[Tommy Williamsen]

Henry Fownes purportedly growled, “Let the clumsy, the spineless, the alibi artist stand aside. A shot poorly played, should be a shot irrevocably lost.”
On the other hand Ben Hogan said, "Golf is not a game of good shots. It's a game of bad shots.”   

I used to like what Fownes said. Hit a bad shot and pay a stern penalty. Take your bogey like a man and move on. I've changed my mind. I hit to many bad shots. I can't remember the exact retort to Fownes but it goes something like this, "only the almighty should inflict eternal punishment."

I enjoy recovery shots. I played a number of renovated courses in the past few years. The philosophy seems to have changed. Fewer bad shots are punishable by death anymore. Congressional is more playable for the masses as is Oakland Hills. Golf is a game of recovery. I think that's what makes it fun .

[MCirba]

Yet Oakmont has no water hazards, tightly wooded areas, and/or many places one might need to take a drop.


I think Fownes was particularly distasteful of the careless unthinking boastful golfer who thinks they are better than they are.  He just over-dramatized the point. 

[Tommy Williamsen]

Yet Oakmont has no water hazards, tightly wooded areas, and/or many places one might need to take a drop.


I think Fownes was particularly distasteful of the careless unthinking boastful golfer who thinks they are better than they are.  He just over-dramatized the point. 

It did have deep furrowed bunkers on the other hand.

[Kalen Braley]

Mike,

I thought the ditches were quite the hazard the last time they played the US Open there.  And it seems like after a rain they would indeed be water hazards requiring drops and such.

[Peter Pallotta]

Plus, if we want thrills and challenges and emotions in our golf, what might be or might've been is more interesting and offers more than what is or what once was.

[Thomas Dai]

Is there not an argument that the degree of badness in a shot is related not just to physical skill or lack of skill but also to temptation, ego and the use of the 15th club, ie the 5.5” between the ears?

Atb

[Mark Mammel]

Henry Fownes purportedly growled, “Let the clumsy, the spineless, the alibi artist stand aside. A shot poorly played, should be a shot irrevocably lost.”
On the other hand Ben Hogan said, "Golf is not a game of good shots. It's a game of bad shots.”   

I used to like what Fownes said. Hit a bad shot and pay a stern penalty. Take your bogey like a man and move on. I've changed my mind. I hit to many bad shots. I can't remember the exact retort to Fownes but it goes something like this, "only the almighty should inflict eternal punishment."

I enjoy recovery shots. I played a number of renovated courses in the past few years. The philosophy seems to have changed. Fewer bad shots are punishable by death anymore. Congressional is more playable for the masses as is Oakland Hills. Golf is a game of recovery. I think that's what makes it fun .

The "eternal damnation" quote is credited to Bernard Darwin after a round at Pine Valley:
Bernard Darwin, the venerable golf correspondent for the London Times and a fine player himself, once took a 16 on the short eighth, walked off the course, and pronounced, “It’s all very well to punish a bad shot, but the right of eternal damnation ought to be reserved for a higher tribunal than the greens committee.”

[SL_Solow]

Are we really revisiting the merits of penal vs. strategic architecture? 

[Steve Lang]

   Penal v. strategic v. fun...


what brings the masses to the latter and what unfinished business brings them back for more?




edit:  wait, do the masses really play at Congressional or Oakland Hills?

[Tommy Williamsen]

  Penal v. strategic v. fun...


what brings the masses to the latter and what unfinished business brings them back for more?




edit:  wait, do the masses really play at Congressional or Oakland Hills?

Probably not. But I love them in their new iteration. Not so much before.

[cary lichtenstein]

I love recovery opportunities

[Tommy Williamsen]

Are we really revisiting the merits of penal vs. strategic architecture?

I wasn't necessarily thinking of that discussion. I am thinking more along the lines of recovery shots. How easy/difficult should they be.

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