If the distance race stops, will these come back?

[Tom_Ross]

For many years now, architects and owners have been chasing ways to protect or plan their courses from longer hitters....this silly notion of "Tiger Proofing"  In doing so, they seem to have neglected the concept of deception in favor of speed and length.  

Now, if the USGA (or R&A) actually finds a way to put limits on the golf ball's distance, do you think that we'll ever see architects bring back the following hazzards and optical illusions?

- "Fairway" bunkers - bunkers that actually reside wholly in the fairway

- "Short" bunkers - bunkers that resides 20-70 yards short of the green, to give the illusion of being at the green's edge.

- "Cross" bunkers - while many other types of edge-of-fairway bunkers are moved to accomodate new length, cross bunkers are frequently removed because they are no longer in play.

- Extended greens - the idea of closely mowing and firmly conditioning the ground around the green for 15-20 yards, such that it is easier to put than get a lofted club underneath the ball.  This might also be call "chipping areas", but today's "chipping areas" are usually only a few yards around the green and surrounded by thick rough.  what happened to letting the ball roll 15-40 yards away from the green on a missed shot?  

Will this type of strategy every come back into being a mainstream architectural element, or are we now relegated to "driver vs. iron off the tee, before 8-SW into the green?" as the only strategic thinking?  

[THuckaby2]

Tom:  ahhhh, that's the $256,000 question in this forum.  But hey, come on out to California, join us in March for "The King's Putter III", and you will see a course that has all of those qualifications:  Rustic Canyon.

I'd also point you to Geoff Shackelford's "Grounds for Golf"
book, which addresses this issue a little, and his not-yet-published new book, which might address this issue a LOT.

I think the golf world is already turning in this direction, at least a little.  Will it take long-term?  Who knows.  But courses that have all this, and there are many new ones that qualify - are steps in the right direction, I'd say.

TH

[Doug Siebert]

Short bunkers are obsolete, they fool no one in today's world of known yardages and mostly-carry shots.  Much like a pond in front of the tee requiring a 50 yard carry, they only intimidate and affect poorer golfers.

I like the "extended greens" but I think a lot of today's courses figure the missed shots going 40 yards away from the green function is well served by cart paths today

[Tom_Ross]

Doug,

The concept of extended greens appeared to me after seeing Shacklefor'd Cypress Point book and the pictures of #2.  It wouldn't be the same as cart paths as we're not trying to put trampolines around the greens and ruin golf balls, but rather allow some chance about where your ball might end up and how you might recover.  The results of cart path bounces around the greens are like sticking your head in a bucket of goo on that show FEAR FACTOR....neither is going to be pleasant and both will ruin your day.  

[Tom_Ross]

TomH,

Thanks for the offer on KPIII.  You seem like a jovial fellow and it might be fun to hang out with your sort.  Can a short-hitting hack like myself find a way to keep up with you good players?

[THuckaby2]

Tom:

Thanks... but oh please, don't get the idea that any of us are actually good at this game.  Oh, Mr. Fortson and a few others most definitely can play..  Re the rest of us, we just talk a good game, can scrape a good round together from time to time, but make no pretensions.

I can attest from experience that events such as TKPIII are great fun - this site does draw a really fun group of people and it is just a kick to put faces to names.  And there are always players of all skill levels present, that's for sure.  My lord is none of this based on actual skill - thank god!

So come on out!  Not sure how the availability is re TKPII - see Dave Moriarty's update thread re that, I gather it is getting close to being oversubscribed - but heck if you have a will to play I have to believe a way shall be found.

And if that doesn't work, well heck do try to find your way to Rustic Canyon in SoCal, or WildHorse in Gothenburg, NE - just to name two relatively new public courses where all of the things you list are present in abundance.

Like I say, I don't really know about trends and the like, I just wanted to point you to a darn good course or two where it is all there!

TH