USGA Fourball & Olympic's 18th

[Wade Whitehead]

The 18th hole on Olympic's Lake course was set up at just 266 yards during today's round of 32.

Thoughts?

WW

[Bill_McBride]

The 18th hole on Olympic's Lake course was set up at just 266 yards during today's round of 32.

Thoughts?

WW

The pot bunker right in front of the green protects it pretty well.  Steeply uphill it probably plays 300. 

[Joel_Stewart]

Where was the pin?  Furthermore, not many matches made it to the 18th so those that did it provides good risk reward.

I suspect if you missed the green is was very penal.  The probability of missing the green is probably in the 90 percent range.

[Chris Cupit]

Hole 7 was played up too--271 yards and it played well. 

My match only went 15 holes so like most matches, we never got to 18.  Hole location on 7 was front; not sure about 18--I was eating lunch by then 

I will say I was extremely impressed with the golf course.  Honestly, my thoughts which had been based purely on viewing pictures and descriptions of the course, were that the course would be a long boring, Sahalee like slog through a forest.  That could not be farther from the truth.

There was ample width and the course was a terrific mix of holes.  Also, the reverse can't of the fairways was not at all what I imagined--it played great thanks to ample width.

Now if the course ever got baked out and fast, man would that be one REALLY tough course.

Again, though i thought it was a great test of golf and nearly perfect it its presentation.

[David_Tepper]

Chris -

Thanks for sharing your impressions of the course. A fresh pair of eyes are always welcome.

DT

[Steve Lang]

   chris, get across the lake and give us your impression of harding park!

[Chris Cupit]

  chris, get across the lake and give us your impression of harding park!

At LAX already trying to get back to Atlanta.  Harding Park, SFGC and Lake Merced in addition to Olympic--really nice golf in SF it appears!

[Kevin_Reilly]

I looked at the new tee on the 18th during Saturday's qualifying round (my son and I were caddying for Jeff Fortson and Mike Walton) and it looked like it would take a long carry.  It would be fun to see a team try it, if they already had one "safe" ball in the fairway.

[David_Tepper]

Looks like today at least 3 teams had 7 birdies and at least 3 teams had 6 birdies (and almost none of those teams came close to playing 18 holes). Wow!

Also looks like only 5 matches played the 18th hole.

[Tim Passalacqua]

That is cool to see and this is exactly how Olympic should be set up sometimes.  In the last few years, I will mix up the tees for more fun.  Play #1 and #17 from tees where you can hit the green in 2.  They are exciting second shots.  Play #7 from tees you can try to knock it on with your drive and have an eagle try.  Play #15 with a wedge, its a great short hole with a push up green that is surrounded by bunkers.  Also, play #8 and #13 up.  Those greens are easier with a middle iron.  Play the rest of the par fours as hard or as easy as you like.  If you need a challenge and want to see where you game is.....play the blacks.  You will know where it stands.  But mix it up.  Every hole is great out there and can be played plenty of different ways from different yardages.  You could even hike back to the US Open tees on #5 and #6 and add two 500 yard par fives....par 73.

[Steve Lang]

I looked at the new tee on the 18th during Saturday's qualifying round (my son and I were caddying for Jeff Fortson and Mike Walton) and it looked like it would take a long carry.  It would be fun to see a team try it, if they already had one "safe" ball in the fairway.

kevin, what did the Fortsonator have to say about the setup?

[Kevin_Reilly]

Steve,

Jeff and Mike were focused on making birdies and pars (or better), so we didn't talk much about setup (and as a caddy, I remembered to "shut up" most of the time).      We did note that rough lines and rough heights weren't different from standard member conditions.  Pin positions were difficult, though.

[David_Tepper]

TV broadcast schedule for Tuesday & Wednesday on Fox Sports:

http://www.foxsports.com/golf/usga/story/study-up-for-the-u-s-amateur-four-ball-championship-on-fox-sports-1-050415

[Jeremy Rudock]

I was told by the UVA golf coach last fall that rules prohibited the college kids from playing in this event.  Guess he was misinformed.

Looks like the mid ams took the college kids down today!

[David_Tepper]

"I was told by the UVA golf coach last fall that rules prohibited the college kids from playing in this event.  Guess he was misinformed."

