agree. Winning an Open Is so rare that I can hardly fault any guy who accomplishes this feat for declaring the course he won on as his favorite.

By the way, Troon holds a special place for me because it was the venue with the best caddy I ever had.
Tim Weiman

Scott Warren

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Re: The pros' favourite links
« Reply #9 on: July 13, 2014, 05:36:51 PM »
Saying you like the course you won on is like saying you prefer your wife to other women.

Then I guess it's appropriate that Tiger has won on so many different courses.

Phil Lipper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The pros' favourite links
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2014, 11:37:17 AM »
In fairness to the rather simplistic answers by those pro's most people dont' play a golf course that they hate well. I find the golf courses that I love and really enjoy playing I typically play well.

mike_beene

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Re: The pros' favourite links
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2014, 08:43:42 PM »
The design of the courtroom is extremely relevant. Although it has been a while since I saw the study on old v. modern courtrooms, damage awards were found to be higher in old traditional settings than modern ones. Round courtrooms with echo spots used to drive me crazy during jury argument .

Matthew Rose

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Re: The pros' favourite links
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2014, 09:45:55 PM »
Saying you like the course you won on is like saying you prefer your wife to other women.

Then I guess it's appropriate that Tiger has won on so many different courses.

Zing.
American-Australian. Trackman Course Guy. Fatalistic sports fan. Drummer. Bass player. Father. Cat lover.