"The mindless, paint-by-the-numbers golf that works so well on marshmallowy PGA Tour setups has led to despair and ruin at this Open. For two days, at least, art triumphed over science."
The carnage today at Troon revealed a hard truth: few modern pros have the skill set to answer the questions posed by links golf. My dispatch for
@MyGolfSpy
:
Things Augusta does that every course should do. Measure holes in 0s and 5s. None of this 452/3 stuff. Make it 450 or 455. No visible ball washers. Short grass between green and tee. Short grass around the greens. (where practical)
US Open champion
@GeoffOgilvyGolf
has launched a brand new pro golf tournament in Melbourne - The Sandbelt Invitational.
Held on 4 world-class courses, the event boasts an unorthodox format and a vision to become Australia's premier pro tournament.
@10NewsFirstMelb
Bryson says in praising the 17th hole at Pebble Beach where his 4 iron only moved 2 yards “it’s not acceptable” a high 4 iron runs out 15 yards. He will have fun at Royal Melbourne in December.
“The tree is the only defence any more”. Azinger
Such an American-centric view of the game. Completely ignores the effect of the ball on links courses or sandbelt courses - which are the finest groups of courses outside of the US.
All the years Hannah Green tried to win the Australian Amateur she couldn’t get past the Koreans or the semi-final. Now she beats their best in a major. Ash Barty too. What a day. Just wow.
Harrington is brilliant here. Pointing out two things.
1/ Societal differences between US and the Rest of the World.
2/. The freak in one generation is always the norm in the next.
The idea the game doesn’t address this problem is ludicrous - and selfish.
I asked
@padraig_h
for his ‘quick’ rollback take. He then spoke for 7 consecutive minutes without coming up for air.
I promise it’s worth your time, especially if you stick around for the very end when he makes an incredibly bold prediction for the future of golf
All this rubbish about the bunkers being “perfect” and “no bad lies” is just going to encourage average players to insist on the same. It’s a superintendents nightmare. They are hazards and are supposed to be somewhat inconsistent.
No appearance money. No demands. Just a delight to deal with and we can’t be happier to have
@camdavisgolf
back to defend - and more importantly to help the young kids with their games and careers.
And $70,000(2nd in Vic Open) to The Australian Bushfire Relief. And still some golf companies what to charge some of the best women golfers in the world for clubs.
@Rod_Morri
After winning
#Klpga
Korea Women's Open today,
@1soyeonryu
donated the entire 1st prize of approx £170,000 to Covid-19 charity relief funds.
📷 via
@KoreanGolfNews
Alice Dye’s advice to Pete “Make sure the cart path runs alongside the right-hand side of the women’s tee. Ladies don’t like showing their behinds to the rest of the foursome when they bend over to tee their ball”. RIP.
I don’t understand the anger about the golf ball roll back. It will make no difference whatsoever to the average golfer and puts golf back on a path of sustainability. It will also help bring back certain skills in the pro game that have been eradicated over the past 2 decades.
“Women tend to take golf more seriously than men. They play faster, dress better,follow the rules more closely.There are exceptions to every rule, but for the most part I’m right.” Pete Dye.
We are proud to announce that we have been appointed as architect to Seven Mile Beach in Hobart, Tasmania.
@mikeclaytongolf
and
@DeVriesDesigns
, who were axiomatic to the creation of
@Barnbougle
Dunes and
@capewickham
Links respectively, will co-lead our first new build project.
The Ocean Course asked a lot from players at the PGA Championship. Phil Mickelson seemed to be the only one who had the experience to answer the call.
✍️:
@the_woke_yolk
Brian Twite.Long time pro
@MetropolitanGC
Ex assistant of Arthur Lees at Sunningdale. One of, I think, three living players from the ‘51 Open at Portrush. Still moving it pretty well for 93. We’ll excuse the golf cart.
“The biggest shame is I can’t go to Cy. Point. & play the course the way the designer designed it to be played.The biggest problem for me is when we lose the architectural integrity of the golf course. We’re to the point where that’s where we are. Something has to give.”P Cantlay
One of the joys of the Augusta National Women's Amateur is seeing the course play the way it was designed. With all eyes on golf's Cathedral over the next nine days, Michael Bamberger hopes the green jackets will draw a line in the sand. His must-read:
“If I wanted to be a brain surgeon and take the time to study that, I could”. Greg Norman.1996 US Masters Sunday. . “Maybe so, but he wouldn’t operate on this cowboy- not on Sundays, anyway.” Dan Jenkins. RIP.
