R.I.P Bridgestone Firestone CC

Local news stated the announcement tomorrow. This will be the last year for the tournament to be held at historic Firestone CC. Very sad for us here in Northeastern Ohio. BB

What!

Yes, bad news indeed. They are talking about a boring Senior Tour event I would rather have the LPGA. If I wanted to see 50 somethings more I would join my current group more often.

Sorry that you lost a local tournament.

Not sorry that Firestone will no longer be played, one of the more boring courses of the year IMO

Just read the story. Money talks but I think they will regret it later. Simply a great venue.

Sorry that you lost a local tournament.

 

 

Not sorry that Firestone will no longer be played, one of the more boring courses of the year IMO

Then you weren't paying attention.

Sooooooo, will Tiger win it in 2918?

Sorry that you lost a local tournament.

 

 

Not sorry that Firestone will no longer be played, one of the more boring courses of the year IMO

 

Then you weren't paying attention.

I was, the course is a terrible repeat of the similar holes over and over again. That does not automatically mean the tournament itself will be boring.

From 1976 through 1998, the PGA Tour event at Firestone Country Club was the "World Series of Golf," and was sponsored by NEC beginning in 1984. It was founded as a four-man invitational event in 1962, comprising the winners of the four major championships in a 36-hole event.[2] the competitors played in one group for $75,000 in unofficial prize money, televised by NBC.

In 1976, it became a 72-hole, $300,000 PGA Tour event and its field was initially expanded to twenty;[3] the victory and $100,000 winner's share went to Nicklaus.[4] The largest first prize at a major in 1976 was $45,000 at the PGA Championship.

The World Series of Golf quickly became a leading event on the tour. For many years a victory in it gave a 10-year exemption on the PGA Tour, the same as was granted for a victory in a major championship at that time, and twice as long as is given even for winning a major now. The field consisted of the winners of all the high status men's professional golf tournaments around the world in the previous twelve months. This was quite different from the criteria for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational listed above, but produced much the same sort of global field.

I'm in agreement with one_putt. The course is a bit of a slog and not as great as it's reputation suggests. It's a pretty solid course for a tour event because it is along and tough, but in terms of fun and playability for normal people, it's really hard. There are a lot of long par 4s with a slight dogleg and a fairway bunker. Just because a great tour event was played there, doesn't mean it is a good course.

That being said, as a native Clevelander this is really sad. It was always a good tournament and Northeast Ohio is a nice place to be in August. With the PGA moving to May and the contraction of the fedex cup, this is yet another event that is leaving the northern half of America. It's astounding to me that between New York, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Seattle, and Portland there will only be 3-4 tour events in these cities starting next year.

I know weather is a factor, but it's very nice for 3-4 months per year. It seems bad for the long term health of the game to ignore so many major markets, but maybe they know something I don't.

Wow....Firestone CC was/is the best test of a golf course on the PGA tour. Wow....that's literally all I can say

Sorry that you lost a local tournament.

 

 

Not sorry that Firestone will no longer be played, one of the more boring courses of the year IMO

 

Then you weren't paying attention.

 

I was, the course is a terrible repeat of the similar holes over and over again. That does not automatically mean the tournament itself will be boring.

Have you played it? If so your opinion would probably change. It is a thorough test of golf. It can lull some to sleep, and you'll wake up with big numbers on the card. Some of the purest fastest greens you'll ever putt.

That's too bad. I went to the world series and the WGC several times. I always enjoyed watching the pros and thought firestone was a great course. I never played the south course but got to play the west a couple times.

Sorry that you lost a local tournament.

 

 

Not sorry that Firestone will no longer be played, one of the more boring courses of the year IMO

 

Then you weren't paying attention.

 

I was, the course is a terrible repeat of the similar holes over and over again. That does not automatically mean the tournament itself will be boring.

 

Have you played it? If so your opinion would probably change. It is a thorough test of golf. It can lull some to sleep, and you'll wake up with big numbers on the card. Some of the purest fastest greens you'll ever putt.

Nobody has ever accused Firestone of not being hard. The thing is that “hard” and “good” are two different words with two different meanings.

I heard that WGC event is going to be played in Memphis from 2019 on and in the slot of the

current FedEx St. Jude. So, I guess they're going to make the current FedEx St. Jude a WGC

event with FedEx as the sponsor starting next year.

I've been fortunate to have played TPC Southwind several times(Memphis). The Zoysia fairways are amazing and the WGC should do well there(Par 70). Sorry to hear you guys lose such a big tourney up there though, I always have enjoyed watching it.