Jeremy R. -

There was no rule preventing college (or even high school!) kids from entering the event. I think the scheduling of the event during late April/early May was intended to discourage college kinds from entering as most of them would be playing in college competitions (or even going to class!) at this time of year.

DT   

[David Bartman]

Hole 7 was played up too--271 yards and it played well. 

My match only went 15 holes so like most matches, we never got to 18.  Hole location on 7 was front; not sure about 18--I was eating lunch by then 

I will say I was extremely impressed with the golf course.  Honestly, my thoughts which had been based purely on viewing pictures and descriptions of the course, were that the course would be a long boring, Sahalee like slog through a forest.  That could not be farther from the truth.

There was ample width and the course was a terrific mix of holes.  Also, the reverse can't of the fairways was not at all what I imagined--it played great thanks to ample width.

Now if the course ever got baked out and fast, man would that be one REALLY tough course.

Again, though i thought it was a great test of golf and nearly perfect it its presentation.

I agree Chris, I hadn't played the course since College - 20+ years and it is much more playable after significant tree removal and bunker renovations.    What are your impressions on the tree off the right side of 5 Tee and the overhanging tree on the right on par 3 13?  The course set up on Lake was fantastic and fair , the Ocean has some stupid pins but I assume the USGA wanted to try to get the two courses to play as close each other as they could.  All in all it was a fun event and I can't wait for Winged Foot next year!

[David Bartman]

The 18th hole on Olympic's Lake course was set up at just 266 yards during today's round of 32.

Thoughts?

WW

I lasered it in my practice round and it was playing 284 including slope , not the wind, pin placement would be important to know to evaluate the front tee set up

[Benjamin Litman]

First impressions of golf on Fox:

1. My concerns about the quality of Fox's HD are no longer, as Fox indeed appears to have trotted out their best cameras for live golf. Big relief.

2. Joe Buck will have some growing pains--he's already misstated holes and players.

[David_Tepper]

3-wheel pushcarts on the Lake Course.......and the world is still spinning on its axis! 

[Matthew Essig]

First impressions of golf on Fox:

1. My concerns about the quality of Fox's HD are no longer, as Fox indeed appears to have trotted out their best cameras for live golf. Big relief.

2. Joe Buck will have some growing pains--he's already misstated holes and players.

+1

[Benjamin Litman]

David: I'm actually a big pushcart fan, but what really jumped out were the new trees planted to the left of 10. In this day and age of widespread tree removal, that's veritable blasphemy.

[David_Tepper]

The tee on #15 is way up today. The hole usually plays 150+yards from the back tees. Today it is playing 105yards!

[Benjamin Litman]

4. Corey Pavin just conducted the most awkward interview I've ever seen. I hope he was different as Ryder Cup captain.

5. Juli Inskter was, by far, the best commentator and interviewer of the bunch.

[David_Tepper]

"but what really jumped out were the new trees planted to the left of 10. In this day and age of widespread tree removal, that's veritable blasphemy."

Benjamin -

One the one hand, there has been a fairly aggressive tree removal & tree trimming course on the Lake Course. On the other hand, many of the remaining trees on the course, planted in the 1920's & 30's, are within 10 to 30 years of the end of their lifespan. The relatively small number of trees that have been planted in the past few years are there to replace the trees that will be dying over the next couple of decades.

Harding Park is faced with the same issue, as the trees there are roughly the same age.

DT

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

"but what really jumped out were the new trees planted to the left of 10. In this day and age of widespread tree removal, that's veritable blasphemy."

Benjamin -

One the one hand, there has been a fairly aggressive tree removal & tree trimming course on the Lake Course. On the other hand, many of the remaining trees on the course, planted in the 1920's & 30's, are within 10 to 30 years of the end of their lifespan. The relatively small number of trees that have been planted in the past few years are there to replace the trees that will be dying over the next couple of decades.

Harding Park is faced with the same issue, as the trees there are roughly the same age.

DT

Still, those trees and even worse, the seven trees that line the right of the 5th green are flying in the face of what all top-tier golf courses are doing these days... REMOVING TREES... especially ones that effect playability and turf health.