Cam Davis nurturing the game by playing the
@SandbeltInv
with the best young juniors. Dec 19-22. Kingston Heath. Royal Melbourne Yarra Yarra Peninsula/Kingswood. Free to watch.
@GeoffOgilvyGolf
Shoots out of the sky “these guys are better athletes” argument. They may be but it’s primarily ball and club - not agronomy, fitness, instruction. They may contribute but the game is deskilled and courses devalued.
Perhaps those advocating narrow fairways and higher rough and cherry picking MacKenzie quotes saying ball was going too far in 1932 could also consider this from him. And he was right about it going too far. It obsoleted many great courses of his era. Now we’re repeating history
One way to make smaller Australian tour events look more professional is have caddies carry the clubs - especially the lighter bags. If this old man can carry so can most :)
Meanwhile Richard Green wins the Champions Tour tour school in the US. Won 1st stage by 12. The final by 4. Only 4 cards - maybe 5. Either way, amazing golf.
Adding to
@johnhuggan
argument
@NiallOfficial
is one of the most important people in golf - promoting it regularly to his 39m followers (perhaps more followers than all the PGA Tour players combined?) - and to a valuable young female demographic.
'In the next 15 years a new generation of tour players routinely will be able to drive the ball 330-360 yards,rendering all courses obsolete. Is the USGA going to exercise its traditional mandate to protect and preserve the game of golf?' Deane Beman. Letter to Fred Ridley 2005.
“If the architecture of an 18-hole course isn’t interesting at 6,200 yards, there is no chance it will be more interesting at 7.400 yards” Ran Morrissett
Fun Sandbelt Invitational story. A friend of mine bought his 5 year old daughter to watch at Royal Melbourne. Two days later she has a surprise Christmas present.
1-iron and balata - cool footage of
@NickFaldo006
hitting a baby fade butter knife in to the 36th hole of the 1989 Suntory World Matchplay at Wentworth. He made eagle to beat
@IWoosnam
having played the final 7 holes in 7 under👊
@lawrencedonegan
Probably not - but with 38 million followers he’s taking golf to an audience who presumably think golf is a game for old men.
Only good comes from him playing so publicly
Comparing some recent comments with this last week from
@NiallOfficial
on Women’s golf.
@Marina_Deee
@TheChristinaKim
@suohgolf
He gets it and with 40m followers one of golf’s most important voices - especially to its hardest to attract demographic. Young women.
Incredible heathland planting on
@VicGolfClub
#7
. If you want to argue golf courses are bad for the environment tell me where else in Melbourne you find such expansive, indigenous heathlands.
Took the 11.15 pm long term (overflow) car park bus last night. I’m the only passenger.
Driver says to me: “I can’t wait for that course you guys have done
@7milegolf
to open”.
@cdpgolf1
Caddied for Elvis at the Aust Open last November. 70,67,75,71. Pretty good for 17 playing with
@RodPampling
and
@mweirsy
He just won the Qld Stroke play. 66,68,63,66. 20 ahead of 4th Getting better.
I also love Royal Melbourne, in the sandbelt region of Melbourne – one of the greatest pieces of terrain on earth. Australians know how to take care of their courses, staying on the lean side, conserving water, and taking care of their native grasses. BEN CRENSHAW
It’s a new beginning - an exciting one, joining with two of golf architecture’s really good and talented men to cover the truly global world of golf.
@cdpgolf1
@DeVriesDesigns
@IVGD1
Whilst Augusta & Royal Melb were designed by the same man with same aims & philosophies inbuilt into both there is a huge difference in how the courses play. It's summed up by a RM member I played with a month ago.
'I haven't fixed a pitch mark here in 8 years" There aren't any.
Peter Fowler - 83 Aust Open and 89 World Cup winner- once asked Peter Thomson how he could improve his game. “Shoot lower scores,Peter”. He was angry for ages until he finally realised what a great piece of advice it was. What he was saying was: “stop obsessing with your swing”’