11

Golf Course Architecture / Dallas Privates

« Last post by Mike Hendren on Today at 09:34:10 PM »

Generally don’t seem to foster much discussion.  I started my career there 40 years ago and was in town this week.  Brook Hollow, Northwood, Dallas CC, Preston Trail, Lakewood, Dallas National, Dallas Athletic and Trinity Forest is a nice roster.  What gives?

12

Golf Course Architecture / Re: OT -Scheffler's Dominance

« Last post by David Harshbarger on Today at 09:28:08 PM »

"My snap takes are that Collin loves the trappings of success too much and doesn’t have the grit to maintain excellent play"

David H. -

I am curious as to what gives you that impression. I  don't think of him in that way at all.

DT

The puppy booties from Full Swing started it as he and his GF got off a PJ to go over the clothing options a sponsor had prepared for him.


Then just an accumulation of petty observations - collapse in Hawai’i, fail to threaten in Augusta, body language on mistakes, nothing scientific and all filtered through my biases.

13

Golf Course Architecture / Re: From what ”starting point” should you judge a golf hole?

« Last post by David Harshbarger on Today at 09:18:22 PM »

Yet another reason to rein in equipment to better match the scale.


As equipment has propelled the scale at which stronger players play the relative difference in scale between weak players and strong players is that much greater, and the challenge of maintaining golf qualities across the range of scales that much more difficult.


Soly on the No Laying Up podcast recalled his round at Augusta last week. He is a good player and lamented that he just hit the ball too far to experience the challenges Augusta offers, played from the member tees. It was an observation rarely heard, as most of the time we aren’t in a situation where 1) we have an expectation for a specific experience and 2) there’s awareness that this may be the only opportunity to have that experience.


But, playing Augusta as a winner of the press lottery setup this circumstance. Years of intently watching the Masters established an interest in trying to pull off certain shots (off the tee) - specific experiences, while the lottery system to play might never surface your name again.


On air Soly never quite connected the threads. The member tees are closer to the original intent. And that intent was scaled to equipment from the 30s to 50s.


In 1955 I would have to think a quality amateur would experience all of the features a pro did while the am still played member tees.


2024 - member tees are too short for a quality am to be engaged by the architect.

14

Golf Course Architecture / Re: OT -Scheffler's Dominance

« Last post by David_Tepper on Today at 09:04:24 PM »

"My snap takes are that Collin loves the trappings of success too much and doesn’t have the grit to maintain excellent play"

David H. -

I am curious as to what gives you that impression. I  don't think of him in that way at all.

DT

15

Golf Course Architecture / Re: Golf Originals - Tom Doaks Spectacular Golfing Mind

« Last post by Matt Schoolfield on Today at 07:45:46 PM »

"Golf Club Atlas...theres a lot of people talking out of their ass about golf course architecture and they don't really understand anything about why those decisions were made."

It's a very fair criticism... of me in particular 😅

16

Golf Course Architecture / Re: EVERY course/club has a great par three option

« Last post by Mark_Fine on Today at 07:41:29 PM »

Craig,
Are there off peak hours when the course is not busy?  The course could still charge a cart fee if carts are allowed and/or a reduced green fee or whatever and see what response they get.  Maybe they start with just nine holes.  Some golfers who don’t want to or have time to spend 4+ hours playing golf might jump at getting in a quick nine holes in an hour or so.  It costs literally nothing to test the concept. 


“Come play Old Works Wednesday afternoons between 12-4 as a nine hole par three course for half price and a free beer!”  Get creative 😊

17

Golf Course Architecture / Re: EVERY course/club has a great par three option

« Last post by Craig Sweet on Today at 07:24:56 PM »

I play on a public course (Old Works) and they would never do this because of the revenue they would lose.

18

Golf Course Architecture / Re: EVERY course/club has a great par three option

« Last post by Mark_Fine on Today at 07:20:51 PM »

Jim,
I have no idea how common it is.  But why only do it once a year?  Again, every course out there can offer the option of a par three course IF and when they want to.  Maybe more should try the idea and see what response they get.  These days the course could be set up in literally no time including a printed score card (and rating/s). 

19

Golf Course Architecture / Re: OT -Scheffler's Dominance

« Last post by David Harshbarger on Today at 07:19:07 PM »

David,

There are 232 major winners in golf history, and less than 20% (46) have won more than 2.  Of that 46, only 2 or 3 have a realistic shot at winning another with the rest either past their prime, long retired, or passed away.

So yea I'd say there isn't much in front of him. However, before Scottie is anointed, he still only has 2. 

Echoes of Jack commenting on Tiger around 2011-12 iirc: it sure looked inevitable that Tiger would pass Jack, but as Jack said, until he does it, he hasn’t done it.

20

Golf Course Architecture / Re: Every club should do this!

« Last post by Mark_Fine on Today at 07:17:32 PM »

Nice post David.  You get it 

For those who just can't get over the long walk, please just take a cart until you move to longer tees. 

And as I said earlier (only half joking), the players who hit it 300 yards off the tee don't seem to complain about that long boring walk between golf shots and they have to take that long walk on potentially 14 holes during an 18 hole round.  These players are only playing nine holes so essentially have half that amount of walking with not hitting a golf shot. 

And for goodness sakes, once players get to the longer tees this is NOT just about the "short" game.  We just added a new forward tee on our one hole to reduce the carry over the stream to 75 yards because MANY of the players can't carry the ball any further than that in the air to safely make it over.  When they get to the 75 and 100+ yard tees, many will be hitting driver.