Sorry that you lost a local tournament.

 

 

Not sorry that Firestone will no longer be played, one of the more boring courses of the year IMO

 

Then you weren't paying attention.

 

I was, the course is a terrible repeat of the similar holes over and over again. That does not automatically mean the tournament itself will be boring.

 

Have you played it? If so your opinion would probably change. It is a thorough test of golf. It can lull some to sleep, and you'll wake up with big numbers on the card. Some of the purest fastest greens you'll ever putt.

 

Nobody has ever accused Firestone of not being hard. The thing is that hard and good are two different words with two different meanings.

It's a goodncourse dude. Again everything is my opinion, but play there. Why I think it's good is because you can make big numbers, but if you are on top of your game it's possible to score there. Wasn't Tiger on 59 watch a few years ago? Hideki went deep sauce there a couple years ago, I'm not a great player but I've gone around there in 65 and also shot 78.

Not a fan of this decision, I understand that this could open up Firestone to host a potential major championship but nonetheless it was one of my favorite tour stops each year. Corporate money dictates the terms, I just wish the tour could've brought the Mexico WGC to Memphis and left Firestone untouched.

Not a fan of this decision, I understand that this could open up Firestone to host a potential major championship but nonetheless it was one of my favorite tour stops each year. Corporate money dictates the terms, I just wish the tour could've brought the Mexico WGC to Memphis and left Firestone untouched.

Hard to not agree with this...

I’ve played both Firestone South and North. Having read the very old quote from Jack Nicklaus that the South Course was “boring,” I was prepared to feel the same way.

Instead I was delighted. It is a very good golf course with great green complexes. A solid layout. I respectfully disagree with Jack Nicklaus (whose quote about Firestone is about 50 years old).

We have all been treated to some very exciting Tour events at Firestone in the Tiger era, many of them courtesy of Mr. Woods.

I feel bad for the terrific career employees and golf staff at Firestone CC.

I think many feel this way about the South course because it really doesn't present well on TV. The design is subtle and the slopes are rolling simply hard to see on TV. Many major champions have publicly called Firestone one of the great courses I will choose to take there word for it. BB

Not a fan of this decision, I understand that this could open up Firestone to host a potential major championship but nonetheless it was one of my favorite tour stops each year. Corporate money dictates the terms, I just wish the tour could've brought the Mexico WGC to Memphis and left Firestone untouched.

 

Hard to not agree with this...

Firestone probably had to go in it's current slot. They want the tour championship played by

or before Labor day. I think next years schedule will be released in a month or so and we'll

see all the changes.

There are a few upcoming tournaments with no sponsors, Colonial and Tiger's DC area one,

which lately was the Quicken Loans National. Dean and DeLucca pulled out of the Colonial

and Quicken out of the other.

I'm looking forward to seeing next year's schedule.

Oh, and they played the Houston Open this year without a sponsor so that makes 3 sponsorless

tournaments.

That being said, as a native Clevelander this is really sad. It was always a good tournament and Northeast Ohio is a nice place to be in August. With the PGA moving to May and the contraction of the fedex cup, this is yet another event that is leaving the northern half of America. It's astounding to me that between New York, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Seattle, and Portland there will only be 3-4 tour events in these cities starting next year.

 

I know weather is a factor, but it's very nice for 3-4 months per year. It seems bad for the long term health of the game to ignore so many major markets, but maybe they know something I don't.

Chicago area has four tour events scheduled during a three week period: mid June thru mid July this year.

Champions Tour Constellation, Women's Senior PGA, Women's' PGA. and the WEB.com tour is here in mid June.

The course sites are all suburban venues.

The weather that time of year will be just great.

Come on over and have some fun.

The entire Midwest is now down to just The Memorial and John Deere Classic as permanent sites for the PGA Tour.

Not a fan of this decision, I understand that this could open up Firestone to host a potential major championship but nonetheless it was one of my favorite tour stops each year. Corporate money dictates the terms, I just wish the tour could've brought the Mexico WGC to Memphis and left Firestone untouched.

Would a Tiger win curb that decision?

They are going to play this tournament in Memphis in August?? Every year. Crazy.

Too hot and humid.

They are going to play this tournament in Memphis in August?? Every year. Crazy.

 

Too hot and humid.

They already play it in mid June when it's too hot and humid.

This really hurts. I've been there every year for the last 10 years. A perfect course for a PGA Championship.

Just sayin