[A.G._Crockett]

Interesting comments by Steve Elkington concerning the PGA Tour's courses:

Elkington slams 'crap' US PGA courses

   October 27, 2006 - 10:04AM

Steve Elkington has open disdain for most of the courses that host the US PGA Tour, so it's no surprise he fired an impressive four-under-par 67 in the opening round at the Chrysler Championship.

"This is just a good course, one of the better ones we play," said the battle-hardened veteran, who trailed American leader Brian Gay by three strokes at demanding Innisbrook.

"Some of the crap we play on is ridiculous. As big as the tour is, you'd think we could play some better courses."

"This course suits my game because you've got to think your way around, and it's playing a little firm, very firm for the US Tour."


The tournament is being played on the Copperhead course at the Westin Innisbrook resort, and is listed as being designed by Lawrence Packard.  I must confess being familiar with neither the course nor the GCA.  Any thoughts on the comments, the course, or Packard?

(I googled to try to find more of what Elkington had to say, but with no luck so far.)

[JESII]

Why would the great clubs of this country be interested in hosting a Tour event when some of those players will refuse to abide by such an easy request as playing in soft spike golf shoes? Just a starting point, maybe not where you want this to go A.G. sorry.

[RJ_Daley]

AG, my home course here in Green Bay is a Larry Packard course.  It is shortish (6900 for the tips) and when the state Am was held here, the entire field was over par, except the winner at -1.  It is naturally laid upon the rolling hills,ridges and slopes and uses the terrian to challenge postition and mis hits deflect to harder second shots. I imagine Innisbrook is not as much contour and ele change.  I also note on TV that the bunkering is not the familiar style that we see of Packard here in the great lakes, where he was most likely to follow his mentor RB Harris in the gaping easy to maintain bunkers with enough room between bunker and putting surface to get equipment around easy.  Also, the courses I know of Packard have a very good balance of flashing facing up into the green and down to the green.  Packard built very good courses, it seems to me.

[Darren_Kilfara]

Have we ever tried to compile a list of the worst courses that currently hold events on the PGA Tour? If not, I'm sure it would be pretty easy to put together a Top 10...or rather, a Bottom 10 (or 20, or 30) list!

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I find it interesting that Elk would slam the mouth that feeds him. He not only plays on the tour is but is part of the design team for those horrendous tour courses. The Tour design and construction team contracts are so fat with consultants, the US governments no bid no scope of work contracts compare favorably.

[Bob_Huntley]

The Tour design and construction team contracts are so fat with consultants, the US governments no bid no scope of work contracts compare favorably.

Tiger,

On the subject of the PGA Tour, has anyone determined how much the PGA TOUR (as a tax exempt entity), actually donates to charity? We know that Finchem throws around sums of hundreds of million dollars raised, but doesn't that come from the sponsors, the work of vounteers and tournament revenues?

Surely the building of golf courses and the money raised from their leases should be taxed.

Bob

[John Kavanaugh]

I'd like to be the contractor that paves the Indianapolis 500 Speedway...I'd be interviewed and have pictures on magazine covers and become famous in the industry... Guess what...you get that job by giving back profits for the privilege.  I'm sure Elk and all his buds could play a much better quality of course if they would play for free or even pay for the honor.

Yes even some roads are ranked higher than others...  

[Sean Walsh]

Also interesting from a bloke who has the opportunity to return to Australia every once in a while and play what are usually a better standard of course than the PGA Tour. (Although less the case now than over the last ten-twenty years.)

We won't be holding our breath.

[Gary Slatter]

Elkington is right, but the TOUR gets what they deserve and will eventually play only TOUR owned "courses" so they don't have to share revenues.  The European Tour plays some crap courses too, but they more of a variety which forces them to have total games.  Copperhead is an excellent course, worth playing going or coming from World Woods.

[John_Conley]

For all the accolades being thrown at Copperhead, I actually found the Island more interesting.  On Copperhead you have a lot of trouble right, long par 4s, and mainly just a difficult layout.  Island is tons of fun.  Never thought I'd say I loved a course with closing holes on each nine that are layup doglers.

An interesting observation from a friend that played the TPC Boston and Hamilton on Tour this summer.  He said not only is the older course superior, it is a way better venue for spectators.

[Tom_Doak]

The Tour gets the courses they get, mostly because of the process.

The Tour doesn't actually pay for the design of the courses, or for building them.  A developer does.  The developer chooses the architect (with much prodding from the Tour), and he is the architect's client (even if the Tour guys want to have their say about playability and gallery flow and hospitality tents and the rest).

So the developer is not only giving up a lot of his land, but actually shelling out for the course to be built.  Why's he doing all that?  To increase the value of his other land.  So the golf course architect is pretty much stuck with a routing dictated by land planning considerations.

The Tour has not developed a golf course without housing since the early TPC layouts at Sawgrass and at Scottsdale, plus the takeover job in Hartford.  Not surprising that those are the cream of the crop, since they are the only courses which had golf as the first priority.

[Mark_F]

Also interesting from a bloke who has the opportunity to return to Australia every once in a while and play what are usually a better standard of course than the PGA Tour. (Although less the case now than over the last ten-twenty years.)

We won't be holding our breath.

Sean,

PGA tour pros are nothing if but hypocrites.

[Tim Copeland]

You gotta be kiddin me

http://www.pgatour.com/players/results/132001

Cmon Elk....you are better than that??

Maybe he was quoted out of context??

[John_Conley]

It wasn't long ago he lost the British Open in a playoff.

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